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3rd Iowa
Infantry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Third Iowa Infantry. — Cols., Nelson G. Williams, Aaron Brown; Lieut.-
Cols., John Scott, Matthew M. Trumbull, James Tullis, Jacob Abernethy; Majs., William M.
Stone, Aaron Brown, G. W. Crosly. This regiment was organized at Keokuk in May and June,
1861. and was mustered in June 8 and 10. It left the state June 29, without its field
officers, going to Hannibal, Mo., thence west without knapsacks, haversacks, canteens,
cartridge-boxes or ammunition, its only equipment being empty muskets. Two companies
stopped at Chillicothe, one at Grand River bridge and the others at Utica, where Col.
Williams joined the regiment and the commissions arrived for the lieutenant- colonel and
major. On July 8, three companies under Capt. Herron formed a junction at Monroe with a
detachment of Col. Smith's command and were engaged at Hager's woods, retreating to find
the train in flames, the track destroyed and themselves surrounded. Reinforcements from
Palmyra rescued the little command and soon after the whole regiment arrived. Headquarters
were established at Chillicothe, where seven companies were stationed, the others engaging
in railroad guard duty near. On Aug. 12 the regiment proceeded to Macon in command of
Lieut. -Col. Scott, and from there to Kirksville, where it was joined in a few days by
Gen. Hurlbut with the 16th Ill. On the 30th the column moved to Shelbina in pursuit of
Green, and there took the train for Brookfield, which was reached on Sept. 3. In the
meantime Col. Williams received orders for a movement south of the road, and with the 50
well men of the 3d in camp, 60 who had been on duty at St. Joseph, and the convalescent
invalids, he proceeded to Hannibal, secured the remnants of six companies of the 2nd Kan.
(just returned from Wilson's creek) and a company of Missouri cavalry, the entire force
numbering less than 700 men. Leaving the railroad at Shelbina, the command marched to
Paris, from which Col. Williams ordered a retreat after one day's stay. Attacked at
Shelbina on Sept. 4, he continued the retreat by rail. Gen. Pope arrived at Brookfield at
this time and took charge of affairs. Gen. Hurlbut, whose campaign had consisted chiefly
of proclamations, and Col. Williams were ordered to St. Louis in arrest. The regiment was
engaged at Blue Mills landing, where Lieut. -Col. Scott's command, consisting of 500 of
the 3d, about 70 home guards, and a squad of artillery with one 6-pounder gun, was
ambushed, but retired in good order to Liberty at nightfall, with the gun which had been
brought off by hand. It met at that point Col. Smith's command, which had been expected
earlier in the day. The little force of about 600 had repulsed 4,000 of the enemy, but had
lost 118 in killed and wounded, of whom 94 were of the 3d Ia. Joining Sturgis' force at
Wyandotte, it remained until Oct. 18, when it moved up the river to Iatan, thence across
the state to Quincy, Ill., then to St. Louis, and remained there until after Christmas,
when it was ordered out in detachments for railroad guard duty on the North Missouri
railroad. Col. Williams was released from arrest, and about the last of February resumed
command. On March 3, 1862, the regiment was assigned to Brig.-Gen. Hurlbut's command,
moved with it to Pittsburg landing and participated in the battle of Shiloh. It was under
terrific fire and after the other troops were cut off, when the enemy turned the flanks of
the Iowa brigade on the first day, it cut its way through the enemy's lines, Maj. Stone in
command being captured. It was engaged in the siege of Corinth and after the evacuation
went into camp, engaged in the repair of the railway and made a march to Holly Springs. It
remained at Memphis from July to Sept. 6, when it moved to Bolivar. It was engaged at the
Hatchie river, carrying the bridge by a desperate charge at the crisis of the battle and
losing nearly 60 out of 300 engaged. Returning to Bolivar, it joined the march south in
November, but returned and went into camp at Moscow, where it remained from the middle of
Jan., 1863, until in March when it moved to Memphis. Col. Williams and Lieut.-Col.
Trumbull having resigned, Maj. Brown was commissioned colonel, Capt. James Tullis became
lieutenant-colonel, and Lieut. G. W. Crosly was appointed major. While on the way to
Vicksburg the boat was fired on near Greenville, Miss., but the regiment speedily
dislodged the enemy. It took position in the trenches on May 25 and was actively engaged
until the capitulation of Vicksburg. It took part in the assault at Jackson, where it
behaved with great gallantry and sustained heavy loss. It went into camp near Natchez but
returned to Vicksburg in December and went into winter quarters near the Big Black. Here
over 200 reenlisted as veterans, wore furloughed home after the Meridian expedition, and
the non-veterans under command of Lieut. -Col. Tullis, joined the Red River expedition. On
their return they were ordered home for muster-out. The veterans returned to Cairo, Ill.,
where they joined the 17th corps and moved with it to join Sherman's command for the
Atlanta campaign. Soon after, the officers whose term of service had expired left for
home, and the veterans and recruits were consolidated into a battalion of three companies,
Lieut. Jacob Abernethy of Co. F being recommended as lieutenant-colonel. At the battle of
Atlanta the battalion was destroyed, Abernethy was slain, Capt. Griffith mortally wounded,
and a large proportion of the command killed, wounded or captured, though the men fought
with the desperation of despair for the colors, and when almost wiped out, the few
remaining tore up the flag, divided the pieces and brought the shreds with them on their
return. The survivors were assigned to the 2nd Ia. and served with it through the Carolina
campaign. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 4
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