Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-22
TRIP TO SHILOH.

TO the Editor:
The trip to Shiloh battle field on the
occasion of the dedication of the mon
uments to the Iowa regiments who
fought there, was an eventful one and
may be of interest to your readers.
The trip was made by rail to Padu-
can, Kentucky, and thence by steam
boat up the Tennessee river, some
200 miles or more, to Pittsburg Land.
ing, which is in the immediate vicin-
ty of the Shiloh battlefield. In fact,
for some years after this notable en-.
gagement, it was named the battle of
Pittsburg Landing, in the federal re-
ports, and Shiloh by the confederate.
The dates Of the dedication were
coincident with the severe rain
storms which pervaded the south and
which were felt in their severity on
the trip down, and some anxiety was
experienced by the comrades who
We're enroute to the dedication cere-
monies, as to the vicissitudes Of the
weather on their arrival
The boat reached Pittsburg Land
ing about O'Clock Wednesday night
with the skies cleared and q young
moon shining. Thursday morning, the
first day Of the dedication was ush-
cred in with cloudless sky and a
bright sun, and Immediately after
breakfast on the boat, and being here
Joined by the governors special, which
had already visited Vicksburg, Ander-
sonville and Chattanooga, the party,
numbering some 200, proceeded out
over the battlefield to dedicate the
regimental monuments.
Iowa's contribution to her sons who
fought on this field, consisted of one
PRINCIPAL state monument, composed
of beautiful granite shaft, some
thirty-five feet high, surmounted by a
bronze flying eagle, with kneeling
bronze female figure at the base. It
is beautiful design of art, and splen-
did workmanship. Eleven regimental
monuments mark the principal posi-
lions occupied by the eleven Iowa reg.
iments in the battle. These are mas
siye granite blocks of the low or cot
tage style about eight or nine feet
high and about six feet across, all
monuments exactly alike, except the
Inscription on the bronze tablets, Civ
ing the number Of the regiment, the
length of time 1t held the position, the
number Of men and officers engaged,
and the losses. 1t was happy in
SEPARATION Of the commission to have
the regimental monuments Of identi-
cal size and shape, as in driving over
the field, one can recognize an Iowa
monument, as far as he can see it.
The whole work reflects great credit
on the commissioners appointed to
carry 1t on.
Short dedicatory services were held
at each regimental monument, begin
ming at the extreme right Of the posi-
ton and going in succession from
thence to the extreme left. The ser.
vices consisted of an appropriate se.
lection by the band, followed by an
invocation and an address, closing
with the benediction. These services
were particularly impressive and ex.
cited strong emotion in the breasts OF
the old soldiers, standing on the iden-
tical ground on when they gave life
for life on that fateful day, and real.
izing that they were indeed in the
presence Of the dead strong men wept
as the simple services proceeded and
words coming from the heart were UT.
tered in dedication by surviving com.
rades.
The Iowa regiments engaged in this
battle were the Second, Third, Sixth
Seventh, Eighth, Eleventh, Twelfth
Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth and
Sixteenth.
Other states were conspicuous in
their devotion to the memory of their
soldiers, by the numerous monuments