TWENTY-NINTH INFANTRY

Historical Sketch

This regiment was mustered into the service at Council Bluffs, December 1, 1862. Thomas H. Benton, Jr., was its colonel, Lt. F. Patterson, adjutant of the Fifth Iowa, lieutenant colonel, C. B. Shoemaker major, and Jos. Lyman adjutant. The official history of the regiment is by Adjt. Lyman. The Twenty-ninth was sent to St. Louis and assigned the duty of guarding, for a few days, the military prison. On Christmas, it embarked on Helena, Arkansas, reporting for temporary duty at Columbus, Kentucky, Lt.-Col. Patterson was in command of the regiment, Col. Benton being detained in St. Louis. January 8, 1883, the regiment proceeded on its way to Helena, being assigned to the brigade of Brig. Gen. C. B. Fisk. Without disembarking, it was ordered on the expedition up the White river under Gen. Gorman--the same participated in by the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, resulting in suffering and in fatal consequences to many. During the excessive cold and exposure of this trip, measles broke out in the regiment, so that 200 men were rendered unfit for duty.

The Twenty-ninth engaged in the novel and picturesque expedition through the Yazoo Pass and Cold Water and Tallahatchie rivers to Fort Pemberton. After the felled trees obstructing the pass were cleared out, the steamers started on their venturesome voyage, the overhanging trees so dismantling them of everything affording a hold, that they came out as though from a fierce whirlwind. After this, the regiment remained at Helena, on post, garrison or scout duty, until the Little Rock expedition.

On July 4th, the day made famous by three great victories, the regiment bore a gallant part in the battle of Helena, Arkansas. Gen. Samuel A. Rice gives high praise to the Twenty-ninth Iowa, mentioning especially Col. Benton, Lt.-Col. Patterson, and Maj. Shoemaker, and Col. Benton commended highly his lieutenant colonel and Adjt. Lyman. The regiment thus proved itself of the same true mettle by which numbers of our Iowa troops fresh from their homes won laurels in their first battle. Between August 11th, and September 10th, in the army of Gen. Steele, the regiment was on the march from Helena to Little Rock. Gen. Rice commanded its division and Col. Benton its brigade. The command halted a week at Clarendon where it crossed the White river. The route then led up the river to Duvall’s Bluff, where a depot of supplies and a hospital were established. Grand Prairie, destitute of water, stretches between Duvall’s Bluff and Brownsville. The excessive heat and dryness were fatal to the men. Many were sunstruck. The ambulances, unable to contain the sick, would carry as many as possible some distance along the route, deposit them under the heat of the sun and return for more. This lasted the greater portion of two days. At Brownsville, there was a halt of a few days. Gen. Rice’s division made a rapid march to Bayou Metoe to cover a movement of Gen. Davidson’s cavalry, in another direction. After some skirmishing, both commands returned to the main army which now advanced toward Little Rock. The Rebels under Price retreated and the city fell into our possession.

In November, the regiment, with its brigade, under Gen. Rice, was sent out to intercept Marmaduke who had been repulsed, with heavy loss, in an attack upon Pine Bluff. The command proceeded to Rockport on the Washita river, without overtaking him. During the winter of 1863-4 the regiment remained at Little Rock.

March 23, 1864, the regiment, in Gen. Steele’s column, moved to the southwest, with the object of co-operating with Gen. Banks’s force, moving up the Red River. This was called the Camden campaign, and during it, the Twenty-ninth Iowa was in five engagements--Terre Noir Bayou, Elkin’s Ford, Prairie d’Anne, Liberty and Jenkins’ Ferry. Col. Benton was in command. At Terre Noir Bayou April 2d, the regiment was rear guard to the supply train, and had with it a section of battery. While passing through a narrow defile, there was a sudden dash on the rear by the enemy’s cavalry. They were held in check by the rear guard and left wing of the regiment, till Col. Benton, by skillful disposition and use of his force was enabled to operate with effect against the enemy. A spirited engagement followed and lasted an hour and a half. The regiment lost severely. At Elkin’s Ford, April 4th, the regiment lost 1, and at Prairie d’Anne, April 10th, 2. After resuming line of march toward Camden, one company of the Twenty-ninth was thrown forward as skirmishers, while the remainder of the regiment took position in the rear of Capt. Stranger’s battery. The enemy having opened fire at Liberty, Col. Benton threw out a company of sharpshooters, to disable, if possible, his gunners and horses. At this point the regiment lost 4. After the enemy retreated, line of march was resumed. In the sanguinary engagement of Jenkins’ Ferry, April 30th, the regiment fought bravely and lost heavily. The loss was increased by the capture of Asst.-Surgeon Nicholson and 16 men who were left with the wounded--the aggregate loss being 108.

At the close of the campaign, on returning to Little Rock, the regiment remained there nearly a year; except one month in July and August. when it was stationed at Lewisburg, fifty miles above, on the Arkansas. In November it became city guard of the post of Little Rock. When Gen. Reynolds assumed command of the Department of Arkansas, the army was re-organized. The Twenty-ninth was assigned to an organization known as the ‘Detached brigade of the Seventh army corps,‘ Brig.-Gen. Carr commanding. About February 1, 1865, Gen. Carr received orders to proceed to New Orleans, where the regiment went into quarters at Algiers, across the river.

The Twenty-ninth was destined for the Mobile campaign. On the 20th, it moved to Mobile point, Alabama. On the 23d, it debarked without tents or baggage and bivouacked on the sands at Navy Cove, three miles in the rear of Fort Morgan. March 17th, the army began the toilsome march on Mobile. On the 25th the regiment fell into line in the investment of Spanish Fort. It bore its part in the siege with courage and credit, and suffered a loss of 22 men. After the capture of Spanish Fort, it was in the forces that marched to the aid of our army besieging Fort Blakely. It arrived in time to witness the grand assault by Gen. Steele’s army, on Sunday evening of April 9, 1865. Fort Blakely was carried. April 12th, the regiment entered Mobile, and the next day marched with its division to Mt. Vernon Arsenal, on the Tombigbee river, forty miles above the city. On the way, it participated in its last skirmish with the enemy--among the last of the war. Col. Benton assuming command of the arsenal with his regiment as garrison, set to work at its renovation, the Rebels having before their retreat destroyed the beauty of this fine government property.

May 1st, the regiment returned to Mobile, and June 1st sailed for Texas. Brazos Santiago was reached June 9th. Gen. Sheridan having assumed command of the military division of the Gulf, ordered the immediate muster out of the Twenty-ninth Iowa. In pursuance of this order, the regiment sailed for New Orleans in the latter part of July, and August 10th, was honorably mustered out of the United States service. Returning home it reached Davenport August 19th, numbering 765 officers and enlisted men. But of this number only 415 men were originally attached to the Twenty-ninth, the remainder being recruits of the Nineteenth, Twentieth and Twenty-third Iowa regiments, who had been assigned to Col. Benton’s command a few weeks previously, when their regiments had returned home for disbandment.

The regiment left an honorable record. Always prompt in duty, brave in action, cheerful in enduring hardship and well disciplined, it was never found wanting, and did its full part in winning respect and admiration for the soldierly qualities of our Iowa regiments.

Col. Benton was brevetted brigadier general, December 15, 1864. Lt.-Col. Robt. F. Patterson was also later brevetted brigadier general.

Field and Staff Officers of the Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry.

COLONEL. MAJORS. SURGUONS. CHAPLAINS .

Thomas H. Benton, jr. Chas. B. Shoemaker. Wm. S. Grimes. John H. Conrad.

Joseph Lyman. Alex. Shaw. David Worcester.

Wm. L. Nicholson.

LIEUT. COLONEL. ADJUTANT. ASST. SURGEONS. QUARTERMASTERS .

Robt. F. Patterson. Joseph Lyman. Wm. L. Nicholson. Wm. W. Wilson.

David F. Eakin. Chas. W. Oden.

Wm. Street.

John H. Rice.

From: IOWA IN WAR TIMES © 1888

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