The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-02-11
VOL. IL.

|
members of that regiment and its friends,
thus disposed of:
The regiment remained at St Louis, rect
perating and on guard duty, during the viii
ter. In the city there was a certain institr
ton called Mcdowell College," at this tim
used as sort of prison for rebels capture
with arms in their hands or treason in thei
hearts. which, 10y construction, amounted t
the same thing. The regiment was assigne
the duty of guarding this college, or prison
| Now, whether correctly or not, it was genel
| ally regarded as secession concern.
That fact is probably enough to account 70
Its conversion into prison for rebels and NAL
contents. But, though 1t was so converte
IN the main, 1t seems that certain attribute
OF collegiate sanetity still clung to it, Tn
museum" remained intact, and, filled witt
specimens, "dead rabbits" and stuffed beast
OF all kinds, wherewithal to illustrate th,
science of Button and the imagination of poo
Goldsmith, was ordered to be sacredly guar
ded from vandalism and pilage This wa
one of the duties of the Second infantry. In
fortunately there was 'hoe in the wall,
through which some vandal, not having the
fear OF God before his eyes. crept into the
museum. and feloniously stole, took, and car
RED away some of the dead rabbits and stuff
led beasts aforesaid. All things considered
1t was perhaps, venial offence. But the
learned Buttons and the gossipping Gold.
smiths OF St Louis took it in high dudgeon.
aud raised terrible catter about the ears OF
the military authorities. General Halleck.
now IN command of the department, who had
committed miserable translation of one
French work and some stealings from others.
sympathlzed with the students of Button and
OF the dead rabbits. General Schuyler Ham
ilton, at this time commanding the post, if |
mistake not, sympathized, as he was bonnd to
do by the Army Regulations, with the COM
mandlng general, and the regiment, not know
ing who had committed the otfense, or, if
knowing, not having man in the command
mean erough to tell, was publicly disgraced
by general order! This happened jus, as the
regiment was about to march to the levee to
embark for Fort Donelson, Tennessee.
When 1t did thus march on the 10th OF Feb
ruary, 1862, it marched in public disgrace
without music aud with its colors furled II
was an unjust punishment, but it was soon
wiped out by one of the best, bravest achieve
ments which are to be found anywhere among
all the records of warfare
The account of the battle of Doneson is
finely written. The part taken by Iowa troops
therein, and the pride of our people in their
achievements shall be our justification for
these additional extracts:
General Grant, who in the morning had
been engaged In consultation with Flag OH
Ger / cote on the Cumberland upon his return
to the held ordered General Smith TO assault
the works on the left. Smith selected the
brigade commando by Calanel j. G. I,an-
- l., IL
1t was composed of the Second Iowa which
only FIVE days before had left St. Louis in un
merited Disgrace the Seventh and -Four
teenth Iowa, the First Regiment of Western
the Twenty fifth aud the Fifty
second Indiana, the latter temporarily at
tached to the brigade. Colonel 1'uttle led the
advance. Marching by the left flank, the left
wing was IN advance, covered by the sharp
shooters deployed as skirmishers. The right
wing followed about one hundred and fifty
yards IN the rear, 81! wa5 itself followed by
the fitty- second Indiana, the Iwentv-ffth
Indiana, the Seventh and Fourteenth Iowa.
in the order named
The rebel works were FIVE hundred yards in
advance, and the line of march was up con.
siderable hill, obstructed by abatis. The sd.
vance was sounded at two 'cIaeA, afternoon.
Oflcers drew their swords, the men Crashed
Their muskets firmly, and moved on the rebel
works. No man spoke. Not a gun was fired
from our ranks Silent as the grave and in
exorable as death, the Second Iowa pushed
It's way up the hill through storm of grape, |
and shell, and ball. Many dropped dead. |
Many were wounded. But not e. groaa. nor |
cry was heara. The regiment moved as |
nmselessly as so many lions stealing upon
their prey. Reaching the works. the men
bounded over with wonderful agility, and for |
the first time the Colonel gave command |
Now give them hell" shouted ruttle. in the |
hne excitement OF the moment paying little
heed to the orthodoxy of his order, '.and III
nortais, says correspondent, lever IN .
icted the tcrmeLts Of SUMMATION upon the |
ienl.ens of earth it was then and there, in
obedience to that order" The enemy re- |
sisted with great stubbornuess. but the whole .
regiment forming in liue inside the rebel
works, drove the enemy to an interior line Of
'lfe- pits, and then fell back to the outer
works, which were held during the night, +
which had now come on, the troops sleeping
IN their arms, ready to renew the attack on
he morrow.
But Fort Donelson was already won-won
oy this splendid charge, wherein Iowa troops
gave the first grand example in the war Of
low to defeat the enemy protected by works.
n square, stand-up fight. The rebels saw
hat they were defeated, and in their extrem-
ty held counsel fwar. Floyd, much more
in the line of felony than in the
military art, was anxious to save his precious
body from capture. PILLOW was III precisely
he same predicament. All knew that the
works could not be held an hour after sunrise
IN the next day. Wherefore FLOYD, in order
to steal h,mselfaway, !" and thereby preserve
lnsuliied the consistent infamy of his char
'cter, turned over the command to Pillow.
Who turned 1t over incontinent to Buckner.
lloyd and Pillow escaped up the river with
ew followers. As day dawned on the morn.
ng of Sunday. the 18th, Colonel Laumau ob-
erTed white flags oh tie rebel inner works.
leutenant Colonel Parrott, of the Seventh
owa, advanced and brought back offers of
aptulation. 1t is well known that Grant
demanded and received an unconditional SIR.
ender.
'"As for the Second Iowa, it here won
equation which can never fade from The
ninds OF mankind so long as the victory of
'ort Doneson shall be remembered. Irfthe
ne army OF western troops, whose wonder
ul galantry wrested the stronghold from the
Insurgents, and caused even rebel writers and
ebel officers to admit that the volunteers of
ne Northwestern States and the Territory of
ebraska were more than a match for the
est troops Of the South in all this fine array
ne Iowa Second won the palm Of the most
onspicuous and daring conduct All the
-oops, with sense of Justice which is ever
Of brave men, gladly admitted
, and the lines of the army rang with loud
raises of Col. Tuttle and his regiment, as
-ell as of Gen Smith and Colonel Lauman,
ne general officers who had charge of the
ssault More, the admirable achievement
I the regiment brought forth enthusiasm from
he i'nperturbable Halleck, thing we'll nigh
s wonderful as. the miracle OF Moses which
rougnt forth living waters from the barren