The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-11-19
CR0CKER'S IOWA BRIGADE.
FROM ADDRESS BY GEN. w. w. BELKNAP.

Men of the Third brigade, Fourth division,
Seventeenth Corps, yours was memorable or
ganization, formed by and under the command
of the gallant and lamented Croker on April 81,
1862, by the union of the Eleventh. Thirteenth,
Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Iowa in one COM
mand, to so continue through camp and march
and battle until the end. 1t was not alone the
only brigade organization In the Army OF the
Tennessee. but the only one in the Army of the
Union, which held its original regiments to-
gether from first to last. 1t was renowned for
its prompt movements, for its thorough dlsci-
pline, for its soldiery demeanor, for its gallant
action On march, its and steady step in
advance gave notice to those who followed that
on that day loiterers would be left. In camp,
where the quiet was some times lrksome, and
the active nature of the young soldiers life was
disposed to make him restless, disciplined by
self-control you made the spot where your white
tents were pitched attractive, and in the routine
of daily duty you showed the culture of sOldierly
training. On drill and on parade, your bright
bayonets, glistening in the sun, marked your
evolutions as models of beautiful movement.
At the sound of the bugle, by night and by day,
YOU were ready with true devotion to the cause
for which you fought. Day after day your de-
tachment marched to the skirmish line, when
YOU knew that in the oracle of military fate it
was written that, before that detail relieved,
some one of your number would 60 down to
death; and when the dropping shots afar in the
timber, gradually growing thicker and nearer,
told of the enemy's advance grasping your guns,
in line of battle awaiting the onset you gave to
him blazing stream Of welcome as the sound of
your own shot mingled with the opening crash,
which grew into the resoundng roar of battle.
The flags of your regiments may at times have
dropped in disaster, but they only fell to rise
again with brighter stars. On the field of Cor
inth, on October 3, 1862, the regiments of this
brigade which were engaged did heroic work;
and the flag of the Fifteenth Iowa, which we
have here to-day, was carried on that bloody field
by Corporal Black, who fell in that action
At Vicksburg you were constantly on duty,
either on the skirmish line OF in the hazardous
work at the front; but it was at the siege of
Atlanta-that warfare of giants-where your
greatest work was accomplished. The skirmishes
OF July 4th and 9Th, 1864, near Nckalack, the
battles OF July Doth, DIST, and odd near Atlanta,
in which you were ali engaged and that OF july
2Sth near Ezra Church, in which the Fifteenth
was engaged, all were noteworthy from the fact
that deeds worthy of record and of historical
mention occurred in great numbers You will
remember that in the battles of July 21st and
22d before your resistless fire whole ranks of
the enemy went down. Flanked on three sides.
you drew yourselves from his close embrace, and.
not knowing that you were caught in turn cap
tured your captors. Attacked from the rear You
saved your fire from the reverse side until they
came in line, and then you moved them down
as the scythe does the grass
have with me to-day the original letters, COM
ments. and reports of several of the officers of
the confederate army and the original lists of
killed and wounded on that eventful 22d of July.
They have never before been given to the world,
and as they are most interesting, [ shall, with
your permission read them for your information,
for from them you will learn how severely your
hghting cut TO pieces the rebel line. The Iowa
brigade was attacked first by GOvans brigade OF
Nlepurnes division of Hardees corps. 1t con-
tanned the following regiments: First, Fifteenth,
second, twenty fourth, Fifth, Thirteenth, Sixth,
seventh, Eighth, and Nineteenth Arkansas and
ruin confederate. This brigade captured the
oAleehth Iowa after the most gallant fighting
on the part oil that regiment, as the confederate
general says IN his report. Afterward our brigade
was assaulted by Lowrey's brigade-in which the