Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-09-29

never carry those works in the
world, sir!''
"Wait till you see 'cm go! Wal,
till you see 'cm go, sir! These Cd
id sons of BIS OF mine, would
take the tops Of them mountains if
/ shoHld order them to-
With smile Of incredulity, dis
dain and perhaps contempt, Gen.
Thomas turned away, with extreme
dissatisfaction, for the charge was
to commence here and if successful
in carrying the works in their i'm
mediate front, it should extend from
right to left along the entire line.
\ few minutes later saw the ex-
tr,me right Of Gen. Smiths forces
advance upon the hill, where rested
the rebel left. Grandly they swept
on, and, although the rebel fire was
severe, and the resistance most
resolute, their advance was irresisti-
bic, and in a few moments our first
battle flag was upon the intrench-
mcnts of the enemy. Knowing the
general order, Col. Gilbert, without
waiting the specific command of
Garrard, tour division commander
now wheeled his horse and gave his
regiment the looked for command
to advance. The men sprang to
their fect,-there was moment of
silcnce-then they took the long
drawn yell Of the Union Charge,
and dashed torward-thcn a screech-
ing Of shell, the cracking of grape
and canister and the prolonged
roar of musketry, and interminGling1
with the whole, the Union Ycff,A
then a sudden cessation of muskctry
and artillery in our front-and old
Al. Smiths entire sihgls line Of
men had carried everything before
them, capturing the eneny's artil-,
lery upon that ;.art of the field and
thousands Of prisoners. A few min
utes later sent back answering
shouts of victory from the remain
der Of our line, and the remnant of
the rebel army, hopelessly shattered,
were fleeing in utter con fusion thro'
Brentwood Pass. Oh, it is worth a
lifetime to have participated in such
an action, fighting in behalf Of a
just and noble cause. The results Of
this victory was the capture of so
seryicable cannon, scores Of battle
flags, ! Generals, 1000 staff and
line officers, 3,ls7 prisoners Of war,
besides 2,207 dcserters who came
in and took the oath Of allegiance.
As a fitting recognition of his
merit, and appreciation of your gal
liant conduct on the field under his
command Gems. Thomas, Smith
and Gerard united in recommend
ing Col. Gilbert to Tie fail grade Of
Brigadier General. He was APP
pointed and confirmed as such, and
without that political influence, TOO
often brought to bear in such cases
Let me barely mention your long
march in pursuit of Hood to Pulaski
and Clifton. Your encampment at
PASSPORT, Miss, ard Your free ride
down the Tennessee river, down
the Ohio, down the Mississippi, out
into the Calf ana around the Mobile
bay, thence up the Alabama side,
until the 18th day Of April 1865 finds
you part of the army besieging
Fort Blakely the last Of the defenses
of Mobile.
Col. (now General Gilbert's Bri-
gade is once more changed. Still |
the 9th and 32d Iowa are side by
side and with them are the 10th
Kansas, 9th Minnesota and ll7th
Illinois, just about 1900 effective
men. Six days were occupied in
making approaches toward the reb-
ell Notifications. On the afternoon
Of the 9th of April severe artillery
fire was opened which was soon |
followed by a general advance and
charge.
Our main line was distant over
eleven hundred yards from the fort.
The intervening ground was cover
ed with trees felled in every dircc-
ton, Torpedoes were planted in
front of the works, wires stretched
from stump to stump, 4 double line
Of abbatis, and in the rear Of all, a
strong line Of earth works. Men
have since said to me, GLOW we
ever got over that space, | cannot
tell" But somehow, you did.
From the command, "Forward,"
the line raised that old yell and
kept it up over trees, over wires, |.
over torpedoes, through abbatis, and
over the works in gallant style; our
Brigade capturing nine pieces Of
artillery and nearly six hundred
prisoners. This action, by which
all the armament Of the fort and
over 5000 prisoners were captured,
and which left Mobile at our mercy,
at an earlier stage Of the war would |
have received much more promi-
nent mention and have been rcceiv-
ed with loud acclaim. But it oc-
Cured on the very day on which |
Lee surrendered the rebel army Of !
Virginia to the Union Chieftain at
Appomattox. This was your last |
action with the rebels, and was also
the last stubborn fight Of the war.
Our erect civilian Col, for his gal
Int and skillful conduct in this
successful battle, was again recon-
mended by his superiors for pro-
motion, and was made brcyet !
Maj. Gen.
You were assigned the post Of
honor, that of garrisoning Fort
Blakely, but were soon again order
ed upon the march to Montgomery,
where you remained until ordered |
to Clinton, Iowa. where. You. ere
mustered out Aug. 9Th, 1865; a..
Since your enlistment, three
times the sun had gone to his Win |
ter solsticc and returned, to cast
his perpendicular rays upon your
sweltering, marching column. Three
times the fathers and brothers at
home had gathered the harvest's
golden grain: ~I$E( i
1fyou were among those who
earliest ''wcnt at their country's
CALL" you " ent forth in the gloom
Of rebcIlIous night, and fought I'M