The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-03-26
BATTLE OF HARRINGTON.
Superb Gallantry Displayed by the I'd Iowa

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: On the
morning of May IS, 1862, Gen. Pope's
command of about 10000 moved out of
camp near Corinth, Miss, crossing piece
OF swampy ground over a road imperfectly
corduroyed. At an old deserted place
called Pennington we found the rebel
pickets and drove them inside their works,
at Corinth. Having accomplished this, the
command returned to camp, leaving Co.
ii, I'd Iowa Cav, on picket at and in front
of Pennington. Part of the company
was stationed in a belt of timber looking
toward COrinth. In our front was
clearing or field about half a mile in
width. dotted over with stumps they
looked like rebels in the dark. On the
COrnth side there was more heavy timber,
which served to conceal the rebel troops
From midnight till daylight we could hear
the rumble of artillery and trains, and We
suspected that they were preparing a sur
prise party for us.
About daylight we heard the old familiar
rebel yell, and as it was started way off
on the right and was taken up along the
line in front and to the left, we were led
to believe that large body of troops was
forming in our immediate front. Just as
the sun rose we saw their line emerge
from the timber and enter the field in our
front. 1t was a splendid view, but there
was not sufficient distance to lend the
proper amount of enchantment for us.
Between 10000 and $4,000 men in line,
with three full batteries, were in full view,
and we, small company of 40 men, two
miles or more from our supporting army.
As they advanced without firing, we fell
back. Not a shot was fired, although their
.skirmIsh line was almost in speaking dis
lance. As we passed by Pennington our
Captain (Ben Owen asked some one to
fall back, or, rather, take shelter, and
watch their movements. Pat O'Harra, a
gallant son of the Emerald Isle, volun-
teered, and took his stand at a turn of the
road; but as the rebs continued to press
forward, and even beckoned Pat to como
to them, he thought that he had seen
enough of their movements to convince the
most skeptical that they were bent on mis-
chief; he left his post of observation and
rejOined the company, which by this time
had met the regiment led by our brave
Col. Hatch. Gen. Paine, with the old and
famous Eagle Brigade, had come out, and,
with battery Of light artillery, was in line
on the brow of the hill. Our regiment went
into line in their rear. The rebels opened
the ball at once with shot and shell. Many
of them, passing over the Eagle Brigade,
made it unhealthy where We were. We
then moved to the left and dismounted
The rebel batteries soon found us again,
and shells were sent our way again. In
the meantime the infantry had closed
up, and Gen. Paine found las the boys
used to say) that he had ''bit off more than
he could chew" As no more troops were
coming to his aid, the only thing left for
him was to get off the field. and. with the
force in front, he had to do it quickly; but
if he took the only road there was to the
rear the rebels would rake the brigade
with their three batteries and they would
be wiped out in short order. Paine con-
cluded to sacrifice the I'd Iowa Cav. to
save his brigade, and sent an. order to
Hatch to charge.
The command was given to DRAW
saberw and the bugler sounded the
through the brigade, who were hugging the
ground. They kindly cheered us on. When
we had passed them our lines were in
some confusion, and so we were charging
by battalions in echelon. Our Major
Oatus E. Coon halted us for moment
and changed the line. The alignment
made. we charged forward again, but were
met by a whitening fire of musketry; the
air seemed to be full of whistling bullets
and screeching shells. Our Colonel, seeing
that We could never reach the rebel lines
alive, had his bugler sound the recall, and
in a short time the regiment was reform
ing under the hill. We quit the field,
leaving our dead and some of oUr wound
ed comrades to the tender mercies of the
Owen had his horse killed and was shot
in the head. He was lying unconscious
as we left the field. Col. Hatch dis
mounted, and, feeling under his vest, could
detect no pulsation of the heart. Thinking
he was dead. he took his sword and watch,
which he afterward sent with a statement
of the facts to his family. As the rebels
came ON the field Capt. Owen revived and
tried to crawl to a ditch to hide. The
rebs saw him and shot him again. They
then took him prisoner and had his
wounds dressed. In time he recovered suf-
ficient strength to travel. was paroled and
came home. AS there seemed to be no
hope of his being able to again take COM
mand of his company, lie resigned, but
afterward raised company and as Cap
tain went again to the front.
Our loss in Co. II was four wounded,
one of whom (Haskins, died in the hos
pital The loss of the regiment was. as
near as l now remember, seven killed
and 81 wounded. By the way. 1 have
heard infantrymen say they never saw a
dead cavalryman. If they had stayed on
the field ut Pennington they would have
seen them.-F. A. PARROTT, Co. Fl, I'd
Iowa Cav, Iowa City, Iowa.