| Page. |
| Preface | 3 |
| CHAPTER I. |
| The "uprising" in Iowa—Patriotism of the people—The Third Regiment—Its character and composition—Spirit and ideas of its members—Our colonel—Our visit to Camp Ellsworth and the First Iowa—The Second and First Iowa advance into Missouri—Our quarters—Our ideas of our treatment—Poor fare, and what some of us "did about it"—Our duties—Complaints about pay—Our arms—We go into camp—Our first camp experience—We chafe exceedingly under the yoke of discipline—Marching orders | 13 |
| CHAPTER II. |
| We break up camp at Keokuk—The parting occasion—The last lingering look—A pleasant steamboat ride—Two nights and a day at Hannibal—We advance by rail into the interior of Missouri—Dangers attending the movement—We halt at Chillicothe, Grand River bridge and Utica—Leaving the cars and camping for the night—Condition of the country—Our first night alarm—How we celebrated the Fourth of July—Our uniform—Our rations—Our discipline—Colonel Williams arrives and assumes command—Colonel Smith visits and consults with him—Another false alarm | 29 |
| CHAPTER III. |
| Operations of the rebel general Harris—Three companies of our regiment detailed to join an expedition against him—We are allowed ten minutes for preparation—We join a portion of the Sixteenth Illinois at Palmyra, and with them return to Monroe—The movement delayed by a storm—Consultation of officers—The column moves—Skirmish of Hager's Woods—We delay and finally camp for the night—And in the morning begin to retreat—Our train burned and the enemy in our rear—A threatened skirmish—He cuts off our communications and surrounds in large force—Cool conduct of Colonel Smith—We begin to fortify—A night of expectation—Details of our situation—The enemy opens with artillery—And begins to draw in his lines—We lie in our trenches and reserve our fire—Aid in the right time—The enemy quits the field in panic—An accident—Col. Williams arrives with a portion of the Third Iowa | 43 |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| We prepare to march from Monroe—Arrival of Governor Wood with cavalry and artillery; and of the Fourteenth Illinois—How Mr. Dugan speaks of this in his book—A change of counsels—The Third Iowa moves west on a train—Circumstances of the ride—Failure of an attempt to burn the Chariton River bridge—A few details—How young soldiers originate false alarms—Our camp at Chillicothe—General Hurlbut assumes command of the troops on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad—We draw our accoutrements at last—We leave Chillicothe and go into camp at Brookfield | 61 |
| CHAPTER V. |
| Activity of the rebels—Colonel Martin Green—We are ordered against him—Details and incidents of the march from Mason City to Kirksville—Character of the Home Guards—Condition of the country—Our situation at Kirksville—Details of our occupation of that place—Arrival of reinforcements under Gen. Hurlbut—Our complaints and expectations | 73 |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| Lieut. Call reconnoiters and reports the enemy's position—Colonel Scott desires to attack him with the Third Iowa, the Home Guards and the artillery—Gen. Hurlbut declines his consent—Dangers of such a movement—Disappointment of the men—The General reviews the troops—And issues a proclamation—He sends it by a flag of truce to Green's camp—Green don't see the point, but takes the hint and gets ready to leave—The General issues an order against plundering—Further details of our condition—A detachment goes to Lancaster after supplies—Escape and pursuit of Green—Details of the march—Suffering, straggling and plundering—Night at Wilsonsville—night at Bear Creek—Scouts from Moore—Junction with Moore at Bethel—Appearance of the place—Character and hospitality of the inhabitants—Change of plans—Moore and Smith pursue the enemy—Hurlbut and Scott move directly toward the railroad—Noon at Shelbyville—Another proclamation—A man straggles ahead of the column and is shot by the bushwhackers—Night at Shelbina—The situation—We proceed to Brookfield | 89 |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| The expedition to Paris—The forces engaged in it—Details of the movement to that place—Conduct of Colonel Williams and Lieut. Col. Blair while there—They return speedily to Shelbina—Green pursues and confronts them with a large force—Details of the affair at Shelbina—Colonel Williams retreats to Hudson where he meets General Hurlbut with reinforcements—The propriety of the retreat discussed—The account of the Rebellion Record | 104 |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| We break up camp at Brookfield and proceed toward Shelbina—Junction with Smith and Moore—Gen. Pope assumes command—Hurlbut and Williams proceed to St. Louis in arrest—Pope leads a night march against Green at Florida—Feelings of the troops—Circumstances of that affair—Report of General Fremont concerning it—We return to the railroad and proceed to Macon—Arrival of Generals Pope and Sturgis at that point—Prospect of active movements | 112 |
| CHAPTER IX. |
| Col. Smith with his own regiment and five companies of the Thirty-ninth Ohio, proceed to Platte River bridge and commence repairing it—Col. Scott is ordered to co-operate with him against the rebels in that vicinity—We proceed to Cameron by railroad, impress transportation and march toward Liberty—The first night—Second day's march—Second night at Centerville—Cannonading in the distance—Our feelings—Lieut. Call reconnoiters as far as Liberty—We move at 3 A.M.—At sunrise drive back the enemy's pickets and camp at Liberty—No tidings from Smith—Cannonading in the direction of Independence and probabilities of an engagement across the river—Col. Scott resolves to attack—Battle of Blue Mills Landing | 120 |
| CHAPTER X. |
| Arrival of Smith—His march from the railroad—Why he arrived too late—Our feelings on his arrival—The situation the morning after the battle—What should have been done—Smith starts for St. Joseph—Burying the dead and caring for the wounded—Scott's official report—Comments on the same—Gallantry of Scott and Lakin—Official report of the enemy—Estimate of his force—Account in the Missouri Republican—Account in Pollard's "First Year of the War"—The necessity and merits of the battle | 135 |
| CHAPTER XI. |
| We start for the railroad—Arrival at Centerville—Arrival of a courier from Sturgis—March to Plattsburg—Orders from Sturgis—Turn toward Kansas City—Night at Smithville—March resumed toward Liberty—Sturgis retreats three days from an enemy who does not pursue—We think his pursuers turn against us, and turn to the west to elude them—Strike the Missouri at Parkville and prepare to cross on a flatboat—A steamboat arrives and conveys us to Leavenworth—We return next day to Wyandotte—Our stay at Wyandotte—Move to Kansas City—Arrival of Lane's Brigade—Comparison between Lane and Sturgis—They quarrel about precedence in rank—Lane moves out of town—Hospitality of the citizens | 152 |
| CHAPTER XII. |
| The troops leave Kansas City—We are not in a condition to march South—Rumored removal of the regiment to Quincy—Proceed by steamboat and railroad to Quincy—Our arrival and situation there—We are paid and prepare to leave—The citizens give a ball in our honor—Incidents of that night—We proceed to Benton Barracks—Col. Williams, his release, conduct, and re-arrest—Changes—Our sanitary condition—We are ordered to the North Missouri Railroad—Disgraceful conduct of certain captains | 165 |
| CHAPTER XIII. |
| Preparations—We move North by railroad—Details of the ride—March from the railroad—Night on the frozen ground—Feelings and conduct of the soldiers toward the citizens—Night at Martinsburg—March to Mexico—Character of the citizens—Bad conduct of certain of the men—What the Major did about it—His speech—Its effect—An excess of quinine and lack of bread—Return march to Martinsburg—The New Year—March to Wellsville—Sickness—Conduct and character of Surgeon Edwards—Foraging and plundering—Movement of troops to the front—Anxiety to go with them—Fort Donelson—Discontent at being left in the rear—Trial and release of Col. Williams—He assumes command and begins reforms—Marching orders | 175 |
| CHAPTER XIV. |
| Leave Mexico for St Louis—Conduct of some of the men and officers—Journey from St. Louis to Savannah, Tenn.—Scenes on the passage—Captain Albert Hobbs—Loyalty of the people on the Tennessee river—Move to Pittsburg Landing—The situation—Criticism, &c. | 189 |
| CHAPTER XV. |
| The enemy's reconnoissance April 4th—The alarm 5th April—The Battle of Shiloh—The soldier's impression of a battle—Stragglers and their shameful conduct—The different movements and positions of our division and brigade in the battle—Appearance of General Grant—Gallant charge and repulse of a rebel brigade | 206 |
| CHAPTER XVI. |
| The enemy massing against the left—Our successful stand—Retreat and our successive positions therein—We form the left of Prentiss—His gallant conduct and capture—Capture of Major Stone—He and Prentiss vindicated—Scene on the bluff—Night and Buell—The cannonade—The night | 221 |
| CHAPTER XVII. |
| The battle on Monday—Defeat of the enemy's right wing—Firmness of the left—Gallant conduct of Gen. Hurlbut—Col. Johnson in command of a part of our divided brigade—Victory—Flight of the enemy and failure to pursue | 233 |
| CHAPTER XVIII. |
| A survey of the field—Plundering the dead—Civilians and relic-seekers—Congratulatory orders—Camp on a field of graves | 243 |
| CHAPTER XIX. |
| Preparations to advance on Corinth—Morale of army and sanitary condition—Advance to Shiloh Springs—Inspection by General J——Advance to Pea Ridge—Gov. Yates—Picket skirmishing—Battle of Russellville House—Arrival of Col. Scott—A night on picket in face of the enemy—The evacuation and occupation of Corinth | 257 |
| CHAPTER XX. |
| Resume of the movements of our regiment—Sherman's movements towards Memphis—Camp on the Heights of Hatchie—Camp on Spring Creek and Wolf River—Colonel Williams again—Incidents of the march from LaGrange, Tenn., to Holly Springs, Mississippi—Return—Resignation of Lieut. Col. Scott—Arrival in Memphis—Gen. Sherman as a military man—Marching orders | 278 |
| CHAPTER XXI. |
| Lieut. Col. Trumbull—Leave Memphis—Night on Wolf River—House burning—Reach and bridge the Hatchie—Hardships and murmurs—March toward Bolivar—Arrival at Bolivar—A reconnoissance towards Grand Junction—Attempt of the enemy to get in our rear—Return to Bolivar—Reinforcements | 291 |
| CHAPTER XXII. |
| A day's march toward Corinth—Arrival of Gen. Ord—Situation and movements of the enemy—Battle of Matamora—Carrying the bridge of the Hatchie—Disastrous situation—Reserves ordered into action—Hurlbut saves the day—Carrying the Heights—Retreat of the enemy—Bivouac on the field—Reconnoissance, details, etc.—Return to Bolivar—Fruits of the victory—Losses | 303 |
| CHAPTER XXIII. |
| Col. Trumbull's official report—General Hurlbut's parting review—His parting orders—How they were received—Congratulatory orders of Gen. Grant—Telegram from the President | 317 |
| CHAPTER XXIV. |
| Reorganization and changes—Reconnoissance by General Ross—Disposition of the Hatchie prisoners—The State election in our regiment—Effects of the news of the northern elections upon the troops—Wild reports of the enemy's advance—Fortifying—Preparations for a general advance—Arrival of Gen. Grant—Grand review—Arrival of new regiments—General marching orders—First day's march—Condition of the troops—Our camp at LaGrange—Position of the enemy—Arrival of Col. Williams—Resignation of Lieut. Col. Trumbull—The Somerville march—Reviews and marching orders | 329 |
| CHAPTER XXV. |
| The army in motion to the South—Character and scenes of the first days march—Bivouac at Holly Springs—An earthquake—The cavalry division and the enemy's rear guard—Cannonading—Camp Lumkin's Mills—A storm—Movement of Sherman, retreat of the enemy and advance of troops—Our division left behind—We advance—Rebel works on the Tallahatchie—Scenes and scenery of the march—Oxford—Join the army at Yockona Creek—The Thirty-third Wisconsin—The situation and movements—Raid of Van Dorn—Movements to open the communications | 345 |
| CHAPTER XXVI. |
| Retreat of the army—Commendable spirit of the troops—March to the Tallahatchie—Ridiculous rumors—Christmas—We We go into camp—Return of Dickey's raid—Our condition as to supplies—The New Year—March to Holly Springs—We go into camp—March of Denver's division—Our situation—Burning of Holly Springs—March again to the north—Bivouac at Cold Water—Reviewing and speculating over the campaign—Arrival at Moscow | 358 |
| CHAPTER XXVII. |
| Reorganization of Grant's army—How our division was posted—Descent of guerrillas upon our forage train—We march to Memphis and go into camp—A glance at the officers of our regiment—Gen. Lauman's regimental drills—Review of the Fourth division—Col. Bryant's movement against Chalmers—Our division ordered to Vicksburg—Parting with my comrades—Their journey down the river and affair with the guerrillas near Greenville—Arrival at Young's Point—Their view of Porter and Steele engaging the enemy—Proceed up the Yazoo and occupy Haines' Bluff—The captures—Blowing up the magazines—The 22d of May—They move to take position in the investing lines—Their position and operations south of the city—Their subsequent position and operations | 373 |
| CHAPTER XXVIII. |
| Surrender of Vicksburg—Our division moves with Sherman against Johnson—March to Jackson—The place besieged—Disastrous charge of Colonel Pugh's Brigade—The blame imputed to Gen. Lauman—He is relieved of command—His parting orders—The feeling in regard to him—Our losses—Subsequent movements of the Third Iowa—Conclusion | 386 |
