A Regimental History of the 4^th Iowa Cavalry and the service of Private John Hilt

This historical synopsis was created by comparing John Hilt’s service and pension records with official regimental correspondence as taken from "The War of Rebellion: a Compilation of Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies" published in 70 volumes by the Government Printing Office under order of the Secretary of War, Stephen Elkins, 1892.

The regiment was formed in October of 1861 at Mt. Pleasant, IA as a response to a call by the Governor of Iowa. By January 1862 the 4^th Iowa, made up of 1010 men without arms, uniforms, or equipment was ordered to Ft. Leavenworth, KS on the Missouri River to relieve a standing regiment. The 4^th was then organized into the Army of the Southwest under Brigadier General E. A. Carr, as a part of the 2^nd Division.

By late 1862, the 4^th Iowa Cavalry was a part of the Army of the Department of the Missouri, assigned to the District of Eastern Arkansas, 3^rd Division, 2^nd Brigade, under Brigadier General C. C. Washburn. The commander of the 4^th Iowa was Lt. Colonel Simeon D. Swan.

John Hilt was mustered into service as a Private on September 1, 1862 at Mt. Pleasant, IA by Lt. C. Ware and was shipped to Davenport, IA. He joined the regiment in the field at Helena, AR on November 23, 1862.

Reports exist showing that the unit routinely scouted for enemy activity and engaged small rebel forces while defending this Mississippi riverfront town.

On April 10, 1863 Hilt was present at a ‘Special Regimental Muster’, probably getting ready for the Vicksburg Campaign. At this time, the regiment was commanded by Major Alonzo Parkell.

In preparation for the siege of Vicksburg, the unit was reassigned to the Army of the Tennessee, commanded by Major General Ulysses S. Grant, 15^th Army, commanded by William T. Sherman, 3^rd Division, 2^nd Brigade.

Grant’s original strategy was to lay siege to Vicksburg and secure the entire Mississippi River delta. This proved tougher than anticipated and Grant resolved to gain a foothold north of Vicksburg in the Yazoo and Big Black River systems. The 4th Iowa saw action at Birdsong’s Ferry where they were detached to secure a significant crossroad. They were overrun by a superior force and could not hold the crossroad. General Sherman explained the details of how the 4th "got roughed up" on the Big Black in a letter to Grant.

Grant’s northern plan soured and he resolved to attack from the south, so he ordered his gunboats, loaded with troops, to run the Vicksburg battery. They did so in a successful night action and set up below Vicksburg at Port Gibson, MS. Grant did an ‘end run’ around Vicksburg and the 4^th, now under the command of Colonel Edward F. Winslow, saw heavy action at Jackson and Raymond.

On May 14, 1863 the 4^th was engaged at 14 Mile Creek and General Grant specifically ordered them to ‘burn all C.S.A. cotton" captured during the fighting.

Hilt is then shown on the June 30 roll call as on detached service, as a nurse in the field hospital at Young’s Point, LA, the Union’s rear echelon support center. This is probably a result of the 4^th’s recent losses in the field. He is next shown as sick in a field hospital in Mill Dale, MS on July 27, and was treated for typhoid fever from September 9-14.

He was furloughed for 30 days to his home near Pilot Grove, IA in Henry County and was away from the unit from Sept 14, 1863 to March 28, 1864. A letter from the local doctor, formerly the Surgeon of the 15^th Iowa Infantry, to Colonel Winslow, Hilt’s brigade commander, details John’s illness and his dire prognosis and his doubts about John’s ability to return to his unit by the end of his 30-day furlough. John does not return to the unit for seven months.

Over the winter of ‘63/’64 the unit was reorganized into 15^th Army, Cavalry Brigade, made up of the 3^rd Iowa, 10^th Missouri, 5^th Illinois and the 4^th Iowa regiments. Cavalry Brigade, commanded by Colonel Winslow was engaged in controlling the Vicksburg area, supporting Sherman’s Meridian Campaign where the 4^th came into their own and excelled in many small battles. The entire unit was given a 30 day furlough in February of ’64 and was returned to Vicksburg and transported up the Mississippi River by steamer to Keokuk, IA.

In April of 1864 the unit, fresh from furlough, was shipped to Memphis, TN. Hilt is again present for duty. In preparation for Sherman’s assault on Atlanta, the 4^th Iowa was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, 17^th Army, under Major General James B. McPherson, 4^th Division, Cavalry Brigade, under Colonel Winslow. The Commander of the 4^th Iowa Cavalry, now ‘Veteran Volunteers’, was Lt. Colonel John H. Peters.

While McPherson and the main force of the Army headed for Atlanta, Brigadier General Sturgis with two Divisions and Cavalry Brigade formed a column of 8,000 men and moved from Holly Springs, MS east toward Tupelo, protecting McPherson’s southern flank. On June 10, after crossing Tishomingo Creek, with the 4^th in the vanguard, they ran directly into a hidden rebel force at Brice’s Crossroads, MS under the command of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. His army was only 3,300 strong, but had better position. The 4^th fell back after suffering heavy casualties and dismounted on a small hill to fight on foot, allowing cavalry and infantry units to reorganize and move horses and gear back across the creek. Surrounded on both sides, the Union army took heavy casualties, retired across the creek to Ripley, MS and spent days fighting skirmishes as it tried to deal with the quick-moving Forrest.

Regimental and Brigade reports specifically mention Hilt’s outfit, Company G, for their efforts, as they were instrumental in forming the defensive line which allowed the rest of the Army to withdraw. The 4^th’s commander expressed his regiment’s dissatisfaction with Sturgis’s command.

In mid-June, McPherson’s forces took Atlanta. General Sturgis was brought before a Board of Inquiry for his actions at Brice’s Crossroads and the 4^th returned to Memphis.

By early August the 4^th was moved back up to Holly Springs by train where they were engaged in repairing telegraph wires. On August 30, at La Grange, TN they were ordered to recapture a rebel-held railroad bridge. The 4^th charged the enemy and drove them from the bridge, inflicting heavy losses.

The 4^th was returned to Memphis and was hand-picked to be assigned to the 16^th Army, under Major General Smith, District of Western Tennessee, 2^nd Division under Colonel Winslow for a campaign into Missouri to counter Confederate General Sterling Price’s forces who were burning and foraging over western Missouri.

Winslow’s brigade, consisting of the 3^rd and 4^th Iowa and 10^th Missouri, marched up the Missouri River to Independence, joining Brigadier General Alfred Pleasanton’s force of Missouri Militia just in time to be thrown into battle at Little Blue River. After forcing the enemy into a retreat, Pleasanton pursued them down the Kansas and Missouri State line where they caught the enemy’s rear guard at Trading Post on the Marias De Cygnes River. The rebels were easily dislodged from their defenses (the 4^th captured a battle flag) but Colonel Winslow was wounded in the leg. With the brigade now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Benteen (later to be a pivotal figure in Custer’s disaster at Little Bighorn) they pursued the enemy south to the Little Osage River and engaged them on October 23, 1864. Benteen placed the 3^rd at the center, the 4^th on the left and his regiment, the 10^th Missouri, on the right. The entire brigade charged and the 4^th pursued the enemy so far that they were fired on by their own artillery, thinking they were the fleeing enemy troops. Major Pierce, commander of the 4^th credited his entire regiment for gallantry. The 3^rd captured two battle flags and two enemy generals (the two soldiers credited for their capture were awarded Medals of Honor).

After several weeks of driving Price’s forces from the battlefield, Winslow’s brigade returned to Memphis.

On November 4 they skirmished with Forrest’s troops near Union Station, TN finally arriving at Benton Barracks, St. Louis MO in late November, 1864. Private Hilt was admitted to the hospital at Benton Barracks as a patient on December 9 and spent the rest of the war there.

In January, 1865 Colonel Winslow moved the brigade from St. Louis to Louisville, KY then on to Nashville, TN. The unit was in the field at Edgefield, TN when the Muster Out order came.

Hilt was mustered out 15 June 1865 at Benton Barracks, MO.

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