The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-12-04
THE FIRST IOWA.
The Commanding Orlcer of that Regiment Takes
the Floor.


the Floor.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: A friend has
sent me a copy of your issue Of Sept. l6, which
contains an article from the pen of Capt. Joseph
Cracklin, of the I'd Kan, attempting TO de-
scribe the battle of Wilson's Creek. IL is with
extreme reluctance that i ask your indulgence
and that Of your readers 10 correct gross mis-
statement Of fact with regard TO the conduct Of
the LIST Iowa on that field. / do not object TO
the landing of particular commands engaged in
battle, but when il is done at the expense OF
truth and the meritoTious conduct OF other
commands / ask indulgence while l stale the
facts. History is worthless if not founded on
truth. / clip the following paragraph from the
article in question and will proceed to correct
its errors:
Gen LYON speediiy made disposition of his
forces A portion Of the Third Brigade, under Col.
Deitzler consisting Of the LIST Kan LIST NO and LIST
Iowa. was ordered to the front, supported by Tot
tens battery-the LIST Mo- the right, lst Iowa on
the left and LIST Kan. in the center. These three
regiments received the first shock Of the ha tie and
calamity stood their ground under most Calling
fire, in which the LIST Kan. suffered severely The
lef OF the line occupied by the LIST Iowa. was forced
back by overwhelming numbers, and fnally broke
In disorder and did not rally again during the
battle. The ID Kan, with Steele's battalion OF
Regular infantry and Lieut.. Dubos's battery, was
held in reserve.
If the LIST Iowa was brigaded with the LIST
Kan. and the LIST Mo. this Is the first intelli-
gence have had of it-and as the command
ant of the regiment in that battle ought TO
have been informed of it. OF one fact l am
certain-that the LIST Iowa was not ordered TO
the front with these two regiments as stated by
the writer. but was ordered 10 take position TO
the left of Dubois's battery and remained there
for an hour after the battle was opened defend
ing that battery while il was Smelling the reb-
els out Of the cornfeld and from Capt. Plumb
er's front
When ordered to change position and advance
TO Totten's battery il was 10 relieve the LIST
Kan, and the only break in our line after
reaching Totten's battery was caused by the LIST
kan in retiring from the field, cutting of two
companies on the right, which were led over
the hill TO escape CALLING fire from the enemy.
These two companies after delivering de-
structive fire into the rebel cavalry endeavor-
ing TO reach our rear and turning them back,
Joined two companies of the regiment which
had been detailed as skirmishers while the
regiment was at Dubois's battery, and the
four, united, took position at Duboiss bat
| terry, while the six companies of the lst
Iowa left al Totten's battery remained there
until the close of the battle, successfully resist
ing repeated charges of rebel infantry and a
hot fire of shell and shot from rebel batteries.
After the order TO retreat was given il was
some time before the dead horses at the battery
could be replaced by live ones, SO that the bat
terry, supported by the lst Iowa, or at least six
companies of il. was the last command which
left that part of the field. 1t is untrue and
grossly unjust to say that the left Of the line,
occupied by the LIST Iowa, was forced back by
overwhelming numbers and finally broke in
disorder and did not rally again during the
| battle" IL Capt. Cracklin was present with his
regiment on that field he ought TO have known
! his statement 10 be absurd, because the ID Kan.
Joined the LIST Iowa on the right in the line OF
! battle and remained there until its conclusion,
which utterly refutes the idea that the
"2d Kan, with Steele's battalion of Regular
| infantry and Lieut.. Dubois's battery, was held
In reserve" 1t is true that Steele's battalion
and Dubos's battery were held in reserve but
the % Kan. was in line of battle during the
fight on the right of and next 10 the LIST Iowa,
and If the historian Of the ID Kan. was with
his regiment he must have known these facts,
and that the 1st Iowa held its position at Tot
tens battery from the time it was ordered to
relieve the LIST Kan. until the close Of the bat
tie, under the most CALLING fire Of shot and
shell, without ever giving an inch of ground or
linching under fire. Let justice be done
though the heavens fall. Nor is our histori-
ans statement true that Gen. Lyon was shot
when on horseback. He was on foot when he
received the fatal third shot.
have no desire 10 provoke controversy, but
j cannot remain silent when such gross mis-
statements are allowed 10 creep into public
print. No troops ever sustained a seven hours
contest with quadruple forces with more un-
| hinching courage, under such a frightful tor.
nado Of shot and shell, than did the LIST Iowa
and i say this without disparagement 10 any
other command on that field, for all fought like
veterans. No Roman or Greek soldiers ever
| fought with moro invincible heroism.-WM. II
MERRITT, Lientenant-Colonel Of 1st Iowa, in
command ut Wilson's Creek, Dies Moines, Iowa