|
History of the Crocker's Brigade
Part Two
After the battle of Shiloh, the four regiments were combined into one brigade under Col. M. M. Crocker. Their first order of business was a march on Corinth. The men were tired and sick from sleeping in the open in the rain and poor rations. They were also badly discouraged.
May 1, 1862 This morning at 7 P.M. we struck tents and with the whole brigade started southwest to some unknown destination. Traveled slowly until 1 P.M. and in line of battle stacked arms. At sundown the wagons came up with our tents and equipage and we were soon keeping house. This is the best camping ground we have yet seen so I think we will not stay long. Wood and water are handy. Came six miles today and we are now suppose to be off the battle field of Shiloh...
C.F. Boyd 15th Iowa
May 24th, 1862. Rained all last night. Have been helping to fix up some bunks for the sick boys. Charley Nicholls is very sick and I think a few more days will take him from here. All the men look bad. Their energy and ambition has almost left them. All of them have the diarrhea and are scarcely able to take care of themselves. The dead march can be heard at all times from sun up until sun down in the camps around us---as they take one, two or three poor fellows and lay them in this cold and dismal wilderness in graves to be forever unknown. Not a coffin is provided. Lumber cannot be had. Shuler who came in crazy yesterday died today. If we remain here until July but few of us will be alive. Some men joke and laugh while they are laying out the dead and seem to think nothing of it. How inhuman and wicked this thing called War. It brutalizes men and crushes out all christian feelings.
C.F. Boyd 15th Iowa
On the 28th of July 1862 the Iowa brigade left Corinth, Miss. and not a solider of the brigade who made that memorable march under that hot July sun but will forever remember the incidents of that weary march.......
William Fultz 11th Iowa
The brigade took part in the siege of Corinth, until the Confederate forces evacuated that city on May 30, 1862. During the following months the regiment also took part in various expeditions around Corinth. Their base of operations was Boliver Tenn. but they marched and policed a large area of the state. September 12 the brigade was once again at Corinth and a few days later marched and joined forces under Major Gen. Rosecrans near Iuka. In the battle of Iuka which was fought on
September 19, 1862 the 16th Iowa was detached from the brigade and took an active part in that fierce engagement, while the 11,13 and 15 were held in reserve and did not participate in the battle. Soon after the battle the brigade was ordered to return to Corinth. The brigade took part in the battle of Corinth on October 3 & 4 of 1862. The 15th Iowa occupied an advance position in that battle and suffered heavy losses. On the 5th the brigade took part in the pursuit of the enemy until the
8th then returned to Corinth on the 13th.
Sept. 20th Advanced towards Iuks this morning and entered the town at noon and found the enemy had skedaddled cutting his way through Rosecrans right wig and escaping to the south. Where they cut through about one mile and one half from here there was a desperate contest and some of our regiments have suffered severely. The 15th Iowa lost a great many men killed. The large hotel here is already full of wounded rebs. Most of them belong to Texas regiments. There are about 400 wounded here. Many are badly hurt and say if they can only get home they will fight no more. Some of them were deranged and looked horrible as they raved and rolled in their blood. Some had their legs and some had their arms amputated. Most of them had lain on the field since the evening before. The women of Iuka seemed very attentive to all wants. Saw one large Texan wounded badly and I think he would die but he was pluck to the core. I talked to him awhile. He took a large minnie ball
from his vest pocket and showed me. The ball was flattened and he said he got that in his hip last spring at Shiloh from the "Yanks" and now he had another in him----but said he expected to be up again and as soon as he could he would be after us again. I said "Bully for you old boy" and
bid him good bye......
C.F. Boyd 15th Iowa
Oct 3, About 9 o'clock rumor came that Price and Van Dorn were marching on Corinth and we should perhaps have a fight, but few believe the story.......The troops in front of us kept falling back and finally took position inline to our right. The 11th and 13th [Iowa] were posted a little way behind us in reserve........Gen. Crocker and Lieut. Col. Belknap rode along the line and urged no man to fire until the order was given........Then someone commenced firing and we shot away in the smoke not knowing exactly where to aim as the enemy were in lower ground then we. .......We retreated into town...... Here we formed another line of battle and under the cover of Fort Williams........Here we lie, on our arms for the night under a clear sky.
C.F. Boyd 15th Iowa
Oct.4, The enemy could be heard all night bringing up his artillery.........A little before daylight a rebel shell came from a gun in the edge of the wood and went over into the town.....Several shells came over to wake us up and a number of men in the 11th Iowa just in rear of us were wounded.........
[That officers might experience the same feelings as the private soldiers would probably have surprised the men at Corinth. William W. Belknap tells a story of the battle of Corinth: "General (then Colonel) Crocker said to me at Corinth, in the very heat of the fight, as a bullet struck 'spat' on the sapling between us: "Do you know old fellow, what I am thinking about?" "What Colonel?" said I. "I wish I was back in Des Moines." And so did I wish myself back in Keokuk." (William W. Belknap, The Obedience and Courage of the Private Solider.......
Bibliography
War sketches and Incidents.......Iowa Commanders, Military Order of the
Loyal Legion 2 Vols. Des Moines, 1893.)
Contributed by:
Return to Crocker's Brigade
If you have any additional information you would like to add to the record of the Famous Crocker Brigade, please contact or .
|
