Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-04-11

ga 1o04 toeol ng N u eopco 81
nearly al Of aid regiment and myself
ON the morning OF July 9lst ~ Segi-
msnt charged ON rebel batteries and At
Ter desperate assault, lost % men, Inc
regiment was complimented by Gen. NC.
Pherson iof il daring bravery. Gemral
McPhersons last words to me the day nc
was killed, were: 1.-THE old 10th shall Ike
remembered" On the afternoon OF the
2ist the Old Iowa Brigade was removed to
the exttcu,s left flank Of Sherman's army,
about two miles from Atlanta. The 18th
iowa formed line at right angles with
the main line of the army. Immediately
on the right Of the l0th's works the 18th
Iowa cstablished themselves in rife pits
on a road running between the nth and
10Th Iowa's works we're planted two Napol-
con guns Of the I'd Illinois Battery protect
I'd by heavy works. On the left Of the
10th and little to the rear, the 18th
Iowa had rife pits. About 100 yards to
the rear Of the 10Th the 18th Iowa had
breastworks. During the night Of the 2ist
each regiment Of the brigade built substan
tial rife pits along the line that have
designated, and ench cleared space of 80
yards in front Of its works. Still the heavy
underbrush concealed the works offhe diff
ferent regiments from each others view
On the 22d we were under arms at day
light, but no enemy appeared The after
noon before, immediat. ly on our arrival,
had thrown out two companies (cos. B and
O., several hundred yards in frontto act as
pickets and skirmishers. About noon on
the ED received an order from General
Smith, in person, TO have my regiment
ready to fall in Mt n minutes notice, and
that he expected me 10 hold those works
to the last, AS the safety Of the Division
might depend on the delay we could &C.
casion the enemy at that point. This was
the last order that received that day from
any commanding officer.
About one and . hsn o'clock p NJ, cur
skirmishers in front commenced brisk
firing. I Immediately formed the regi-
ment in the entertainments, and SION after
the skirmishers were driven in upon us
again sent them out, but u strong line Of
the enemy forced them back. Lieut.. Pow
ell, commanding the battery. opened his
fire on the advancing enemy, but request
cd it stopped until the enemy should get
| nearer | ordered my men not to fire
gun until they received my command, no
| matter how close the enemy came Inc
rebel line advanced steadily to the charge,
and permitted them to approach 10 the
open space Of fifty yards IN front OF my
works. when cautioning the men to fire low
and aim we'll, ordered the rear rank to
fire. and then the front rank The response
was terrific and deadly vollcy from one
ank, followed Immediately by another,
and then u continuous rapid firing. fast as
eager and experienced soldiers could load
and discharge their guns. The result Of
our fire was terrible; the enemy's line
seemed to crumble to the earth, for even
those not killed or wounded fell to the
ground for protection Lieut. POwelPs
battery here did excellent execution. An
other heavy line Of the enemy advanced
and were rcpuiscd in the same terrible
manner Officers and mrn worked cnthusi-
astically; guns became SO heated that they
could not 10 handled, the powder flashing
from them as the cartridge was dropped in.
The officers prepared the cartridges for the
men and helped them load their guns
More splendid firing. or more effcctual in
its results, was never witnessed in the army
The Sth and I'd Arkansas regiments. with
two Texas companies, got in position in our
front, i'm which they could not advance,
and dared not attempt to retire. but Rugged
the ground close, suffering a terrible fire
While thus living down. they raised the
white flag. ordered the firing to cease,
and these regiments threw down their guns
and hurried over to our works AS prisoners.
We had Mt this time double the number OF
prisoners we had men in ranks a part
| of these men were sent to the rear but he
fore the remainder could he secured the
enemy had taken the 13th's works iiQmedi
al ,,,. nd nm ra,lg hpuy
| firing into our ranks The boys drew their
bayonets and made the prisoners stand up
to protect their rear while they blazed away
! in front NV attention was soon after this
called to a large number Of prisoners on the
extreme left, marching across to our works
with guns in their hands. l Immediately
started in that direction and met Capt
Smith, acting Major, who told me that a
large lot of the rebel prisoners refused to
lay down their guns, and he wanted help
to force them to do it, told him to take
from the right what force he needed and
would see tho rebels myself
Immediately went to the extreme left
where found large body of rebels with
guns in their hands, confronted by our own
men went Immediately to the rebels
and disarmed two of them, when was sur
rounded myself, the rebels cxclaiming, as
they threatened me with their guns. we
won't hurt you. sir, if you surrender. =
Shocked at the word surrender glanc
ed hastily around and saw the rebels hur-
rying in large force by our left flank to the
rear, and perceived they had possession Of
the 15th's works, over which their flags
waved The thought flashed across me
that our only hope was to draw the right
wing of the regiment ont, and cut our way
through to the 11th's works. Enchanting
81 am not talking Of surrender now"
dashed away from them to join my regi
ment A rebel Captain seized gun from
one of his men and fired at me- the ball
passing between my heels Capt. Lucas Of
Co X, snatched gun from private's
hands, and simultaneously with two sol
diers fired at the rebel Captain and killed
him instantly, and the rebels threw down
their arms.
Immediately proceeded to the right Of
the regiment and commenced drawing
them out in line. hoping to be able to cut
our way out, when discovered the rebels
had possession of the 11th's works at our
! right They thus held all the works around
the 10th, and were firing into us from the
l3th's works in our rear. lpaccd my men
III tHV PieS "s"su. ~ p'"aAA"S " '"f ''A'~Vs .
the condition of things while AT that mo-
ment the rebels were forming line in front
| of the 13th's works to charge bayonets
down upon us We agreed to surrender,
but while discussing the subject on the
right. we saw the left going over the works,
surrounded by rebel bayonets. We fol
lowed their example, and were soon march
ing over the ground. where lay thei9efk Of
our hands in the form OF the rebel dedxland
wounded. We had the satisfaction Of see
ing for every man of us surrendered at least
one dead or wounded rebel, lying ON tllst
field of gore. Many ofour officers and men
were robbed Ivy the rebels Of almost every
thing as they left the ground.
At the time Of our surrender we were
entirely cut Of ammunition, the rebels hav
ing been 20 long in our rear that sup
plies were prevented from reaching us.
Why we were left alone, an isolated reg
ment surrounded and helpless, while the