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14th Iowa
Infantry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Fourteenth Iowa Infantry. — Col., William T. Shaw;
Lieut. -Cols., Edward W. Lucas, Joseph H. Newbold; Majs., Hiram Leonard,
William H. Kirkwood, Edgar A. Warner. This regiment was organized in the
fall of 1861, at Camp McClellan, near Davenport. The circumstances
surrounding the regiment's organization and history were somewhat
peculiar. Three companies, A, B, and C, were sent to the western
frontier on special service and were not identified with the regiment at
any time, except technically, never being under command of an officer of
the regiment. They were located at Fort Randall, Dak., and were
afterwards ordered detached from the regiment. They constituted the 1st
battalion of the 41st regiment for a time, but the formation of that
regiment was not completed and they were finally made part of a cavalry
regiment. The 14th thus went into service with but seven companies and
remained at that strength for the first year, the number aggregating
something over 600 when it left for St. Louis on Nov. 28. It remained at
Benton barracks until Feb. 5, 1862, when it moved to Fort Henry, thence
to Fort Donelson and was a part of the brigade under Gen. Lauman. Three
weeks later it proceeded to Pittsburg landing and in the battle of
Shiloh formed a part of that famous brigade, composed of the 2nd, 7th,
12th and 14th Ia., which fought from morning until dark of the first day
against ten times its numbers, allowing the army to retire and take up
new position, and at last, cut off and surrounded, gave up the unequal
contest and surrendered to the enemy, many of them to be shot down
without mercy after they had given themselves up as prisoners of war.
The account of their imprisonment and eventual parole and exchange is
given in the history of the 8th Ia. The few who escaped capture became a
part of the "Union Brigade" and joined their comrades at Benton
barracks, where the regiment spent the winter. It was also joined by
Cos. A and B, two new companies raised to take the place of those sent
west, and many recruits. Capt. Joseph Newbold was commissioned
lieutenant-colonel and Capt. Edgar Warner was made major. On April, 10,
1863, it moved to Cairo, where it was joined by a newly organized Co. C,
completing its numbers. While at Cairo, part of the regiment was sent
into the interior of Illinois to quell some political disturbances and
arrest the ringleaders who were inciting treason. Moving to Columbus,
Ky., the latter part of June, it remained on garrison duty for seven
months. It embarked for Vicksburg on Jan. 14, 1864, and was there
assigned to the 2nd brigade, 3d division, 16th army corps, Col. Shaw
commanding the brigade, and Lieut. -Col. Newbold, the regiment. After
the Meridian raid it accompanied the Red River expedition with Gen. A.
J. Smith's command; was engaged at Fort DeRussy, which was taken by
storm in less than 30 minutes; and then joined Banks just in time to
save his army, by its determined fighting at Pleasant Hill. The regiment
was engaged at Cloutierville, Moore's plantation, Marksville and Yellow
bayou, crossed the river to Morganza and returned to Vicksburg. It was
in the affair at Lake Chicot; then moved to Memphis; took part in the
battle of Tupelo; fought at Old Town creek soon after; went to camp at
Memphis and enjoyed a brief rest, broken by a trip to Oxford, in which
several skirmishes occurred. It was then ordered to Cairo, thence to
Jefferson barracks, where four companies were detached and sent to
reinforce Gen. Ewing at Pilot Knob. The day after their arrival Ewing
was attacked by a largely superior force, but the enemy was repelled
several times with heavy loss. On the following day a direct assault was
repulsed, but guns planted on a hill near by compelled the Union forces
to evacuate the place, after blowing up the fort. The little command
retreated to Rolla after cutting its way through the enemy's lines and
fought every foot of the way for four days with scarcely an hour's rest.
The remainder of the regiment marched across Missouri in pursuit of
Price. It was reunited at St. Louis in November, and proceeded to
Davenport where it was mustered out Nov. 16, 1864. The recruits and
reenlisted men were formed into a battalion of two companies, of which
Capt. Hugo Hoffbauer had command. It remained on provost guard duty
until the summer of 1865, detachments being used for escort and
prisoners' guards at various times, and was mustered out in Aug., 1865.
One thing which contributed to the feeling of dissatisfaction with many
was the dismissal of Col. Shaw on the charge of violating regulations in
regard to a publication over his own signature of things relating to the
operation of the armies. His offense consisted of having written a
private letter, which got into print through the indiscretion of a
friend, in which Shaw told the facts with regard to the fight at
Pleasant Hill, during the disastrous Red River expedition. His force of
less than one-tenth of those present suffered one-half of the loss
sustained by the entire force, having been engaged over 7 hours, or
fully four times as long as any other on the field, repulsing a cavalry
attack and a succeeding infantry attack before a gun was fired by any
other troops. He named several officers as having been intoxicated and
cowardly in that affair. When the order for dismissal came to Gen. A. J.
Smith, commanding the corps, he refused to have it promulgated, but
relieved Col. Shaw from the command of the division, and allowed him to
proceed to Davenport and be honorably mustered out with the regiment of
which he was still colonel, commending him in the highest terms in
orders. The officers of the division presented him with a handsome sword
and parted from him with regret as he had proved himself one of the best
officers that the west had produced. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 4
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