The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-02-01
Spanish Fort.


Editor National Tribune: I read in
The National Tribune an article about
Spanish Fort, Ala. / do not want to
get up controversy, but want to quote
some history. Capt. Summerville. of
Co. II, 18th Iowa, wrote a history of
his company, and it embraces the whole
regiment. He says, on page 1902: ION
the 18th OF March we left our Camp
near Navy Cove (near Fort Morgan)
and marched six miles to the front, and
on the 18th left camp at 5 a. m., march
ing 2 miles; marched six miles on the
18th and same distance on the goth,
camping on branch of Fish River.
winch we crossed on a pOntOon bridge
Here we met Gen. A. J. Smith, with his
Sixteenth Corps. After we had passed
Fish River it was not such bad roads,
and We had train Of 100 wagons fol-
lowing US. Our brigade was in the lead,
and was composed Of the Goth Wis.
soth III. 18th Iowa and 23d Iowa, I'M
der command Of Gen. Gordon Granger.
Thirteenth Corps. We lay at Fish
River from the goth to the 25th of
March. On the 25th the whole division
struck out for Spanish Fort by different
routes Col. Bertram's Brigade, of the
Second Division, Thirteenth Army
Corps. brought up the extreme left, and
on the east side of Mobile Bay The
evening of the Goth found us I'm camp
on hill one mile from Spanish Fort
and at mouth of the Tensas River.
ION the morning of the 9th we
marched over the road as if we were
going east but some distance on we
again turned, and going through hol-
lows and -the-way places we
reached the bridge over Tensas River
by'9 a. m. Here we found torpedoes in
the road, which were exploded by some
of the horses feet, killing and wound
ing some of them. This caused some
sp-fsif ton ,n1 fnfn of
battle. with Cos. A. and d as skir-
mishers The 10Th Iowa left the timber
and advanced to within 800 yards of
Spanish Fort, when We stacked arms
ard took to the shOyels and picks,
throwing up breastworks out of fallen
tImbers. rails and bodies of trees which
the rebels had felled with the tops to-
ward us and sharp-pointed; but We
brought order out of chaos. and soon
had line TO protect u.s. The rebels
opened fire on us from their batteries
doing good work, killing and wounding
several.
''Soon Capt. Foutz. of Battery F. LIST
Mo. l.. A., got to active work with his
two pieces, which he kept firing rapid
lly for two hours, when we were Or
dered forward again until we had COW
cred at least one-half the distance of
500 yards, leaving us within 400 yards
from the fort. Remember. Spanish
Fort was in our front and on the bay,
but trenches were filed with rebels east
and then north for quite a distance, so
only our division was In front of the
fort during the whole investment) 1t
then commenced to rain. and got very
chilly, and we had to lie flat on the
ground until it was SO dark we could
move and again build breastworks for
protection.
Might came at last. and under the
darkness the goth Wis and 10Th Iowa
built breastworks the full length of
both regiments. Each day we fought.
and each night we would crawl over
the line and do new work, until the last
time our dirt met the line of the rebels,
so we could throw back to them the
hand-grenades intended to kill us.
1.-THE evening Of April s. 1865, there
was q general charge made all around
the fort and adjoining works. The sth
Iowa was the first to enter the rebel
works on our right of line. Col. James
Geddes, of the Sth, being in command
of the brigade his regiment was led by
Col. Bell. now Of Washington. Iowa.
The rebels were completely surprised,
ard the first intimation was the 9Th
Iowa within their lines. Our forces
captured 535 enlisted men and 26 Off
GERS. I was cOlor-guard Of the 18th
Iowa, and was with the regiment all
the time during it's siege, and as our
regiment guarded some of the prison
crS, and had charge OF the fort after
the capture and talked with the pris-
oners. know that the statement as above
is correct
At nightfall on April concentrated
fire was opened on the fort from siege
guns. field-pieces and gunboats in the
hay and the infantry in our trenches
would pick off the rebel artillerists, and
by midnight they were utterly silenced,
when our brigade, under Col. Bertram.
Of the Goth Wis. entered the works at
about a. M. but the 9Th Iowa, under
Col. Bell. made the first entrance into
the works on our extreme right. The
scene that night was the grandest sight
mortal eye ever witnessed. The net
work Of red cannon balls going and
coming for some three or four hours
was a grand sight, and we forgot the
extreme danger we were in.-J. f.
Houghland, Color Corporal, 10th Iowa,
EldOn, Iowa.
Second Battle of Fort Donels0n.
Editor National Tribune: In your
issue of Dec. Comrade d. f. Cowman
SD ILL.,. Des Moines. Iowa, says he
found something very amusing some
time ago when q comrade of the 18th
Wis. said that the second battle Of Fort
Donelson was fought and won by that
regiment" Now, the facts are that the
18th Wis. was not there at all. Some
people are SO easily amused. If he had
some time ago" criticised my article
the probabilities are he would not have
made the above statements.
/ never said we fought and won