The National tribune., 1891-01-01
BATTLE OF IUKA.
A Sword Some Coulrads Can Have n stiu

noon Of Sept. 10, ls62, az Iuka, Miss, occurred
one Of the most saDguinary struggles Of the
war: beginning and ending with a crash of
small-arms, but little skirmishing and but few
luils in the terrible roar Of musketry and ar
tllery, accompanied by the loud cheers OF the
charging and Countercharging columns, from
o'clock p. m, until dark, when, save the means
and groans Of the wounded, all was still rs the
grave.
My regiment, the Goth H., but for an acci-
dent would have been in the hottest Of the
battle. In marching brigade it is customary
TO change the lead daily, So that the rear Tegi-
nent one day is in advance Of the next. Ours
was the leading regiment at this time and had
just reached the corner OF q field some 80 rods
or more in rear of our advance line, when We
came 10 a halt, and. as usual on such occasions,
the boys threw themselves down on either side
Of the road in the grass and leaves to rest. Next
behind rs came the llth No, Col. 10 Mower.
commanding, who seeing the road open marched
along until the head Of his regiment was abreast
ours, when he ordered halt and had turned 10
converse with our Tegimental officers when our
advance developed the enemy in force, re-
ceiving at short range whitening blast Of
musketry and grape, Immediately followed By
a desperate charge.
A moment later, one Of Gen. Rosecrans's staff
came dashing back for reinforcements and see
ing Col. Mower first, supposed his to be the
leading regiment, called to him to forward his
men double-quiCk TO the support OF Sullivan's
Brigade. They went in on q charge and lost
half their numbers; while we were moved
forward and to the right taking position on
the right flank, where We remained all night,
with loss all told OF three men wounded.
We lay on our arms that night without blan-
kcts and suppcrless, our teeth chattering with
cold and our ears greeted continually with
the heartrending and piteous appeals of the
wounded for help, generally for water" for
Gods sake, " to bring them water thatthey were
dying of thirst. God spare me another such
night About o'clock the next morning IL was
whispered the enemy was retreatng and with
20 others went forward to ascertain the facts.
We had proceeded but a short distance when
we met one of their pickets, who, in working
his way back through the brush after being
relieved, had lost his bearings and was within
a few yards OF ms before discovering his mis-
take. From him we learned the Johnnies
were getting ont of there as fast as possible.
When we returned % our command il was
daylight and preparations were made to move
at once. As We would necessarily march near
the battlefield 10 reach the main road, | sug-
Rested TO Lieut.. Reed, OF Co. b. that We 90
ahead aud look the ground over before the
regiment passed. We did so, and were among
the first there. More than a quarter Of a
century has elapsed since that September
morning. but time fails to ehace from my MEM
DlN luB ItCblltCllDub OF LNboc ltTIlDlt SCENES.
Death had held high carnival there during the
night, gathering in, aside from those to which
the fearful struggle had entitled him, many a
poor fellow whose life might have been saved
with timely surgical assistance, which, owing to
the lay of the field and the close proximity Of
the opposing forces, ii was impossible % render.
Among the first we reached was Capt John
sion, Of the Sth La man Of fine appearance
aud highly intelligent. He asked for water,
which we gave him, then asked if we would
kindly move him from the open space whore
ho lay 10 a small spreading tree near by, VIII :
he would be shaded at midday, remarking that
our wounded would be attended 10 first aud it
would probably be late in the day before they
reached him. We complied with his request
gave him another draft of water, and had
turned TO leave when he said, Here, take
these swords" (He had two.) But we said,
No, We are not here to rob the wounded or
plumber tie dead" Bot still he insisted on
our taking them, saying we had done hm a
great kindness, and perhaps saved his life, and
IL VIC did not take them someone else would.
As he handed them TO Us he said, This was
my own, aud this IA cavalry saberj / captured
from the commander OF that battery" point
near by, in the first charge" / think he
further stated that the officer from whom he
captured the saber was killed while being
marched q prisoner TO the rear.
A little farther on, and just in rear Of one Of
the llth Ohio guns, one Of the most sublimely
grand scenes Of that terrible field met our
view one Of the battery teams, still attached
to n caisson or timber chest, had fallen, each in
his place. rs though by a single volley. six
superb animals, richly eomparsOned and
majestical even in death, but yesterday the
pride and boast of our division. The near
wheeler was yet alive, bnt from a wound
through his hips or hind legs sat on his
launches his left fOTo leg straight 10 the front,
his right knee resting upon his fallen mate,
head erect and eyes disiended, with an accumu-
laliOn Of bloOd-stTeaked froth from the ground
to his nostrils. No artist. with imagination
ever SO fertile. could oveTdTaw this scene.
Twenty feet away lay wounded soldier. one
Of the 9th Iowa, a stout pleasant looking
farmer boy OF perhaps Is Summers with
hands clasped under his head and slightly
prOpped against the root of a tree We gave
him water aud asked him where he was
wounded. lie said through both legs between
knees and hips aud that one was broken. Just
at this time the horse heretofore described
struggled as il TO rise, which he noticed at
once, remarking that lie wished we would
loosen the harness from that horse and see IL
he could not get up; that the poor fellow had
been struggling there all night, and il seemed
too bad something could not be done for him.
We told him that the horse was past assistance
and that our duty was to render what assist
ance we could 10 the wounded soldiers. He
then said he wished we would move his broken
leg of the other; said he had fallen that way,
aud had so lain all night, and that the one
beneath was asleep from the weight of the
other. We carefully made the requested
change and left him to look after others,
fow minutes later joining our regiment in pur-
suit Of the enemy.
Many exciting scenes followed and many
long years have elapsed since, yet / never think
Of luka without recalling TO mind the image
Of that placid fair-faced. philosophical boy,
whose unselGsh, sympathetic nature would
first have us relieve the poor, dumb animal
before thinking OF himself
Vino this lad was, or what became OF him
never learned, but If any read this who can
enlghten me On the subject, will be pleased
TO hear from them. j would also like TO know
who the battery officer was mentioned hereto
fore; If living will take pleasure in return
ing him his sword, which | carried 20 the close
Of the war. Ii is i'm good condition aad has
never been dishonored.-W. w. ALLEN, Cap
tain, Co. III, Goth Ill, South San Diego, Cal.
An Incident OF the Battle OF Chicknmauga.
EDITOR NATIONaL Tribune: Since reading
the article Of Serg't Booth regarding the Chick
amauga battle and the ETes of Friday nights
march / have been waiting patiently for some
comrade from the 9th KY, some other Tegi-