The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-10-07
THE 5th IOWA CAV.
A Member OF that Regiment Properly Blows III
BuRle.

Member or that Regiment Properly BLOWS His
Buge.
To THE EDITOR: ia an article in THE Ma
TToNAL TRIBUNE of Sept. 8, 1856, by K. W.
Surby, 9Th Ill Cav, there are some statements
that do not exactly agree with my recollections
Of those troublous times. The brigade in which
was the 9TH Iowa Cav. was commanded by Col.
Harrison mot Hammond), of the 6th Ind. Cav.
/ heard Col. Harrison disclam any blame for
our brigade in the loss of the one guu men
toned and heard him soold Gen. Wilson II
think that was has name) for sending the bat
terry l4th Regular in where it was no place for
a battery.
As regards any troops ever taking any works
where the brigade of which the 9th Iowa Cav.
was a member failed, have no knowledge and
do not think IL ever was done. Even II our
brigade had lost that gun through a fault and
failed to carry works that day. still for doing
what they did j think their days work " will
compare favorably with, If not exceed, that of
any other brigade Of equal numbers during the
war. They drove the rebels from daylight
until dark some 10 or p miles, capturing Pu-
laski, tho bridge there. and some Of the enemys
ammunition and pontoOn wagons. thought
was with the advance brigade and Col Harri-
son all that day, and did not know that any
one but our brigade fired a shot or made a
charge upon the rebels. About dark, when we
ground that know of that day, Hatch's COM
mand may have occupied some works farther
on, but l think if so il was after they were
abandoned without much if any resistance or
! would remember the firing.
The way the gun was lost was this: We had
been advancing up hollow TO near its head, or
where il forked, and a ridge crossed il at right
angles. Here the battery was sent in the rear
of our line, and when il commenced firing we
thought we were in rs much danger from our
own battery as from the guns of the enemy.
OF course we moved 10 the right and left 10 get
out of the way. The rebel infantry took the
one gun in, as it caught over a stump while the
artillerymen where hauling il back.
Just about that time, while going up steep
hillside, the saddle / rode on turned to tho
horses belly, and /, in haste TO make repairs,
had not much time To look around at either the
battery or the rebels, but have a very distinct
recollection of the whistling bullets and shells
/ stopped behind a building a few seconds with
an artillery officer, when shell came through
the building and either struck the officer or
some pieces of the building did, as / remember
how bloody he looked almost instantly. ]
understood from one of the batterymen that
there was something wrong with their ammu-
milton that day.
our regiment 1.-THE 9Th Iowa Cav.) had taken
breastworks from a superior number OF the
enemy before that campaign after Hood. In
the grand left wheel that Comrade Surby mem
| tons our brigade was on the wheeling flank,
or fastest-moying part of It. / have distinct
recollection of our driving the enemy several
miles the first day and taking stone fences from
1 them, which are substantial breastwOTks some
times For a few minutes the first day on our
/ right flank we had the excellent assistance Of a
| gunboat, which with its large gun or guns
spoiled rebel battery in quick time. The
! gunboat's work was done by some signaling
from Gen. Thomas, believe.
Other things being equal, such as arms, Off
GERS, workmanship and experience, / suppose
| there was not on an average very much differ
euce in the troops from the North. But / un-
derstood that at Fort Donelson the Inspector
General of the Army stated that the 9th Iowa
Cav. was the best volunteer regiment in the
| United States service OF course he might
have been mistaken, or told other regiments
the same. for all know. l think volunteer
regiments as good as Regulars. If it is any
credit 10 be the last 10 leave on retreat and
the first TO enter on charge then / believe the
5th Iowa Cav. aud the brigade Of which it wa:
a member had that honor.
We took Franklin, Tenn. the last time il was
taken on n charge, mounted, and so quick that
our cannon opened on US, taking US for rebels
which caused Col. Harrison 10 exclaim,
my God, have we got TO be killed by oul
own men!"
Our own men, suppose, did send the she'll
rolling and tumbling among u.s. j was in
formed that on that Christmas Day two who'll
Corps of infantry were double-quicked SOM
miles TO hold the ground our small brigade
took.
: As to our regiment or the brigade in which
we were being responsible for the loss of an.
cannon. think il absurd. Blame the rebels
In fact, asked permission one day myself 0
Col. Harrison, with only the 9Th Iowa Cav, b
capture two full rebel batteries, but no hee,
was taken of my offer that l know Of
, think, with but little if any loss, l woul
r have been successful by quick flank move
ment, under cover of some timber and sur
prise. AT this place Maj.-Gen. Wilson faile
with 1900 hrst-class cavalrymen taking TIA
official estimate of the number. Col. Harrison
I guess, was then under orders from Gel
Wilson.
: Now probably some OF you think am tellin
j. whopper," but am not TO the best of IL
= knowledge and belief Gen. Wilson may nc
4 have been 10 blame. He may not have know
: the situation as we'll as some OF Us did, {
S thought we did, after we had been looking
0 the enemy. We were placed where we woul
{ be in an excellent place to be killed of Who'll,
: sale by the rebel batteries, but either accideI
= or poor workmanship or kind providence pr,
= served most OF us at that time. The rebel ba
j. teries ran away and did not wait any longer
a be captured.-WM. w. WATKINS, 9Th Iowa, BE
f LEVINE, Iowa.