Benjamin F. Gue

“ Three pieces of light artillery were hastily mounted on wheels and placed in one of the forts. All night troops, aided by the citizens, worked on the barricades and other defenses. The convalescents in the hospitals were armed and organized into a brigade. The Eighteenth Iowa was the only effective regiment in the city. The entire force that could be mustered in defense of the vast depot of army stores here collected did not exceed 1,500 men, including militia, volunteer citizens, convalescents and soldiers. The forts designed for defense of the city were all unfinished. ”

“ General Sullivan, in whose brigade was the Seventeenth Iowa, hurried to the support of Davis, charging with bayonets and driving the enemy back in confusion, Davis’ Division rallied, joining in the charge upon the charge upon the Confederate lines. Lovell led his division against our left and a fearful combat ensued all along the line, but nothing could long stand against our left and a fearful combat ensued all along the line, but nothing could long stand against the steady advance of the victorious Union army. The Confederate charge was defeated, and Van Dorn saw that the battle was lost. ”

“ A shell crashed through the shattered wall, exploded among the brave defenders, prostrating and wounding many. Colonel Archer realizing that further resistance was hopeless, reluctantly surrendered after eight hours steady fighting. ”

“ Twenty-four of the brave little garrison were wounded, but none killed. Colonel Clark R. Wever, of the Seventeenth, was at this time in command of a brigade at Resaca. On the 12th of October General Hood approached with his army and opened an attack. Colonel Wever’s force numbered but seven hundred men with four pieces of light artillery. In order to deceive the enemy as to the size of his little army Colonel Wever so placed his men and artillery in the forts as to give the appearance of a formidable army. Hood began to attack with artillery and musketry on three sides. ”

“ In August the regiment was ordered to join the Army of the Southwest at Springfield, Missouri, then under command of General Schofield. A tedious campaign of hard marches, over bad roads, in bad weather, began in Missouri, extending into Arkansas, bringing much suffering to the soldiers who were learning their first lesson in the hard duties of army life in the enemy’s country. The Eighteenth regiment was sent back to Springfield with the sick and prisoners late in November, which place remained its headquarters until October of the next year. ”

“ On the 13th of October the Confederate General Stewart with a large force appeared before Tilton. Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, of the Seventeenth Iowa, had two hundred seventy-five men with which to defend the place. The blockhouse built of heavy timbers, would hold seventy-five men. Two hundred were placed in the trenches, and as the enemy approached a heavy fire was opened by the little garrison, which was so effective that the Confederates were held off for several hours. ”

“ It was a campaign of inefficiency, blunders, needless suffering, heavy losses of trains and useless loss of life. While retreating from Camden the rear guard of General Steele’s army was fiercely attacked by the Confederates near Moscow. The brigade of Colonel Edwards for a while stood the brunt of the battle. Afterward it was reënforced by two other brigades and the conflict lasted several hours, throughout the whole of which the Eighteenth was engaged. ”