Benjamin F. Gue

“ The Tenth went into camp at Corinth, where for months it was kept on duty, suffering greatly from sickness. Week after week through the hot summer the men were kept in idleness, the long sultry days bringing nothing but drill and sickness to vary the depressing monotony. Many died and many contracted disease which caused their discharge. In September the regiment participated with Rosecrans’ army in the bloody Battle of Iuka, where it repulsed two separate charges of Texas regiments and won special commendation of the commanding general. ”

“ As the floods increased malaria invaded every camp, the swamps and graveyards were overflowed, and the dead had to share with the living the narrow levee, the only land above the all-pervading waters. ”

“ In this day’s battle the Iowa regiments suffered severely, nearly two hundred each had been the losses of the Fourth and Ninth regiments. The latter had not a field officer left on duty. Lieutenant-Colonel Herron was taken prisoner and promoted to Brigadier-General for gallant conduct. Major Coyle and Adjutant Scott were wounded. When darkness put an end to the conflict the situation of the army was serious. All day it had fought with heroic courage against the best Confederate army of the south-west, ably commanded and outnumbering Curtis’ men two to one. ”

“ The northward march began on the 26th of January, 1865, and the regiment reached Alexandria, Virginia, on the 19th of May. In the last campaign it had done hard service in the swamps of South Carolina, building corduroy roads, bridges, and erecting intrenchments. In skirmish and battle it always fought with bravery. The regiment was in the Iowa Brigade under Colonel Stone, which held an important point in the capture of Columbia. ”

“ He retreated to Arkansas, followed by General Curtis. In a skirmish at Sugar Creek the Ninth was under fire. Here was encountered a large force of the enemy supported by a battery and charging under a sharp fire, it was driven in confusion from its position. On the 4th of March Colonel Vandever, with a portion of his brigade, was sent to Huntsville, fifteen miles distant. He there learned that General Price had received heavy reënforcements from McCollough and Van Dorn and that the Confederate army, 40,000 strong, was now marching rapidly north under Major General Van Dorn, to attack Curtis. ”

“ During the siege the regiment lost one hundred and twenty-one men, killed and wounded. Immediately after the surrender, the Ninth was sent with Sherman against General Johnston’s army, and participated in the siege and capture of Jackson. ”

“ The trophies of this victory were one hundred and twenty-three pieces of heavy artillery, nearly 7,000 prisoners, 7,000 stands of small arms, several steamboats and wharf boats filled with stores, 2,000 horses and mules, 1,000 wagons and a vast amount of ammunition and army stores. The Iowa regiments that took part in this successful campaign were the Fifth, Tenth, and Second Cavalry. Soon after, General Halleck absorbed General Pope’s army in his march against Corinth, and the Tenth Iowa took part in the so-called siege. ”

“ Such are the ravages of war. The flag of the Tenth Iowa Volunteers, deposited in the Capitol of the State, is entitled to have inscribed upon its war-worn folds the names of Charleston, New Madrid, Island Number Ten, Farmington, Iuka, Corinth, Raymond, Jackson, Champion’s Hill, Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge, Decatur, Salkahatchie, Columbia, and Bentonsville. ”

“ The Confederate army suffered very severely in this battle. Two distinguished Generals, McCulloch and McIntosh, were killed, and Generals Price and Slack were wounded, besides the loss of minor officers and men of not less than 2,500. The Union loss was two hundred and three killed and a little more than 1,000 wounded and prisoners. The Ninth Iowa lost two hundred and eighteen men ”