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5th Iowa Cavalry
Battle of Sugar Creek, Alabama
October 9, 1863
Having read excerpts Thomas V. Kennemer provided from the diary of Lt. Charles Alley (5th Iowa Cavalry, Co. C) regarding the Battle of Sugar Creek, Alabama, I found two other references to the incident. It appears most, if not all, of the Companies of the 5th Iowa Cavalry were involved in the pursuit of General Wheeler.
In the "Historical Sketch Fifth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry" I found the following on pages 852 and 853.
"From September 26th to the close of the month the regiment was again on the march and, on September 30th, was in camp near Winchester, from which place it again took up the line of march to watch the movements of the rebel force under the command of General Wheeler, which had crossed the mountains for the purpose of destroying bridges and otherwise rendering the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad useless for the transportation of troops and supplies for the Union army. The regiment moved from Winchester to different points along the line of the railroad and, on October 6th, had a skirmish with the enemy, in which it had one man ¾ Henry Perkins of Company K ¾ mortally wounded. On October 9th, in another skirmish with the enemy, E. W. Sloan of Company H, was wounded. The pursuit was kept up to the Tennessee River, but the rebel General Wheeler, by marching his cavalry day and night, succeeded in getting across the river and making his escape, after losing about one hundred and fifty of his men, killed, wounded and captured. In this pursuit, the entire Second Cavalry Division, under command of General Crook, was engaged. Colonel Lowe of the Fifth Iowa was in command of the First Brigade, and Lieutenant Colonel Patrick commanded the regiment. From the Tennessee River the Second Cavalry Division turned in pursuit of the rebel General Roddys cavalry, then in camp at Athens, Tenn. Lieutenant Colonel Patrick, with the Fifth Iowa and a detachment of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, marched all night on October 17th, reaching Athens at sunrise to find the rebel force had withdrawn across the river. Lieutenant Colonel Patrick then returned with his command to Maysville, having marched seventy miles in twenty-four hours. While no general engagement had been fought, the designs of the rebel General had been frustrated and the Union line of transportation protected and kept open for the passage of troops, supplies and munitions of war. From October 17th to November 14th, the regiment remained in camp at Maysville, giving the men and horses a much needed rest before again resuming active operations against the enemy."
In the "Memoirs of Josiah Conzett of Dubuque, Iowa" I found the following on pages 57 through 61."... - from Here some time in October we were Ordered to Join Genl Crook who was after the Rebl Genl Joe Wheeler - That had got through our Lines some how and in the Rear Of our Army with quite a Large Cavalry Force, and Several Batteries of Artillery, he was creating quite A Panic. - Tearing up our Rail Roads - destroying Bridges Capturing Our Wagon Loaded with Supplies for the Army at Chattanooga and Taking Prisonors small Bodies of our Men that were Gaurding them. it was getting Searious for the Boys at the Front. We got after him, and Caught up with his Rear Gaurd at War Trace Tennesee. We our Company had quite A Severe Skirmish with them here - but got them on The Run in a Couple of Hours. here is where our Major Bracket and our Capt Moreing showed Thier Cowardice - as soon as Firing began they each took To a Tree, and from that safe retreat, gave out thier Commands such as give them Hell Boys and such like. We Yelled and Hooted and tried to Shame them out but they stuck to thier Trees until the Rebs had gone - Brave Boys were they - Gone at thier Countrys Call only [?] To Shirk thier Duty and draw thier Pay - We folled them to & through The Town of Shelbybille Tenn. Here I must digress and relatte an incident to acurred while We wre Chasing the Rebs through Shelbyville on the Campaign Under Rosencranz in June. Miss Pauline Cushman at that Time a Noted Actress, had been Playing an Engagement in Louisville, that Spring had been asked by the Genl to Act as a Spy for him in the Rebel Army (For instructions And reason given to her see any Rileable War History) she Consent and enterd the Rebbel Lines as a Perverted Woman Having Sympathised with the South and drove out of the Union Lines for Talking sesch (secession) to much, and given Aid To Rebbel Soldiers &c& - She was recieved with Open Arms And Feeted and Toasted for many days - She Visited the Forts And Camps and gained Valuable Information could She have sent it through thier Lines - but at last for some Reason or another Bragg set a Watch on her, having got Suspicions through some of her Actions - Success had made Bold & Careless - A private Order for her Arrest was made by Bragg, wich through some Officer of Braggs Staff who She had Infatuated reached her in Time - she Secured a Swift Horse and got nearly into our Lines when She was Over taken and next Condemned to be Hung as A Spy - but befor she could be excuted she was taken Sick With Typhoid Fever and prolonged her Sickness until Bragg and his Army had to Hustle out of Town by our Rapid Aproach - Bragg could not stop to get her out and did Not want the Name of Hangin a Sick Woman, - so He had to leave her. whe we enterd Town and we did it On the Gallopp, we passed her House she Waved her Handkerchief Franticly at us from the Window - We Saluted But at the Time did not Know her. she was sent back in An Ambulance and evry Attention and Honor possible Was given her - and when she reached the North she Was Lionized and given the Glad hand by evrybody Sad to have to relate that all this so turned her Head That she took to drink and Fast Living and in a few Years reached the lowest depth and died an Outcast and Was Burried as a Pauper - at Farminton Tennesee - Wilders Brigade of Indianna Troop (the advance) caught up with them, but they had Hidden in Thick Brush right near the Roadside that our Boys Could not see them - so when our Boys came up they at Such close Range fired Voley after Voley into them - taken So completly by Surprise and Of thier Gaurd, the (our) Boys were a little disorganized and Stuned - but they were Vetterans Of the best Type - they never Retreated a Foot, but quickly Railad and how they did pour it into them now flying Johnnies was a Caution, and how they did chase them Miles & Miles can only be realized by the Soldiers that have gone through a Similar Experience, and we had more then Once. Our Loss in Killed and Wounded I never heard of, but it was Heavy for so small a ?Force in so Short a time. the Rebs Lost was considerable too - we saw quite A Number of thier dead along the Road, and thier Wounded they took along Or hid in Friendly Houses near by. we followed them For Several days - when on the 19th of October they finaly Made a Stand (a Brigade of 2 or 3 Regiments) in the Valley Of the Sugar Creek Ala - as we came down the Hill into The Valley about one Mile Wide - right at the Foot we found Genl Crook his Staff and Battle Flag carried by Corporal Horton Dickinson of our Company awaiting us -, he called A hallt for the Regiment to get up - our Company had the Advance that day - then he the (General) pointing to the Rebbels in Battle Line Across the Valley at the Foot of the Hill - Said to us - now Go in Boys - and get evry Mothers Son of them - we crossed a small Creek drew up in Battle Line - the Order was given Drop Carabine and take Aim - the Order next was given - Drop Carabine - Draw Sabers And Charge - as soon as the Rebs saw 6 or 700 Hundred Sabers Flash in the Sun (it was a Bright & Hot day) The turned And tried thier best to get away - but we were soon in thier Midst and many a Reb Saddle was empted in A short time in that Wild Scrambel - I did my Best to hurt somebody, for I Slashed and Stabbed at any and every thing in my Way, but I am glad to be able now to say that I dont Know of any on I Hit Or Hurt - our Loss was Triffling the Rebs were to anxious to get away to Fight - thier Loss in Killed and Captured was quite Considerable - Charlie Wiegel and Geo Thompson in thier Exitement got to far into the Reb Front but as they Knew they could not hold them they took Thier Horses and Arms and let them go. they were waiting For us by the Roadside Horseless and without Arms. From this time until the Rebbels reached the Tennesee River our Regiment saw no more of the Johnnies only a few dead ones along The Roadside that the Advance Gaurd Killed. They crossed on A Pontoon Bridge thier Friend had laid for them, and when Our Command came up - it had been taken up and sent Away - Here ended our Chase - They got away with an immence amount of Plunder - Horses and Stock included - it Was said he Wheeler crossed with 100 Army Wagons loaded Down with Valuable Plunder of evry discription - But we Punished them good for it in Killed Captured and Wounded. We remained here a few day and then went up to Huntsville Ala - we laid here very quiet nothing doing On either side - both Parties glad to Rest especialy as the Rainy Season was approaching, the Winter in that part of the South."
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