12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 12th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War . History . The 12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry was organized at Dubuque in October and November 1861 , and was mustered in at intervals during those two months . It left Iowa late in November 1861 , and went into quarters at Benton Barracks , St . Louis , for two months . Like its predecessors at the Barracks , the 12th suffered greatly there from diseases . Seventy - five members of the regiment died of measles , pneumonia or typhoid contracted there . At Smithland , Kentucky , it joined General Ulysses Grant for the movement upon Fort Henry , was present at the capture of the Fort . It then moved to Fort Donelson , where it took part in the fight and assault which resulted in victory . It won glory for itself at the Battle of Shiloh on the battle ' s bloody first day ( April 6 , 1862 ) . It did so by fighting in the advance until sundown , and by holding back the enemy while other regiments withdrew to a new point and waited the arrival of Maj . Gen . Don Carlos Buell . The regiment , together with the 8th and 14th Iowa Infantry Regiments , comprised four - fifths of that advance line , and surrendered only when surrounded by ten times their numbers . Those members of the regiment who escaped capture at Shiloh , including future Speaker of the U . S . House of Representatives David B . Henderson , were assigned to the " Union Brigade . " The Union Brigade fought in the Second Battle of Corinth and others , before being sent to Davenport , Iowa for re - organization , and remaining there during the winter of 1862 - 63 . Meanwhile , many of the members of the regiment who were captured at Shiloh were paroled on January 1 , 1863 and exchanged at Benton Barracks , and soon thereafter went to Rolla , Missouri , which was threatened by the forces of Brigadier General John S . Marmaduke . They returned on the January 15 , 1863 to St . Louis , where they were again stationed . Lieut . Col . John P . Coulter resigned and was succeeded by Major John A . Edgington , and the latter as major by Capt . John H . Stibbs of D Company . The regiment was reorganized about April 1 , 1863 and became part of General Sherman ' s command . It participated in the movements of that division during the Vicksburg Campaign , though it was in reserve at the May 22 assault . After Vicksburg surrendered , the regiment was engaged at Jackson , Mississippi , and was in the skirmish at and capture of Brandon , Mississippi . It went into camp near Bear Creek on July 23 and remained there until October 10 . Lieut . Col . Edgington resigned , Maj . Stibbs became a lieutenant colonel and was succeeded as major by Capt . Edward M . Van Duzee . In October 1863 , the regiment was in a skirmish at Brownsville , Arkansas . It then proceeded to Vicksburg , Memphis , Tennessee , La Grange , Tennessee and Chewalla , where it remained on railroad guard duty until near the close of January 1864 . While there , it broke up the guerrilla bands that were pillaging the country , and built a strong fort . It was ordered to join the forces for the Meridian raid , but reached Vicksburg too late to take part , and went into camp . Having been mustered in as a veteran organization , the reenlisted men were sent home on a furlough in March 1864 . In their absence , the non - veterans , numbering about 70 , accompanied the 35th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment on the Red River Campaign and was in battle at Lake Chicot . On their return from home the men reached Memphis on May 2 , 1864 and were joined by the detachment in mid - June 1864 . In May 1864 , six companies under Lieut . Col . Stibbs , went to the mouth of the White River , established a military post and left A and F Companies under Captain J . R . C . Hunter . The command proceeded to Tupelo , Mississippi , where it was engaged in July . The regiment while acting as a train guard , was attacked by a Confederate brigade , but repelled it . In the subsequent fighting , it occupied the most dangerous post and received special commendations of the commanding general . Returning to Memphis , the regiment moved to La Grange , then to Holly Springs , Mississippi ( via Lumpkin ' s Mills ) , remaining on duty there for some time . In the meantime , the detachment at White River was protecting the residents of that section and building a stockade . Before daybreak on June 5 , 1864 , the small force of fewer than fifty men was attacked by a force of 400 , in an attack so sudden that the men were compelled to fight in their shirts only . A number of the enemy gained the stockade at one side , but Sergeant Isaac Cottle and Corporal George Hunter , armed with revolver s , attacked them and drove them out in confusion . Hunter was shot dead and Cottle was so severely wounded that he died soon thereafter . The entire besieging force was finally driven off , with over fifty killed ( including their commanding officer ) , wounded or taken prisoner . Joining the regiment at Holly Springs , this detachment accompanied it to Oxford , Mississippi , then to Memphis , and eventually to De Valls Bluff , Arkansas and Brownsville in search of Maj . Gen . Sterling Price . With ten days ' rations it marched 350 miles in nineteen days to Cape Girardeau , Missouri via Jacksonport , Arkansas , and Jackson , Missouri . From St . Louis it proceeded to the Missouri cities of Jefferson City , Smithton , Sedalia , Lexington and Independence , into Kansas . It pursued Price to Harrisonville , Missouri , but was unable to catch him , and returned to St . Louis . The non - veterans and some of the officers were mustered out , with Lieut . Col . Stibbs remaining as commanding officer . Moving to Nashville , the regiment aided in the defense of that city , and captured two flags in a December 1864 battle . It joined in the pursuit of Nashville ' s attackers as far as Clinton , Tennessee , then proceeded to Eastport , Mississippi , where it assisted in building quarters and fortifications . Maj . Samuel G . Knee took command after Lieut . Col . Stibbs was called to Washington , D . C . in January 1865 to become a member of a military tribunal . Stibbs ' tribunal tried Capt . Henry Wirz , who was held responsible for the inhumane conditions of Camp Sumter , the Confederate prisoner of war camp in Andersonville , Georgia . In February 1865 the regiment was ordered to assist with the siege of Mobile , Alabama , where it was engaged at Spanish Fort , Alabama . In the Battle of Spanish Fort the regiment fought in the front line and occupied an exposed position for thirteen days and nights . After the siege of Mobile , it moved to Montgomery , then to Selma . It remained in guard and garrison duty until early 1866 , when it was mustered out . Lieut . Col . Stibbs received a merited promotion to colonel . Total strength and casualties . Total enrollment was 1473 . The original strength of the regiment was 926 soldiers . Gaining 55 recruits , it grew to 981 . The regiment lost 5 officers and 114 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 4 officers and 205 enlisted men who died of disease , for a total of 328 fatalities . 222 were wounded .