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EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS frederick humphrey, chaplain The 12th Iowa at the Battle of Tupelo: Letter from an Eye Witness This account, prepared for newspaper publication by the regimental chaplain, was widely syndicated, especially in Iowa. The version here was pasted on the inside back cover of James F. Zediker’s war scrapbook and appears to have been printed in the Maquoketa Excelsior in late July 1864. Memphis, July 22, 1864. Messrs. Editors: Gentlemen: Having read in your issue of this morning a cavalry officer’s account of the splendid fighting done by the cavalry and negroes in General Smith’s late expedition, it occurs to me that you, your readers, and the public generally, would like to know where the infantry were, and what they were about while the cavalry and negroes were ‘‘doing up’’ that splendid fighting.3 I propose to give a summary of the doings of a single regiment, the 12th Iowa veteran infantry, and some account of the 3rd brigade, to which it belongs, of the first division, which brigade is under the command of Colonel Wood, of General Mower’s division, [which] fought the great battle of the expedition, at Tupelo, on Thursday, the 14th instant, without any assistance from cavalry or negroes. While I mention the deeds of a single regiment, and some of those of the brigade of which it is a part, I do not intend any disparagment [sic] of the heroism of the men and officers of other regiments with whose operations I am unacquainted. They have all shown the highest courage and valor on the battlefield, and we hope that some of their officers will give the public an account of their deeds. The expedition marched from La Grange on the 5th of July, in a southeasterly direction, to Ripley, the county seat of Tippah county; thence south, to Pontotoc, the county seat of Pontotoc county. Some { 225 } slight skirmishing, with the loss of a few men, were the incidents of the march. The men suffered greatly from the intensity of the heat. A July sun shot down his burning rays; a sandy road reflected the heat; the air filled with dust; the men seemed to [be] broiled in the sun, and buried in the clouds of dust. I have seen hundreds of strong, athletic men lying in the shadow of fences, bushes, and trees, exhausted and fainting from the effects of the heat — yet, all without a single complaint; a little rest, and they were up and ready for another struggle. After a day’s rest at Pontotoc, the army marched for Tupelo. The rebels immediately commenced a harrassing [sic] attack upon our train in the rear. It was bravely defended by negro and other troops. Finally, about the middle of the forenoon, the 12th Iowa, commanded by Lt. Col. Stibbs, was ordered back to aid in the defense of the train. This regiment had just taken the position assigned to it in guarding the train when one of the flankers came running in and informed the Adjutant, Lieut Reed, that the rebels were advancing upon the train in force. Lieut. Col. Stibbs and Major Van Duzee immediately formed the regiment in line of battle on the double quick. The line was scarcely formed when the rebel cavalry, apparently about 1000 strong, advanced with scattering shot through the dense thicket, to within a few yards of our front, when Colonel Stibbs commanded his men to fire. A terrible volley checked the advancing line of the enemy — a second drove them back. The 12th Iowa was ordered to the support of the 6th Indiana battery, on its left, while another regiment advanced and picked up the colors that the rebels had left on the field from which they had been driven by the 12th. In the skirmish, the loss of the 12th was twelve wounded and one missing. In the afternoon another skirmish took place in which the 12th lost one man. At night the whole army encamped about one mile from Tupelo. Thursday morning at three o’clock, July 14th, the army was under arms. At daylight the line of pickets was advanced to watch the motion of the enemy. His force was variously estimated at from 10,000 to 17,000 cavalry. I can only give the common report which was that his whole force was 17,000. Probably it did not exceed 10,000 cavalry, or rather mounted infantry. Soon the army was...

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