Boys, Remember Iowa! The 3rd Iowa at Hatchie Bridge

     The charge of the 3rd Iowa Infantry across Davis Bridge over the Hatchie River on October 5, 1862, proved to be one of the highlights of that regiment’s extensive combat service during the Civil War.

“General Stephen Hurlbut, as cool as if on review, placed himself at the head of the 3rd Iowa and led the way across the bridge,” one veteran recorded. “We passed the raking fire that swept in front of the bridge, the shot crashing into the buildings on either side of the road. On we passed across the bridge at the double quick, the boys keeping well closed up and cheering. Across the bridge we came to another open space where we seemed to receive the full fire of the batteries loaded with canister shot. As we passed the bridge, the Generals found that if we charged upon their batteries from that point, we should receive the full fire of their troops stationed along the banks of the river in a thick jungle and amid the crash of artillery and musketry, it was impossible to order them to cease firing and to wait for it to be done would be annihilation to us. So we were filed off upon the bank of the river and went to work with the musket for at this time we had not a single piece of artillery that could be used against the enemy.”

Pinned down under intense enemy fire with seemingly no way out, a few men tried to break for the rear. “Two poor frightened fellows attempted to cross the bridge and were driven back by the guards when they went back a little way, placed their left hands over the muzzles of their guns, and shot their fingers off. One artilleryman undertook to run when he was caught by three of his fellow artillerymen, thrown upon the ground, and pounded well-nigh to death, the boys all the while singing out ‘kill him, kill him.’”

This intense account of the action at Davis or Hatchie Bridge was written by Private William H. Nichols of Co. K of the 3rd Iowa writing under the nom-de-plume of St. Charles, a regular correspondent with the Cedar Falls Gazette. His letter originally appeared in the October 24, 1862, edition of that newspaper.

 

This tangled growth of bushes and timber marks the spot where the Federals crossed the Hatchie River under fire. " General Stephen Hurlbut, as cool as if on review, placed himself at the head of the 3rd Iowa and led the way across the bridge," one veteran recalled. "We passed the raking fire that swept in front of the bridge, the shot crashing into the buildings on either side of the road." No evidence of either buildings or bridge these days. If the area wasn't marked, you'd have no clue what happened here in October 1862. 


Bolivar, Tennessee

October 8, 1862

          We are again in camp at Bolivar. Upon the 4th at 5 o’clock in the morning, we left Bolivar and marched towards the Hatchie River at a place known as Davis Bridge on the Corinth and Grand Junction road. We arrived at Middleton on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad at about 3 in the afternoon. We met the advanced scouts of the enemy at this place and for the rest of the day and for the rest of the day our cavalry drove them before us past the Big Muddy. Before coming to the Muddy, we had to pass over a corduroy road through a swamp for half a mile. Upon this road and over these bridges the First Brigade with two batteries passed in safety, but the rear battery broke down both bridges and the Second Brigade was compelled to remain on the west side of the river.

          The First Brigade passed up and over a bluff and camped for the night within a mile of the advance of the enemy. From this camp are two roads, one passing straight to the Hatchie over a series of ridges and the other passing to the right upon a ridge coming into the direct road at the Davis Bridge, and beyond the bridge is a narrow bottom and then an irregular bluff about 50 feet high. At a little before 11 o’clock, the Second Brigade being over the Muddy, passed on by us and engaged the advance of the enemy upon the ridge about one half a mile ahead of us, shelling them and driving them from their position in double quick time. On they passed, pushing them over the next ridge and up the next. Here they found the First Division of the enemy stationed in force. They immediately engaged these and after a severe contest succeeded in driving the enemy before them down the hill, across the bottom, and finally across the bridge, not giving them time to take it up a single plank; indeed, the Second Brigade followed across the bridge themselves and took their position upon the bank of the river.

General Jacob G. Lauman


In the meantime, a detachment of Ross’ brigade, the 12th Michigan and 68th Ohio  numbering in all perhaps 600 strong, passed upon the ridge road to prevent a flank movement. They met a force as was expected and drove them back, but unfortunately for the Rebels, they did not retreat in time to reach the bridge until the Second Brigade had taken it. The consequence was some of them took to the river and swam, some across and some to the bottom, while others gave themselves up as prisoners. At this juncture, the 28th and 53rd Illinois of the First Brigade came down and passed the bridge and took up their position on the right and left.  By this time, the Second Division of the enemy were on the ground and posted on the bluff supporting their batteries, one of which contained three 20-lb howitzers and one 24-pounder. The situation of affairs at this moment was critical in the extreme, for if they could rake the passage of the bridge and command that the forces that had already crossed would be at their mercy.

At this time, the 3rd Iowa first and the 32nd Illinois second were ordered to charge across the bridge with fixed bayonets and up the bluff to take the battery. General Stephen Hurlbut, as cool as if on review, placed himself at the head of the 3rd Iowa and led the way across the bridge. We passed the raking fire that swept in front of the bridge, the shot crashing into the buildings on either side of the road. It was here that Lieutenant W.P. Dodd and Private Derringer of Co. H were instantly killed. On we passed across the bridge at the double quick, the boys keeping well closed up and cheering. Across the bridge we came to another open space where we seemed to receive the full fire of the batteries loaded with canister shot.

 “The 3rd Iowa was placed in the advance “because they can be depended upon,” said General Jacob Lauman. As they came to the bridge, the enemy opened fire. It was awful! The fire of three batteries and infantry was concentrated at that point at only half a pistol’s shot distance. Grape, canister, and musket balls fairly rained around, and the water bubbled as though it were hail instead of balls disturbing it. Lauman raised himself in his stirrups and exclaimed, ‘Boys, remember Iowa! Forward! Double quick, march!” ~ unnamed Federal eyewitness

 

As we passed the bridge, the Generals found that if we charged upon their batteries from that point, we should receive the full fire of their troops stationed along the banks of the river in a thick jungle and amid the crash of artillery and musketry, it was impossible to order them to cease firing and to wait for it to be done would be annihilation to us. So we were filed off upon the bank of the river and went to work with the musket for at this time we had not a single piece of artillery that could be used against the enemy. A portion of a battery had been taken across the river, but the fire was so hot that the only thing that could be done was for the artillerymen to keep as close as possible until the infantry could silence the guns of the enemy which were not much over 100 yards off.

3rd Iowa Reunion Ribbon
Cedar Falls, IA
1908

After remaining in the jungle for a short time, General Edward Ord (senior commander) came up and ordered General Hurlbut to charge the batteries. The General gave the order in a loud, clear voice, so clear and loud that the Rebels distinctly heard him. “Boys, you must take those batteries. They are supported by 20,000 men and if you could drive them, you will do a good thing.” The 3rd Iowa, 32nd Illinois, and 53rd Illinois received these orders and made the charge of the bluffs, but the Rebels were terror-stricken and abandoned their guns, and we soon had full possession of the bluffs, the enemy being in full flight. The cavalry soon joined in the pursuit and followed them until night. We took possession of the bluff about 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

The prisoners we took were astonished when they ascertained the smallness of our force. We had charged upon them with such force and enthusiasm that they supposed we had a heavy force to back us. We had some 6,000 men engaged and the Rebels probably not less than 20,000. The prisoners set their number still higher. General Hurlbut and General Lauman were perfectly cool throughout the whole contest and were in the midst of danger continually. Captain Matthew M. Trumbull led the 3rd Iowa into the fight and a better specimen of bravery never was seen. After we crossed the bridge, he said to the boys that he was not going to retreat that day and would sooner die there. The 3rd Iowa beat her own good name for pluck. One of General Ord’s staff who witnessed the whole fight told me that the 3rd Iowa in charging across the bridge as they did and holding their ground saved a stampede and gained the day. General Ord told Hurlbut to take as good care of his men as he could for, he did not believe that another division in the service could do what they did. It is reported that General Ross, who came up afterwards to support us, said he could have come up sooner, but General Hurlbut informed him that he was only going to make a demonstration against the enemy, and if Hurlbut called that a demonstration, Ross wanted to know what in hell he called a fight.

          Most of our wounded men have severe wounds because nearly all were hit with canister shot, all but six or eight in our regiment. If you wish to know what the storm of canister at the bridge was like, go and read the storming of the bridge at Lodi. There were of course a few instances of cowardice shown. Two poor frightened fellows attempted to cross the bridge and were driven back by the guards when they went back a little way, placed their left hands over the muzzles of their guns, and shot their fingers off. One artilleryman undertook to run when he was caught by three of his fellow artillerymen, thrown upon the ground, and pounded well nigh to death, the boys all the while singing out ‘kill him, kill him.’

          I have conversed with many men from different regiments, and all say that at no time in the battle of Shiloh was the fire so hot as a portion of the time of the fight at Davis’ Bridge. Our surgeons were untiring in their efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded. Too much credit cannot be awarded to them. Upon the 6th, the division was occupied in burying the dead. That night the wounded were sent to Bolivar, and at which place the division arrived on the 8th.

 

Sources:

Letter from Private William H. Nichols, "St. Charles," Co. K, 3rd Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Cedar Falls Gazette (Iowa), October 17, 1862, pg. 2

“Iowa Third,” Cedar Falls Gazette (Iowa), November 7, 1862, pg. 1

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

Arming the Buckeyes: Longarms of the Ohio Infantry Regiments

Image
     A common question that comes up in conversation about Civil War Buckeye regiments is "What were they armed with?" We are fortunate in that the state of Ohio kept good records of how the regiments were armed when they went into service, this being especially true for those regiments which went into service in 1861 and 1862. The state adjutant general's reports for 1861 and 1862 have been heavily drawn upon to construct this article, as well as consultation with Phil Spaugy who has done extensive research on how Ohio's troops were armed during the war.      Buckeyes carried a fairly wide variety of weapons into the field, and the below article breaks this down into weapons of both domestic manufacture and imported arms. The early days of the war found the state of Ohio practically bereft of longarms; as an example, when the 1st and 2nd Ohio Volunteer Militia left the state in late April 1861, they left unarmed, being armed at Lancaster, Pennsylvania on their way to
Read more

Dressing the Rebels: How to Dye Butternut Jeans Cloth

Image
     In the early days of the Civil War,  the Southern states found themselves with an abundance of cotton but a shortage of cloth with which to make army uniforms. The trade in cloth prior to the war had largely been to send raw cotton or wool north to New England (or Great Britain) where it was converted into usable cloth; but now that trade was broken and the Southern states were thrown upon their own resources in their efforts to properly clothe the Confederate army.  This collection of Confederate enlisted men's frock coats and shell jackets gives some indication of the variety of shades of butternut worn during the war. All of them are shades of yellow brown, some heavier on the yellow and some heavier on the brown. The blue used around the collar or as rank insignia indicates that the soldier was in the infantry. Surviving Confederate uniforms are considered rather rare and command quite a healthy price in the collecting market. For an in-depth study of how Confederate jacke
Read more

Bullets for the Union: Manufacturing Small Arms Ammunition During the Civil War

Image
       Civil War bullets are perhaps the most common item collected from the era; the two armies expended bullets by the millions during the four years’ conflict and spent or deformed bullets of all shapes and sizes have made fascinating and affordable collectibles since the guns went silent in 1865.       I recently acquired a display piece featuring 35 different types of small arms ammunition used during the Civil War, including everything from a small .28 caliber ball up to a .69 caliber three-ring Minie and it triggered some questions: how did the Federal army obtain its small arms ammunition during the war? Where did the lead come from to make the bullets, and where and how was the ammunition manufactured? This post seeks to answer those questions. A typical .58 caliber 3-ring Minie bullet   “Whenever the blasts of war blow in the ears of men who trade in the implements of destruction, they are apt to experience more joy than the true warrior, for then comes the harvest of gain.
Read more

The Cannons are Now Silent: The Field of Death of Tupelo

Image
       The smoke of battle had drifted away from the battlefield at Tupelo, Mississippi on the hot afternoon of July 14, 1864, but the carnage of war lay spread across the open fields. “Scattered at intervals over the field of a few yards are dull gray blotches half shaded by grass,” an officer from the 7 th Minnesota Infantry recorded. “These are the Rebel dead. They have fought their last battle and lie generally in attitudes of rest; some of them look as if they had welcomed death. On the faces of two is imprinted a smile. One is a boy of 16 with delicate features, almost girlish in their beauty. His last gaze seems to have been directed toward his hand on the forefinger of which was a ring. A circle of purer white indicates its place; the ring was carried off as a trophy of the field.” The following account of the Battles of Tupelo and Old Town Creek was written by an unknown officer of the 7 th Minnesota Infantry, his account appearing in the August 5 th 1864 edition of the
Read more

The Vaunted Enfield Rifle Musket

Image
     The English-made Model 1853 .577 caliber Enfield Rifle Musket was widely regarded as the best infantry arm in the world at the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861. Favorable international press describing its efficiency in the Crimean War and in suppressing the Indian rebellion led to the widespread desire of American infantrymen (both Federal and Confederate) to be armed with these accurate and well-made arms. The lock plate of this well-worn P1853 Enfield rifle musket produced in 1862 shows the typical markings of a British-made weapon that made it through the Federal blockade.  ( Army of Tennessee Relics ) Enfield-pattern weapons were imported into the states by the tens and hundreds of thousands during the war years; one estimate stated that the Federal government purchased 500,000 while the Confederates purchased another 400,000. The Confederate government dispatched Captain Caleb Huse to Europe in April 1861 to purchase weapons and Huse focused on securing all the Enfi
Read more

Straw Already Threshed: Sherman on Shiloh

Image
  W illiam Tecumseh Sherman was enjoying retired life in New York City when just before Christmas in 1889 he was presented with an article written by John Cockerill, a former drummer boy in the 24 th Ohio who was visiting his father Colonel Joseph Cockerill of the 70 th Ohio of Sherman’s division when the Battle of Shiloh began. Cockerill’s article, originally published in the New York Journalist and later featured in the January 1893 issue of Blue & Gray Magazine, Sherman later pronounced as “the best war story ever written” and the truest account of Shiloh.           On New Year’s Day 1890, General Sherman composed the following letter to his friend Marshall P. Wilder thanking him for sending along Cockerill’s article and giving his own explanation of Shiloh. “This to me is straw already threshed for we have fought this battle on paper several times, a much more agreeable task than to fight with bullets,” he concluded. “When in England some years ago I was gratified to liste
Read more

Federal Arms in the Stones River Campaign

Image
  T he following list, constructed after many years of research, lists unit by unit which type of weapons were carried by the Army of the Cumberland during the Stones River campaign. A number of sources were consulted including state ordnance reports, Federal quarterly ordnance reports (thank you Research Arsenal ), Ken Baumann’s Arming the Suckers, regimental histories and memoirs, captured ordnance reports, and consultation with knowledgeable experts in the field of firearms. Some of this information has been shared on the blog before in “ Rosy’s Heavy Metal: Artillery of the Army of the Cumberland ” or “ Shoulder Arms: How Sheridan’s and Davis’s Divisions Were Armed at Stones River ” but this is the first time the army as a whole has been presented. The overall conclusion I drew from looking at this data is that the Army of the Cumberland in December 1862 was an organization in the midst of transformation as far as arms. Many of the regiments still retained their original issue
Read more

Escape of Captain Henry H. Alban of the 21st Ohio Infantry

Image
Captain Henry H. Alban was among the dozen officers of the 21 st Ohio Volunteer Infantry who were captured on September 20, 1863 at the Battle of Chickamauga. The regiment had held its position atop Snodgrass Hill against repeated Confederate assaults and now battered and without ammunition, with the darkness of evening enveloping the hill, the remainder of that gallant band found themselves at the mercy of the 54 th Virginia. A total of 12 officers and 121 enlisted men surrendered; the regiment’s colors were taken, and the men marched off the field into captivity. Captain Henry Harvey Alban, Co. F, 21st O.V.I. Captain Alban along with the rest went through a series of Confederate prison camps before arriving at Columbia, South Carolina in October 1864. Determined to make an escape, he watched for his chance and one night made his leap for freedom, successfully eluding the local camp guard and setting out along the railroad to head for the mountains of eastern Tennessee and
Read more

Knapsack Compression: Wilbur Hinman recalls the first step of becoming a veteran

Image
L ooking back on his experiences during the war, Captain Wilbur Hinman of the 65 th Ohio (perhaps best known as the author of Si Klegg and His Pard ) recalled that the first road along which his regiment marched was strewn “with debris. A pair of six-mule wagonloads might have been gathered of notions that had been flung aside by a thousand suffering “tenderfeet.” “The average young patriot started for the war with a wheelbarrow load of clothing, a bed quilt or two, books, photograph albums, toilet articles, and gimcracks of every sort,” he wrote. “Neither he nor the good homefolks had the slightest conception of the capacity of a knapsack, nor did they for a moment imagine that before the close of his first day upon the road every pound he carried would seem a hundred.” To the true mark of a veteran soldier was one who “learned to dispense with every unnecessary ounce of weight, and just in the ratio that he did this he increased his efficiency as a soldier. It was of the highest
Read more

Federal Arms in the Chickamauga Campaign

Image
T he ordnance returns of the Army of the Cumberland at the end of September 1863 show the results of a transformational year in weaponry. Since taking command of the army at the end of October 1862, General William S. Rosecrans had repeatedly pestered the War Department to supply his regiments with better firearms both to improve the command’s efficiency as well as expand its striking power. The results speak for themselves: for the infantrymen at the end of September 1863, 90% of them now carried Class I long arms (36,058 out of 39,959), 8.3% carried Class II arms, and a mere 1.5% carried Class III weapons. Most of the foreign-made weapons (except Enfields) were gone, and by and large the army had settled on a single common .58 caliber ammunition, although a few .54 caliber and .69 caliber weapons remained within the ranks. The English-made Enfield rifle musket was by far the most common arm, carried by 56% of the men while the second-most common arm was the .58 caliber M1861 Spring
Read more