4th Iowa Infantry History - Page 4

During the night before, the troops, lying cold and comfortless in their dark bivouacs, heard trains of cars moving into Vicksburg from the east. They were bringing heavy reinforcements to the rebels. Early on the morning of the 29th, the rebel batteries commenced a heavy cannonade, principally directed against the center held by Morgan. With occasional cessations it was kept up all the forenoon, during which time there were several engagements of infantry, as opposing regiments came within reach of each other. General Sherman had issued no order announcing an hour for the assault, but by order of General Morgan, Blair threw his brigade across the bayou above where it bends to the right, and forming in line marched through sloughs, bayous, quicksands, and abatis, upon the first line of rifle-pits. Colonel De Courcy's brigade, of Morgan's division, marched against the works at the same time. Both passed gallantly through a murderous fire, and carried the first line with a dash, and soon after the second. But the whole force was still under destructive fire. Thayer had been ordered to support Blair. He crossed a bridge lower down the bayou, moving by the flank but with only one regiment--the Fourth Iowa. The next regiment, the Thirtieth Iowa, was directed to take a different course by General Steele, and those coming after followed this. Thayer sent back for support, but without waiting for it to come up, charged the works in his front, about two hundred yards to the right of Blair, and about the same time, with the Fourth Iowa Volunteers alone. They carried the first line of works, drove the rebels from their second line, and there remained under a terrible fire waiting for support, scores of the best men in the command falling at every discharge from the enemy's batteries and sharp-shooters. But the support did not come, the couriers sent for it being killed or wounded on the way. General Thayer rode along his little line, and absolutely shedding tears at sight of so many brave men falling around, addressed the troops in a few as grateful words as ever fell from the lips of a stout-hearted commander. Receiving no intelligence from his absent regiments, he gave the order to fall back, which these heroic men obeyed, retreating slowly and sternly under the same fire through which they had passed on their perilous advance. A portion of Blair's brigade had advanced to the base of the bluffs, where they had a hand-to-hand contest with the enemy there posted, but the main part of General Morgan's division was not moved across the bayou in time to take part in the assault, whilst but one regiment of the division under Stuart was able to cross the bayou at all. So the assault was only made on the left, and by about three thousand men, of whom about eight hundred were killed or wounded. There were several sharp encounters along the whole line, but the unsuccessful assault on the left was the battle of the day.

In the engagements near Chickasaw Bayou, there were several Iowa regiments and batteries which behaved with that high degree of credit which the troops of the State everywhere maintained throughout the war, but no regiment from any state ever behaved with a more devoted gallantry than "the old Fourth," in the assault of the 29th of December. says Colonel Williamson, with terse expressiveness:

"Every officer and man did his whole duty, and regretted that he could do no more. The regiment went into the action with four hundred and eighty men and officers, of whom one hundred and twelve were killed and wounded. Among the killed was Lieutenant E. C. Miller, of Company G, who had command of the skirmishers on the 28th. No braver officer has fallen in his country's cause."

The army remained near the scene of its defeat a few days, caring for the wounded, and burying the dead. Preparations were also made for an attack on Haines' Bluffs, but it was wisely abandoned. On the 2nd of the January, 1863, the troops were all on board "the miserable transports" again, and soon on the way down the river. At the mouth of the Yazoo, the fleet was met by the steamer Tigress, having on board Major-General John A. McClernand, to whom General Sherman reported. In a day or two, the latter issued a general order, in which he said:

"A new commander is now here to lead you. He is chosen by the President of the United States, who is charged by the constitution to maintain and defend it, and he has the undoubted right to select his own agents. I know that all good officers and soldiers will give him the same hearty support and cheerful obedience they have hitherto given me. There are honors enough in reserve for all, and work enough, too. Let each do his appropriate part, and our nation must in the end emerge from this dire conflict purified and ennobled by the fires which now test its strength and purity."

It was, perhaps, impossible for William T. Sherman to submit to the military authority and guidance of John A. McClernand without a feeling of bitterness. Every man of genius is apt to have a knowledge of the fact, and it is not unlikely that a man of General Sherman's military genius can tell a martinet at sight, from a soldier of real capacity. I am not so unjust to proper discipline as to say that General McClernand amounted to a martinet, but it is certain that General Sherman must have had very incorrect ideas both of his own and of McClernand's military talents not to have felt chagrined at his own inferior command.

General Grant, long afterward learning of the gallant conduct of the regiment, commanded by general order that the Fourth Iowa Infantry have inscribed on its colors, "First at Chickasaw Bayou." All the brave fighting and sacrifices of that bloody battle were in vain, as it was not possible for the gallant army and its able commander to take that strongly fortified city by assault, and it was an undeserved humiliation for the President to remove General Sherman from command, by placing over him General McClernand. The attack was a failure, costing 1,776 Federal lives compared to 187 Confederates. The next day the troops moved again to give battle.

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