The National tribune., 1886-10-28
AT WILSON'S CREEK.
What The lst Iowa Did and What Il Did Not u
There,


What The Ist Iowa Did and What 1t Did Not Do
There.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: II is with
great reluctance the undersigned "rushes into
print but there was an article i'm your issue of
Sept. l6 so grossly unjust and inaccurate. that
one is compelled 10 notice IL. The writer Of said
article goes on TO give description of the cam
paign OF August, 1861, In Southwestern Mis-
souri, under Gen. Lyon, and generally speaking
he gives a fair account of il up 10 the 9th OF
August i wish more particularly TO speak Of
what he says in reference 10 the evening OF that
day and the following day.
lie says Gen. Lyon issued certain orders about
5 o'clock Aug. 9, and it is supposed he means
written orders. Asa fact, whatever orders were
issued TO the troops on that day in connection
with the battle Of the 10th were not written,
but given in this way: About 5 or o'clock
n. m. the 9th, Gen. Lyon, accompanied by por
ton of his STAFF, rode along the line in front Of
each regiment, and In a quiet, sodierly way
told the boys verbally that they would march
that night that absolute silence must be pre-
served that he expected TO attack the enemy
at daybrcak the following morning, etc. Thus
was seen a Regular Army officer, trained sol
der, noted rs a strict discipinarian, conhdlng
in his volunteers the preliminary movements
incident TO a battle against immense odds. The
evening Of Aug 9we marched about nine miles,
and as Capt. Caclllin says merely dropped
down upon our arms no noise, not sound,
each mans heart beating in unison with his
commanders wishes.
At early dawn the march was resumed, and
very soon the lst Iowa boys heard the firing
Soon we passed few wounded, and / remem-
Der distinctly some of my company stepping
aside TO look at a wounded or dead man. They
saw many before the close of that day. The
Regular infantry was in advance and had
opened the battle. The LIST Iowa was soon
engaged under command of Lieut.. Col. VIM. III.
Merritt. And now comes the statement Of Capt.
Cracklin:
The len Of the line occupied by the Isl Iowa was
forced back by overw lining numbers and finally
broke IA disorder, and did not rally again during
the battle.
That statement is most false and unjust.
Again:
Promptly obeying the order, we ed Kan.) as
cended the hill by flank movement in columns OF
fours, left ia front and just left had reached
the brow of the hill, Gen. Lyon, who was on foot,
mounted his horse and swinging his hat in the air,
called out 10 us, Follow mel"
The truth is, Gen. Lyon was in front Of the
left center Of the LIST Iowa, where he fell NOR
tally wounded. 1t has been often said that his
last words were:
Forward brave Iowa boys viii lead you!"
That he did make some such remark is prob
ably true; what the exact words We're do not
know, although was then in Co X LIST Iowa.
and saw our brave leader when he fell. No
matter what he said whatever il was IL was
said in front Of the LIST Iowa and not the I'd
Kan. The LIST Iowa was the very last TO leave
the field that day, and the last act portion of
them dad was 10 haul or some of Tottens guns,
the battery horses having been killed. John
III. SIbbs, First Sergeant, Co X, with squad,
did this service. Stlbbs was afteTward Captain
and Colonel, 10th Iowa.
The idea Of the LIST Iowa flying in disorder,
not to rally again! There never was a Drawer,
more heroic lot Of men on earth than that LIST
Iowa, whether marching a. miles in one day,
as they did, or breasting the storm of battle
aud facing the repeated onslaughts of five times
their number at Wilson's Creek That glorious
regiment has a well-eamed fame; not a man,
woman or child in Iowa but takes pride and
feels a thrill of patriotic enthusiasm at the
mention ofthe lst Iowa and Wilson's Creek.
Go ask Col. Merritt, of Des Mones, what the
regiment did on that day! / see him now sit
ting his horse, with the nerve and GOODNESS
of Wellington or a Grant, amid the storm Of
deadly battle has brave young heroes falling
fast about him. Go ask the brave Frank Her
ron If the LIST Iowa broke in disorder, not TO
rally again. Go ask Col Jack Stibbs Go ask
Gen. Stone Of Iowa. Go ask Mai Gen John
d. Sch0held. Go ask any of the many who
thereafter rose 20 fame and high command.
Fred. Steele, afterwards Colonel of the Sth Iowa
often spoke Of the gallant, heroic part taken by
thclst Iowa AZ Wilson's Creek. And now, after
% years, one comes forward 10 cast shame on
the lst Iowa! Was IL left for a "comrade 10
do so Can il be possbeY"
This is written more i'm SORROW than IN
anger" lf there is anything dear to me, one
who served from April, ls5l,- the first call
Of the immortal Llnc0n-tO May, 1866 il is the
/ proud consciousness Of having done my duty 10
the best Of my ability rs a member Of Co. X,
/ LIST Iowa, On Aug. 10, l-6I, at the battle Of
4 Wilson's Creek III there was a regiment on
! that day which did not do its whole duty, ] do
not know il, never heard Of IT, and history
thus far, does not record It, Surely, Capt Crack
! lin, member Of the gallant "a Kan, did not
mean whathe said Let us hope he did not
! But his words viii carry 10 the hearts OF the
\ few survivors Of the lst Iowa a feeling Of pain.
/ and, perhaps paug Of bitter resentment. Sol
! dlee should DO careful not 10 say aught which
wOnld offend or do injustice 10 brothers-in-
arms. We fought l0r a noble, patriotic, God
] given cause, and instead Of dispaTaging one
another the sole aim should be 10 elevate and
4 help each other The battle Of Wilson's
] Creek in Its conception, in It's execution, was
/ one OF the most heroic and dashIng Of the late
war, fought a. it was against overwhelming
odds
Mr. Editor, ] am a warm 8dmirer Of your
4 excellent paper itisiudced the soldiers paper,
/ and long may IL prosper; and may / venture
/ TO suggest that you scan very closely such arti-
4 clcs as Capt. CracNlias and where statements
/ are SO plainly at variance with facts. reject
them lnsiantcr-ANDEEW GEDDEs, Lincoln,
] nh