"Samuel Day the the 22nd Iowa"
by

The Battle of Big Black River, Mississippi

 

After the Confederate defeat at Champion’s Hill, Pemberton’s army began to retreat toward Vicksburg with Grant’s army in close pursuit. The only road to Vicksburg was by way of two bridges over the Big Black River, one permanent, the other a temporary bridge made from two steamboats anchored in the center of the river. To cover the crossing of his army over the river and to delay the Union advance on Vicksburg, Pemberton ordered some of his troops to dig in and make a stand at Big Black.

The Confederates dug trenches in the soft dirt and erected a horseshoe shaped earthwork to block the road to the bridge. In front of the trenches lay a bayou of stagnant water, 2 to 3 feet deep and from 10 to 20 feet in width. The field beyond the bayou and trenches was cultivated for farming, and was clear and flat for nearly a mile, except for a small patch of timber that cut the field in half. The well-protected Confederates lay in wait for the oncoming Union troops.

General Lawler describes the action in his report dated May 26, 1863:

We came upon the enemy at Big Black Bridge, strongly posted behind skillfully constructed rifle-pits, extending across a neck of land formed by the Big Black River, his flanks well protected by this stream, and having in his front in addition to the rifle-pits, a bayou filled with brush and fallen trees. This, combined with the fact that there were cleared fields of from 400 to 600 yards in width along his whole front from bend to bend of the stream, rendered his position really formidable and difficult of approach, subjecting a clearing party, it would seem, to almost certain destruction at the commencement of the contest.

To support Benton’s brigade, orders were received to form the brigade in two lines on both sides of the road, the artillery in the center. Shortly afterward I received orders to change position, and by an oblique movement to the right occupy the ground on the right of Benton’s brigade, and meet a movement the enemy were reported to be making in that direction with a view to flank us.

This order having been executed, I was instructed by the brigadier-general commanding the division to move forward slowly and cautiously with my command, and develop and press back, if possible, the enemy’s left.

Accordingly, I ordered Col. C. L. Harris, Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteers, who held the left of our new position, to move his regiment forward through the woods in his front, his skirmishers covering his advance, and the Twenty-third Iowa, Colonel Kinsman, to follow him at a distance of 100 yards as a support. At the same time I advanced the Twenty-first Iowa Volunteers, Col. Samuel Merrill, into the cleared field skirting Big Black River, with instructions to move forward on a line with the Eleventh Wisconsin. The Peoria Battery was left in position on the rising ground in the edge of the field, and the Twenty-second Iowa in rear as a reserve and support.

Meanwhile there had commenced a spirited artillery engagement between the battery of Benton’s brigade and the enemy’s cannon in position behind their works. The skirmishers of the First Brigade were actively engaged, and those of the Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteers, which regiment advanced steadily forward through the timber to the field in front of the enemy’s works, and distant from them about 400 yards. Here I ordered it to halt, and move down to the right through the field skirting the river, and take position in the woods and brush lining this stream. This movement Colonel Harris promptly executed, reaching the position designated without serious loss, though exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy’s sharpshooters.

The Twenty-third Iowa, Colonel Kinsman, having come up after the Eleventh Wisconsin, was ordered to make a similar movement to the right, and to move up under cover of the river bank and take position on the right of the Eleventh Wisconsin and as close as possible to the enemy’s works, and the Twenty-first Iowa, Colonel Merrill, to take position on the bank between these two regiments. I also directed the Peoria Battery to take position in the open field in front of the left of the enemy and to open an enfilading fire on their center batteries, with which the battery of Benton’s brigade was engaged. At the same time the Twenty-second Iowa, Colonel Stone, was ordered to move forward on the left of the field to within supporting distance. These orders were quickly responded to, and the position thus occupied by the brigade continued to be held without material variation.

During the greater part of the forenoon heavy but ineffectual musketry firing was kept up by the enemy upon my men, briskly responded to by our sharpshooters. Late in the forenoon, finding it impossible to press farther forward along the river bank toward the enemy, as I had intended, Colonel Kinsman, Twenty-third Iowa Volunteers, proposed to charge at once the enemy’s works and drive them out at the point of the bayonet, and asked my consent to the same.

Foreseeing that a charge by a single regiment, unsustained by the whole line, against fortifications as formidable as those in his front, could hardly be successful, at the same time I gave my consent to his daring proposition I determined that there should be a simultaneous movement on the part of my whole command. Accordingly, the Twenty-first Iowa Volunteers, Colonel Merrill, was ordered to charge with the Twenty-third, the Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteers following close upon them as a support, and the Twenty-second Iowa, Col. William M. Stone¾ which had in the mean time crossed the field and taken position on the river bank on the right of the Eleventh Wisconsin¾ were ordered to move out into the field and act as a reserve force. Two guns of the Peoria Battery and one 20-pounder Parrott, belonging to the First Wisconsin Battery, were in position in the field, actively at work upon the enemy and doing good service. In addition, orders had been sent to the Forty-ninth and Sixty-ninth Indiana Volunteers¾ two regiments which had been sent from Osterhaus’ division to my support early in the forenoon¾ to send forward at once two companies as skirmishers to attract the attention of the enemy from the movement on the right, and as soon as the charge should be commenced to move promptly forward to its support. Orders were further given that the men should reserve their fire until upon the rebel works.

Finally the regiments that were to lead the charge were formed, with bayonets fixed, in the edge of the woods on the river bank. All things being in readiness, the command "forward" was given by Colonel Kinsman, and at once his noble regiment sprang forward to the works. The Twenty-first, led on by Colonel Merrill, moved at the same instant, the Eleventh Wisconsin, Colonel Harris, closely following. Through a terrible fire of musketry from the enemy in front and a galling fire from his sharpshooters on the right, these brave men dashed bravely on.

Kinsman fell, dangerously wounded, before half the distance was accomplished. Struggling to his feet, he staggered a few paces to the front, cheered forward his men, and fell again, this time to rise no more, pierced through by a second ball.

Colonel Merrill, the brave commander of the Twenty-first Iowa, fell, wounded early in the charge: while gallantly leading his regiment against the enemy.

Immediately Lieutenant-Colonel Glasgow placed himself at the head of the Twenty-third, and Major Van Anda led on the Twenty-first. Undismayed by the loss of their colonels, and by the perfect hailstorm of bullets poured into them with destructive effect, the men of the Twenty-third and Twenty-first Iowa and the Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteers pressed onward, nearer and nearer, to the rebel works, over the open field, 500 yards, under a wasting fire, and up to the edge of the bayou. Halting here only long enough to pour into the enemy a deadly volley, they dashed forward through the bayou, filled with water, fallen timber, and brush, on to the rebel works with the shout of victors, driving the enemy in with confusion from their breastworks and rifle-pits, and entering in triumph the rebel stronghold.

Hurrying forward the Forty-ninth and Sixty-ninth Indiana and Twenty-second Iowa Volunteers, I sent the two Indiana regiments to the support of my left, and ordered the Iowa regiment [22^nd Iowa] to move against the extreme left of the enemy’s works, where they, several hundred strong, still held out, while the Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteers was directed to occupy the ground between the enemy and the bridge, and thus cut off their retreat. The movement was successful. The rebels broke and fled before the Twenty-second Iowa, and fell an easy prey into the hands of the Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteers. Those of the rebels who were not captured hastened to make good their retreat over the bridge. As the result of this successful charge, we may with justice claim that it gave our army entire possession of the enemy’s extended lines of works, and with them their field artillery (eighteen pieces in all), a large quantity of ammunition, thousands of small-arms, and 3,000 prisoners.

By our brigade were captured 1,460 small-arms, several hundred accouterments, chiefly collected by the Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteers, 1,120 prisoners, and 4 stand of colors.

It is, perhaps, worthy of remark that more men were captured by my brigade than I had men in the charge; but this brilliant success was not accomplished without considerable loss; 14 killed and 185 wounded in the space of three minutes, the time occupied in reaching the enemy’s works, attest the severity of the fire to which my men were subjected(73).

 

In his report, General Lawler recognized the gallantry of several of his subordinates. Included among those so honored was Colonel Stone of the 22^nd Iowa "though suffering severely from disease, was present in the field, sharing its dangers, and has my thanks for the promptness with which he moved his command against the left of the enemy’s works(74)." Also cited for bravery were Major Atherton and Captain E. G. White, both of the 22^nd Iowa.

General M^cClernand wrote the following account of the Battle of Big Black,

At 3:30 on the morning of the 17^th, my corps again resumed the advance, General Carr’s division leading, and General Osterhaus’ closely following, on the road to Black River Bridge, 6 miles distant. On the way, General Carr’s division captured a number of prisoners, which were sent to the rear, and, upon nearing a skirt of wood masking the enemy’s position, encountered and drove back his picket.

Passing to the farther edge of the wood, the enemy was discovered in full force, strongly intrenched in elaborate defenses, consisting of a series of works for artillery and two lines of breastworks¾ the inner one about half a mile in length, the outer about 1 mile¾ both resting their extremities upon Big Black, and forming the segment of a rude circle. Outside of the latter was a deep, miry slough, the approach to which, from the line of my advance, was across a field connecting with others that widened on the right and left.

General Carr’s division, having entered the wood mentioned, was immediately formed in obedience to my order; General Lawler’s brigade on the right, resting its flanks near Big Black, and General Benton’s brigade on its left and to the right of the railroad. A section of Foster’s battery and two regiments of General Osterhaus’ division were ordered to the right and rear of Lawler, to support him and counteract any approach through the forest to the opposite bank of the river. Osterhaus’ division was ordered to form to the left of the road; Lindsey’s brigade in front, and the remaining two regiments of Garrard’s brigade obliquely on the left and rear of Lindsey’s, to counteract any movement in that direction.

Two sections of Foster’s battery were brought forward, and while being posted in the center of the two divisions, under the personal direction of General Osterhaus, was opened on by the enemy’s artillery. General Osterhaus and Captain Foster were both wounded, 1 man killed, and a limber-box exploded by a shell. The command of the division, by my order, was immediately devolved upon General Lee.

A brisk action had continued for a half hour or more, when General Smith’s division came up and was ordered by me to extend and support my left, in which direction it was reported that the enemy were moving in large numbers. After this disposition had been made, my right center and left engaged the enemy with increased effect, and General Lawler, aided by this diversion, and availing himself of information obtained by Colonel [J. J.] Mudd, chief of cavalry, of the practicability of making a near approach, under partial cover, on the extreme right, dashed forward under a heavy fire across a narrow field, and with fixed bayonets carried the enemy’s works, capturing many prisoners and routing him.

The feat was eminently brilliant, and reflects the highest credit upon the gallant officers and men of Generals Lawler’s and Osterhaus’ commands who achieved it. It was determinate of the success of the day. Fleeing toward a steamer forming a bridge across the Big Black near the railroad bridge, most of the enemy escaped to the commanding bluff on the opposite side, while others, hotly pressed by Benton’s and the right of Lindsey’s brigade, were cut off from that escape, and driven to the left and down the river upon the left of Lindsey’s and the front of Burbridge’s brigades, and fell into their hands.

A victory could hardly have been more complete. The enemy burned the bridge over which he had passed, two other steamers, and the railroad bridge. About 1,500 prisoners and stand of arms fell into our hands, eighteen pieces of cannon, and a considerable quantity of ammunition and cotton. A number of the enemy were found dead upon the field, but nothing more is certainly known of his loss in killed and wounded.

The loss on our part was limited to my own forces, which alone were engaged. The Ninth Division lost 10 killed, 19 wounded, and 1 missing; the Fourteenth Division 19 killed, 223 wounded, and 1 missing; making in all 273. Among the killed is Colonel Kinsman, Twenty-third Iowa, who fell, mortally wounded, while leading his regiment in the charge upon the enemy’s works.

Driven across the river, the enemy made a feeble stand to cover his trains and retreat upon Vicksburg, but several hours before sunset was dislodged by my forces, leaving tents, a considerable quantity of clothing and other stores, together with a large number of small-arms, a smoking ruin.

During the following night and morning a bridge was thrown across the Big Black by the pioneer corps under Captain Patterson(75).

 

Captain C.N. Lee spoke of the charge of Lawler’s Brigade in his report dated August 3, 1863, "In this charge the Twenty-second Iowa held a prominent position, the brigade taking nearly 3,000 prisoners, and ending the most decisive battle of the campaign(76)."

Private S.C. Jones, Company A, 22^nd Iowa, recorded the soldier’s view of the battle in his diary. His entry begins early in the morning, May 17, 1863:

We were called into line early on the morning of the 17^th. We were the second in line, the Eleventh Wisconsin in front of us. We came upon the Confederates at [Big] Black River, at the point where the Jackson Railroad crosses. The Eleventh Wisconsin sent out their skirmishers and closed upon them. The artillery came up and went into battery and commenced shelling their works. We came up along the north side of the railroad track, filed to the left across the track, and came in behind a battery that had just commenced shelling the works in the high bank at the west end of the railroad bridge. The Confederate shells were falling thick and fast on the battery and on our position. Orders came to us to move to the left. We moved left in front, recrossing the railroad track then through a piece of woods, and came out of the north side of the woods where General Lawler had formed the balance of our brigade for a charge. No sooner had we reached the open field and taken our position, than the order to charge was given. Away we went, dead and wounded strewn over the field. One young soldier, laying wounded hallooed [sic] to us "go in boys, give’em hell, they have fixed me." On we went, rushed through a bayou of water, blocking the rebel way of retreat, and taking a number of prisoners.

This was a bold dash of our brigade for which we were highly complimented. General Lawler was complimented in a general order by General Grant.

It is reported that we captured in this battle eighteen pieces of artillery and 1,751 prisoners. Company "A" was detailed to help gather up the wounded, carry them to the hospital tent, and bury the dead. This brigade [14^th] was composed of the Twenty-first, Twenty-second and Twenty-third Iowa Regiments, and the Eleventh Wisconsin. In this charge the Twenty-third was in the lead. One of the boys of the Twenty-third was found on the field, with thirteen bullet wounds in his body. He was carried to the hospital tent and laid in a row outside to await his turn to have his wounds dressed. This young fellow was left to the last as it was thought he would be dead by that time. His time came, his wounds were carefully dressed, and in a few days he was much more buoyant than many who had had slight wounds. He recovered and was returned to his regiment for duty. "A" Company [22^nd Iowa] while on this duty took some cornpones (cooked in the hot ashes with no salt in them) from the dead Confederates’ haversacks, and ate them with relish. I had some myself. All I had eaten that day was a piece of beef I had cooked in the blaze of the fire, just the juice of that had sustained me, until one of the boys gave me two of these delicious pones. Late in the evening we joined the regiment(77).

 

Private Jacob C. Switzer of the 22^nd Iowa Infantry also recalled the Battle of Big Black in his diary. His narrative begins with their arrival on the battlefield:

The field in front of the works was level and open on the right and left, but covered by a little patch of timber in the center on the railroad. Here, our Brigade being in advance, we were deployed on the right and formed in line of battle and stood thus for a long time in plain view of the enemy, receiving a brisk fire from their sharpshooters. Their batteries were shelling the woods in front and cutting through the trees and endangering many lives with falling limbs, splinters, etc.

. . . Our Brigade was massed in column of regiments; the 23^rd Iowa advanced on the open field in front of the works, the ditch and obstructions being invisible. They reached the obstructions being compelled to abandon the field and were very badly used up. Col. Kinsman in command was killed leading his men. The 21^st Iowa following lost a great many men; the 11^th Wisconsin suffered less. Our Colonel, William M. Stone, seeing the situation and observing that no fire came from the timber to our right, asked leave to charge his regiment [22^nd Iowa] into the timber and we advanced on the double quick. Reaching the timber, we found the rifle-pit ended with the open ground and we took an enfilading fire of the works. The rebels fled in confusion, many of them jumped into the river and it was said that many were drowned in attempting to cross in that way. The battle lasted but a very few minutes after the troops started into the charge. The Confederates fired the railroad bridge before leaving and continued to fire upon us from their batteries on the west side of the river but the shots went over our heads, doing us no damage as they could not depress their guns sufficiently to hurt us who were in front(78).

 

Interestingly, Switzer also recalls rummaging through abandoned Confederate haversack and finding some corn bread. Since Switzer was five days into three days’ worth of rations, he ate some of the captured corn bread. However, Switzer said, "I call it ‘rebel corn bread’ for I think it was about as deadly as the rebel that carried it. I ate some and it made me very sick indeed(79)." Unlike Jones who loved the bread, it made Switzer so sick that he looked for an ambulance to take him ahead with the army. However, since the ambulances had already preceded the 22^nd Iowa, Switzer was forced to walk. The next day, he again tried to get an ambulance, but again was unsuccessful. He marched again, but was falling behind the regiment when Henry D. Carson of Company A, 22^nd Iowa, rode up in the wagon of the corps medical director and offered Switzer a ride to Vicksburg.

The Confederates burned the Jackson Railroad Bridge across the Big Black as well as two steamers used to make a temporary bridge. Afterward, they retreated into Vicksburg’s lines, leaving nothing to stop Grant’s advance on the city. The town was in a virtual panic as soldiers and citizens hurriedly prepared for the anticipated assault. Since Sherman’s engineers had not yet arrived with the only pontoon bridge, M^cClernand’s 13^th Corps erected a makeshift bridge across the Big Black, as did M^cPherson’s Corps. By 18 May, Pemberton’s defenders were facing three Union corps closing in on Vicksburg.

The Jackson Railroad flowed through the center of the Big Black battlefield and led straight into Vicksburg. This railroad would play a prominent role in the greatest military feat of the 22^nd Iowa, the assault on Vicksburg.

 

73. Official Records, Vol XXIV, Part 2, pgs. 136-138.

74. Ibid., p. 138.

75. Official Records, Vol XXIV, Part 1, pgs 151-153.

76. Official Records, Vol XXIV, Part 2, p. 244.

77. Jones, 22^nd Iowa, pgs. 34-36.

78. Switzer, History I, pgs 333-334.

79. Ibid., p. 334.

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