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9th Iowa
Infantry
in the American Civil War
| Regimental History |
| Ninth Iowa Infantry. — Cols., William Vandever, David Carskaddon; Lieut.
-Cols., Frank G. Herron, William H. Coyle, Alonzo Abernethy; Majs., William H. Coyle, Don
A. Carpenter, George Granger, Alonzo Abernethy, Joseph G. Inman. This regiment was
organized in July and Aug., 1861, and was mustered in at Dubuque Sept. 24. A few days
later the regiment proceeded to Benton barracks, St. Louis, and remained until the middle
of October, when it was assigned to railroad guard duty from Franklin to Rolla, in which
it remained until Jan. 22, 1862. It then joined the Army of the Southwest, and was
assigned to the 2nd brigade, 4th division, Col. E. A. Carr commanding. The regiment was
engaged at Sugar creek where its division drove before it a force three times as strong in
numbers as its own. On March 4 Col. Vandever was sent to Huntsville with a detachment,
consisting of a picked portion of the 2nd brigade, of which he was then in command,
including part of his regiment, and on his arrival was informed that the enemy, under
Price and McCulloch, was approaching in great force. A courier arrived during the night,
confirming the report and ordering him to join the command at Pea ridge, whither the army
was hastening. A determined march of 14 hours, through snow, over streams and in mud
brought the little command to Pea ridge — 41 miles of as fine a movement as history
records — and it took part in a pitched battle of two days without opportunity to
recuperate. Lieut. -Col. Herron was captured, the major and adjutant were disabled, and
its colonel was commanding a brigade. It lost nearly 200 in killed and wounded. On the
following day, despite its lack of officers, it maintained its record and received the
greatest praise. It moved with the army through part of Missouri and Arkansas, went into
camp at Helena, where it remained for five months, and as a part of Thayer's brigade,
Steele's division, was under fire at Shickasaw bayou but not actively engaged. It began
the new year by taking part in the campaign against Arkansas Post and moved from there to
Young's point near Vicksburg. Col. Vandever was appointed brigadier-general and Capt.
Carskaddon was commissioned colonel. On May 2 the regiment started for Grand Gulf. It took
part in the battle of Jackson and on the 18th reached Vicksburg. The next day it lost a
number of men in an assault on the enemy's works and on the 22nd lost nearly 100 in killed
and wounded in a second assault. Immediately after the capitulation of the city the
regiment moved on Jackson, and after the evacuation of that city went into camp near the
Big Black river. On Sept. 22 it proceeded to Vicksburg, took a steamer to Memphis and
moved from there to Corinth by rail. After repairing the railroad at that place and having
a skirmish with Forrest's forces, it moved to Chattanooga, reached the base of Lookout
mountain on the morning of Nov. 23, and took part in the "battle above the
clouds" the following day. It joined in the pursuit following the battle of
Missionary ridge as far as Ringgold and went into winter quarters at Woodville, Ala.
Enough men reenlisted to constitute a veteran regiment and they were given a furlough home
in Feb., 1864, but returned to Woodville in March with many recruits. The regiment moved
to Chattanooga and joined Sherman's army for the Atlanta movement. It was engaged at
Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Big Shanty, Kennesaw mountain, the Chattahoochee river,
Decatur, Atlanta, Jonesboro and Lovejoy's Station. After the evacuation of Atlanta it went
into camp, but was sent in pursuit of Hood in October. Soon after this the non-veterans
were mustered out and the regiment took up the march for Savannah. From there it moved by
steamer to Beaufort, S. C, at which point Col. Carskaddon was mustered out, his term of
service having expired. Maj. Alonzo Abernethy, who had been promoted from a captaincy on
the death of Maj. Granger, took command. It participated in the capture of Columbia and in
various minor affairs, was in the grand review at Washington and was mustered out at
Louisville July 18, 1865. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 4
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