Co. A, 35th Iowa Infantry
Red River Campaign, 1999
Anonymous author
Not to be used for any commercial purposes.
(c) 1999 Doug Dobbs on behalf of author
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(His diary, and
if he should lose it, the finder would be so kind as to return it
at once, and oblige him.)
April 8. On the cars all day travelling I
know not where. Time seems
suspended as the miles slowly roll by. Weather quite warm
for the time of
year. A few small rain showers but no big storms as we roll
along.
April 9. A little after midday we arrive at a small
village in Louisiana
and are marched a short distance to our bivouac. Men are
arriving from all
directions and are not yet in any military order. I suspect
all this will
change as our officers arrive. No sign of enemy activities
so we must be
well away from their lines. Weather still very warm for
April, especially
for Northern boys.
April 10. Cloudy this morning - cooled off
a little during the night so I
used my blanket to advantage. Rumor has it we will take a
short railroad
trip today to the main battalion camp, where we will probably
soon begin a
new campaign.
April 10 (afternoon): We were formed into companies today
and put on
flatcars for a short railway trip. Arrived mid-afternoon at
Nachitoches,
Louisiana and marched a short distance to a meadow where our
battalion is
gathering. I volunteered for guard duty in hopes of getting
it over with,
have just been relieved and am now relaxing in the company
street. Weather
very warm now, a few high clouds and the sun very strong.
April 11, Sunday - No different from any other day in
an army on campaign.
Aroused before daylight by 1st Sgt kicking my right foot.
Roll call, then
cooked breakfast (leftovers from last night's ration issue), then
did a
little company drill and skirmish drill. We are now to be
in readiness to
march in half an hour's time.
(Afternoon) - Just arrived at our bivouac after today's march -
about 8
miles. Mostly along shaded roads but some in a strong
sun. Roads dry but
rough. Started out with wet feet due to yesterday's bivouac
being an open
meadow. Had two skirmishes with the Secesh today,
fortunately none of our
men seriously wounded.
April 12, Monday - Chilly last night but another fine
day dawning - maybe
it won't be so hot today as yesterday. Captain said today
that yesterday's
march was 9 miles, which it felt every bit as long. Got
another good ration
issue last night, the wagon train is keeping well up with the
army. Today's
march is supposed to be short - we'll see how short it is.
(Afternoon) - I am writing now from the town of Pleasant Hill,
Louisiana,
which we have just seized from a Rebel occupying force. Our
march was short
but very tiring once the heat of the day came on, but few men
fell out and
we pitched into the enemy with great vigor. After a brief
struggle, their
infantry retired followed by the cavalry, and the town is
ours. The boys
are off "prospecting" and generally rejoicing in their
triumph, but I wonder
how much longer it will be before we see these Rebels again as
they retired
in good order. We must now look to our equipment and
prepare ourselves for
the next phase of the campaign.
(Evening) - An unexpected pleasure has arrived - the first mail
since the
beginning of the campaign. Two letters and a package of
sugar cookies from
my dearest Mistress K. at home. I will ask the 1st Sgt to
issue the cookies
out to all the boys at roll call tomorrow - they'll need the
energy for a
quick march. The letters contain the latest news from
home and the
tenderest sentiments from K. What a treasure I have in her
and I hope the
Lord will preserve me in health to return as her husband when my
National
duties are done.
April 13, Tuesday - Weather still warm, more clouds
today than yesterday. I
wonder if a storm may come up today or tomorrow? We are in
fine fettle
after a good feed and night's sleep and are eager to press on
toward
Mansfield this morning. Issued the cookies to the men at
roll call this
morning and they were very appreciative.
(Noonday halt) - very hard marching this morning over atrocious
rutted
roads. We were held up a few minutes when a horse went
through a rude
bridge, but it was quickly repaired and the march
continued. A sharp
skirmish with Secesh cavalry, but they quickly cleared the way
when the Col.
formed the battalion in column of companies and commenced firing
by company.
That put the fear of God into them and we continued on the trail
which we
are told leads to Shreveport!
(evening) - our camp is in the woods on a forest path with a
spring about a
furlong away. The march here from noon was short but very
hard due to
extreme heat. The Captain says we marched six and one-half
miles today but
it feels much more. Cloud cover is variable and we may have
rain tonight or
tomorrow.
April 14, Wednesday - Cloudy this morning and the breeze
is freshening. I
wonder if rain is coming?
(In camp) - Marched 8 miles today (1 due to the staff misreading
the map),
then had a sharp skirmish with the Rebs at the town of
Mansfield. Their
force was mainly cavalry and was quickly routed. We are now
camped in a
patch of woods on the edge of a clearing and are resting and
preparing to
receive rations. A couple of heavy showers today but the
sky is now
clearing with a fresh breeze. Should be good sleeping
weather.
April 15, Thursday - Awakened this morning before
daylight, as our officers
expect we will have to defend today the ground we captured
yesterday. Sky
clear early at night but overcast this morning.
(noonday) - Sharp skirmish with the Secesh this morning on the
same ground
we took yesterday, and we were forced to retire. Began a
march in retreat
over the same ground we covered yesterday. Cloudy this
morning but clouds
are breaking and sun is coming through. Air cooler than
earlier in week.
We are marching well even if defeated and will no doubt make a
stand at
Pleasant Hill if not earlier.
(afternoon) - Stopped in a patch of woods on a logging path about
halfway
back to Pleasant Hill. Looks like we will encamp here
tonight although the
officers aren't sure. There are rumors that the Rebs may
try to drive our
pickets tonight, so we are to keep our arms and accouterments
handy.
(evening) - We are merry after a good feed as rations have
arrived, and are
finishing our chores before bedtime. Thankfully the wind
has stopped as it
may get quite cold. No sign of the enemy so perhaps we will
pass a peaceful
night.
April 16, Friday, noonday - passed a chilly night, but dry, in
our forest
camp. Arose before dawn and were surprised by Reb cavalry
while in the act
of cooking breakfast. Our own cavalry held them off long
enough to form the
battalion, after which we faced down a battalion of enemy
infantry who let
us pass without engagement. We then marched a distance to a
rude bridge
crossing a creek where our company was deployed as skirmishers to
clear the
approach on the left of the road. We went about 100 yards
into the woods
and were fired upon by Secesh cavalry with shotguns, but a few
rounds from
our rifles soon settled the issue and we flanked them to the
left. We
engaged more Rebs across the creek, then were obliged to retreat
across the
bridge without destroying it due to the close pressure of the
enemy. Having
reformed, we proceeded to a swampy spot which we did our best to
obstruct
with deadfall and felled trees. We then marched the last
few miles to
Pleasant Hill and are camped in our camp of a few days past,
expecting to be
pressed again soon by the enemy's forces.
April 17, Saturday - An extremely cold night and my
throat is a little sore
this morning. We have lost a few men to desertion during
the night and the
spirit of the men seems to be flagging. Our Captain says we
will shortly
move one-half mile toward the enemy and build breastworks to hold
them.
April 17, Saturday (evening) - Left camp this morning and marched
about one
and one-half miles out of town to a good site for defensive
works. Built
two lines of shallow trenches with headlogs and awaited the
enemy, who were
not long in coming. We met cavalry and artillery and
finally their infantry
attacked in line about four o'clock in the afternoon. It
was a very hot
fight for nearly an hour but they never gained even our first
line of works.
Our first line's fire decimated them and as they wavered our
second line
came out of its works and flanked them, followed by the first who
drove them
until a truce was called to collect the wounded. 'Twas a
glorious day for
old Uncle Sam but we will be forced to leave our works tonight as
the enemy
is expected to come on again in greater force, and I hear our
Navy must
retire as the river level is falling. I suppose history
will say this
campaign is a failure, but it is no such thing for the gallant
boys of the
old 35th Iowa.
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All comments and suggestions welcomed at:
Copyright 1999 Doug Dobbs
Last revised:March 19, 2001