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Letters of Francis William Kimble
14th Iowa Infantry, Company 'B'
Presented by the Iowa Civil War Site
Letter number forty
Memphis, Tenn Monday Morn, Aug the 22nd, 1864
Dear Parents, I take up my pen this morning to give you the news of yesterday
which caused great excitement throughout the city. Yesterday morning the
soldiers and citizens was aroused about 4 o'clock by horsemen rushing through
the streets whooping and hollering like wild men. I was at the guard quarters
of the Gayoso at the time. The racket woke me in a min. The throughts struck
me that there a fire in town and I sprung from my bed and ran out into the
street to see what was the confusion and to my surprise there was reble's
calvary passing the hospital. When I see that it was rebs you ought to have
seen me skidaddle for the quarters again. By this time the boys was all
awake. I told them that the rebs was upon us. But before we could dress
ourselves and make our escape from the qtrs the rebs had us hemmed in on all
sides. My calculations was to get to the fort if possible but we was cut off
entirely. One of the rebs ordered the guard at the front door to give up his
gun. The guard thought it was Union calvary and paid no attention to them. So
the reb drew up his gun and shot the guard in the shoulder and fired several
more shots into the hospital but done no damage. When the rest of us saw
this, we began to look for a place of safety. But to get out of the house was
impossible for the rebs was in line not more that 20 feet in front of the
house. So I proposed to the rest of the boys to get under our beds and in
less than two minutes all was safe under his bed and not very safe neither
for some of them took a look into the window to see if there was anyone in
the house. But us being under the beds they came to the conclusion that it
was evacuated. A part of the force entered the Gayoso Hotel with the
intention of getting Gen Hurlbut but as luck would have it he had went to a
friends to spend the evening and did not get back to the hotel that evening.
That was all that saved him from being a prisioner. Another party went to Gen
Washburns head quarters to get him. A major from the picket line got there
first and informed the Gen of his danger. So he slipped out at the back door
and took leg bail for the fort. The rebs saw him running and fired several
shots at him but he hadn't any uniform on and the rebs thought him to be a
citizen and let him go. Another lot of them rushed to the military prison and
hollered to the rebble prisoners to come out for Forrest's men was there. But
the guards at the prison fired on the rebs so hot that they could not stand
so they put spurs on and left the prison. By this time the 8th Iowa was out
and in squads and shooting into them from all points. As they had missed
their main objective in getting to the Gen they commenced a retreat. In the
mean time the rebs took Co I of the 8th Iowa by surprise and took 30 odd of
the 6th prisoners and the band with the exception of two of the boys that
make their escape. Some of the sick boys of our hospital went out the back
door and the rebs took them prisoner. The boys wasn't able to travel so they
shot them down. Some of them got back to the hospital but very badly wounded.
We have two guard houses. The rebs went into one of them and took 3 of the
boys with them. It was rather lucky for me and the rest of the guards that
they did not find us. If they had got us probably we would of been killed
before now for they shot a great many officers and soldiers. There was
considerable excitement last night for we got word that the rebs was coming
back. If they had come back last night we would of been prepared for them for
the guards and all the convalesants got guns to fight them. Our calvary
followed them out of town and the rebs made a stand when a sharp fight took
place. Our troops drove them some 5 miles before dark last night. The ground
back of town is strewn with dead bodies. There was 2 rebs killed nearly in
front of our hospital. There is quite an excitement in town this morning for
fear the rebs coming back again. All business houses closed today. There was
several men taken prisoner that lives in town and only left town a day or two
ago. The rebs killed several citizens and took a great many of them prisoner.
I will send you a morning paper if I can get one. There is such a rush for
papers that they are sold faster than printed. Well I guess that I will have
to stop for this time. I am well as usual. Good day to all from F. Kimble to
his home.
Transcribed and submitted by great great niece
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The Iowa Civil War Site