The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-10
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.

Line.
Aould Not he Left Out.
Riley Jessup, Captain, Co. D, 33d Iowa,
Morris, ILL.,, says: In your issue Of Nov.
26 is an article over the signat ire Of f. III.
DEP. The article proceeds to give short
history of the 28th Wis. Now, as to the
28th Wis, have only to say that 1t was
fine regiment, and say this from personal
knowledge, having served in the same COM
mand with them from the early Spring OF
1863 to the Spring Of 1865. at first as
Second Lieutenant, and finally as Captain OF
Co. D, 33d Iowa.
"What object to in the article is that 1t
gives all the credit of the defeat of the
rebel forces at Helena, Ark, on July 4, 1863,
to the 2Sth Wis.,, 1st Ind. Cav, and Haydens
Iowa battery, ignoring entirely the part
taken by the 33d Iowa. This regiment lost
more men than all the combined forces that
helped to defend Helena on that warm 4th
of July, 1863.
81 quote from Adjutant- Generals Report
of the State of Iowa, which have at hand,
to refresh my memory: The 33d Iowa lost
in that engagement 10 killed, A wounded,
and IA taken prisoners; and the 18th Iowa
(also ignored) was in line, and lost 81 killed
and wounded. The 36th Iowa was there,
and must have been about as much exposed
as the 20th Wis, for the seth lost two men
killed, the same number the 18th lost.
The writer says in his article that owing
to the defenses around Helena the 18th Wis.
and 1st Ind. Cav. and Haydens Iowa bat
terry actually defeated $4,000 well-drilled
and well-armed rebels, killing 400 and
taking 1000 prisoners, and only lost two
killed and four wounded. Further, ne
says that if it had not been for the 26th
Wis. and LIST Ind. Cav. the entire COM
mand would have been either killed or
taken prisoners.
1.-THE writer of the article referred to
knows. if he was there, that the 18th Wis.
did not and could not have anything to do
with checking the rebel forces after they
had captured Battery D, which he calls
Battery G, for they were not in . position
in the line of defenses to do anything. The
LIST Ind. did render good service in checking
the rebels in and about the old col0red
church when they made the fatal attenpt
to take the place by storm. have no doubt
the 28th Wis. would have done all that any
regiment could have done if they had been
so situated in the line Of defense around
Helena"
The writer is correct as to the number of
men on both sides and to the rebels killed,
but is g little short on the number of prison
ers taken by our force. It was over ], 400.
regret that feel called upon to make these
corrections; but / do not like to be quiet
and have the regiment that have always
been proud of, and one that ! am vain
enough to believe the State of Iowa is proud
of. entirely ignored in battle in which the
regiment lost moro men than all the rest OF
the command combined"
Three-M Months Mon.
D. Montague, Cathland, Mich, writes:
81 have noticed several Of the comrades
calling for three-mOnths men. am one Of
the number. / served in Co. d, 9th Ill.
When Fort Sumter was fred upon was en-
ployed in the office of the Belleville (Ill.)
Democrat. Immediately following the call
Bud Roman came into the Office with an en-
listment paper, requesting signatures. l at
once signed, telling him to waste no time
with me, but hurry on and obtain other
names. then took my coat from hook,
put it on, walked into the business Office,
bid the proprietor and others goodbye and
went to the appointed rendezvous in the
City Park.
"Men kept arriving all day, and as fast az
they came in were organized into squads,
and commenced drilling under w. G. Kuef-
ner. afterwards General. We were sent on q
train to Springfield, III. There were enough
of MS to form six companies. We hoped to
form portion of the 1st regiment (which
was the 7tb numbering after the six regi-
ments in the Mexican war; but were placed
in the 9th. served until the 26th day Of
July, 1861, and was mustered out at Cairo
Ill, serving about three and half months
"In February, 1862, I enlisted for mounted
rifle service against the Indians on the
plains but upon arriving at st. Louis the
organization was given up, and was trans
ferred to the LIST Mo. State Militia, where
remained, and was mustered ont at Rolla
Mo-, April Is, 1865.
II would like to know if any of the COM
rades served under more Generals than
did. I served with Prentiss, Fremont
Davidson, Schofeld, Curtis, John B. Gray
Halleck, Rosecrans, Sumner, Dodge, Ewing
and John Mcneil.
Mistaken Identity ct Shiloh.
]. r. Palmer, Normal, ILL.,, writes: vi
noticed an article from Capt. Finck, of the
55th ILL.,, regarding the death of Gen. Albert
Sidney Johnston at Shiloh, 2:30 p. M, April
6,.1882. believe it is substantially correct
as it has been stated by his son and by
Senator Harris, who was Governor of Ten
nessee, and at the time mentioned was John.
ston's volunteer Aid-de-Camp.
"These statements agree with Official
Records, showing time and place and man.
ner in which he (Johnston) met his death.
It was while leading charge with brigade
(Statham's) of Breckinridge's Division in
front of Hurlbut's men, and Hurlbut was
Of the opinion that one of the 32d III. fired
the shot that ended his career.
"Gen. George w. johnson, Provisional