The National tribune., 1902-05-29
BATTLE OF aUKA.
Experiences of a fuller's Ohio Brigade
Veteran. i,

while in the columns of The National Tri-
bune that are, to say the least, amazing.
For instance. that "Col. r. w. Murphy,
with four regiments and q battery, held
nka, on Sept. 13, 1862, against $1,000
rebels for whole day.
During the month of August. 1867, part
of two companies of the 39th Ohio, to Co.
l, of which l had the honor to belong,
were camped ut Eastport, on the Tennes-
see River, Just below the Muscle Shoals,
guarding Government stores, which had
been brought there by boat, and by the
last of the month nearly everything had
been taken by wagons to the railroad at
Iuka.
The last week in the month we were
ordered to Iuka. When we got there in
the early afternoon we found everything
in confusion. Nearly all the troops had
left, and suffers were hastily packing their
goods and getting out as fast as possible,
abandoning many things or giving them
away 1t is not necessary to tell old sol
diers that the boys" got plenty of ma
teral comforts without money and with
out price. Not only were suffers aban.
doning their goods but a large amount of
Ouartermaster and Commissary stores
were destroyed or abandoned to the en-
emy. Greeley says in his American Con.
fict, page 222. Vol. II: Murphy precip-
itately abandoned his post on the APP
proach Of the rebel cavalry, allowing a
large amount of stores, with $50 barrels
of flour, to fall into the hands of the en-
envy"
/ want to say here that there was no
fighting in or near Iuka in August or Sep
TENDER, 1862, until the battle of 1uka,
Sept 49, The only man l remember be-
ing killed was rebel bushwhacker who
the night after we got in was shot by
his guard, Bob Masters, of Co. /, while
trying to escape.
About the third day after leaving om
camp at Eastport we reJoned our resl-
ment at Camp Clear Creek, about seven
miles west of Iuka. Two days later the
Ohio Brigade (27th, Both, Add and 6}d
Ohio was ordered out in light marching
order with three days rations and 40
rounds of ammunition. We left camp Il
little after shutdown. The night was dark,
close and hot. We marched. with many
hats, until about / p. M, when we went
into bivouac in the edge of a heavy piece
of timber.
For the next two weeks we were on the
lookout, supporting, as we supposed, scout
ing cavalry, and to avoid attack changing
our location every night, with strong
picket line well out in the front during
the day. This is the reconnaissance in
force under Col. Mower mentioned in the
second volume American Conflict, page
10. Late III lne alttTiotH u sept &c
the remainder of the division joined us.
We fell in their rear, and little before
dark the column halted, went into biyouac
in some old fields grown up with young
pines, and made the usual soldiers SUI;
per under such conditions. That night
with a detail of six men ] had charge of
the outpost at a fork in the road. about
a mile or less in the rear of the column.
At early daylight we were ordered in,
l,.h rF ft..F., oh Iy
started. We fell into our places, and CON
tinued q slow but steady march until about
! p. m, Sept. 10. About this time some
firing to the front was heard, and cavalry
began coming back, said to be sure sign
among the infantry boys that fight was
near at hand. Soon after we began go,
ing up long but not steep hill. At the
top Of the hill stood large double, two
story frame house. In front of it the
road turned squarely to the left. passed
between the dwelling and the cottOn-gin,
press and other outbuildings. and then
turned squarcly again to the right in the
direction of Iuka. 1t was said that our
advance here came in contact with the
rebel pickets, and little shooting had
been done. At any rate, the house had
been abandoned by its owners and was
stragglers, and soon after we passed il
was in flames.
AS we passed down the hill in the rear
of these buildings scattering shots TO the
front became more frequent, and by the
time we got to the bottom of the hill and
crossed small stream the muskctry fire
had become q continuous roar punctuated
by the crash of rapidly field guns.
Imagine a slanting hillside containing 100
acres or more of cleared land without
fences. At the foot of the incline ran
the small stream before mentioned. This
cleared land was very nearly square in
shape.
Along the left or north side of this
large open field ran the road on which
we had been marching, bOrdercd by heavy
timber, the ground inclininG to a rayine
running parallel with the road. On the
east side was the crest of the hill, COW
cred Icy heavy timber, and in this timber,
extending north and south stood the rebel
line of battle. On the south side Of the
field was also heavy timber. (The points
of the compass mentioned are relative, and
not necessarily accuratc) Stanleys Divi-
sion. or ut least part of it, moved on a
donble-Quick up this road, and when halt
cd the head of the 39th Ohio rested Mt the
northeast corner of the field, where the
iuka road passed into the woods.
The artillery fire by this time had
ceased, and the volume of sound of mus
kerry firing was greatly diminished. Just
then the remnants of the 18th Ohio Bat
terry came out of the woods into the open
field. / counted - men, five horses and
one caiSsOn. Most Of the balance of both
men and horses were lying back in the
woods, and all six Of the horseiess guns
were in the hands of the enemy. In the
absence of horses they tried 70 draw off
the pieces by hand, but abandoned them
all inside of the first half mile. By this
time night was coming on, and the battle
was ever.
Just after dark the Both Ohio was
moved TO the right and front in the edge
Of the woods, and formed line of battle
facing 1uka. Here happened one of those
unfortunate accidents apt to occur under
such conditions. Without our knowing it
q mean the rank and file), the 18th Iowa
was drawn up in line a few rods in our
front. The two regiments mutually mis-
took each other for the enemy, and fired
two or three voleys into each other. The
most of the 18th Iowa came through our
lines. Who fired the first shot will never
be known. A Lieutenant Of the 18th was
killed instantly, falling dead at my side
Several more must have been hit, Judging
by the amount of shooting done at close
range. .fl
After things quieted down we lay down
in our places in line of battle, and so re-
manned until daylight.
We could hear the cries of the wound
ed i'll the woods in our front all night.
Commissary-S erg't John Sidwell of the
Both, came out to US some time in the
night, and gave each man three hard
t1 rI eli nf A