2nd Iowa Infantry Regiment
The 2nd Iowa Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Muster In
The 2nd Iowa Infantry was organized at Keokuk, Iowa, and mustered into Federal service on May 28, 1861. At Keokuk, the field officers were chosen by a vote from the captains of each company within the regiment. Samuel R. Curtis was chosen as colonel, James M. Tuttle was chosen as lieutenant colonel, and Marcellus M. Crocker was made major. Among its officers, several reached the rank of general by the war's end. Samuel R. Curtis became a major general; James Tuttle and Marcellus M. Crocker became brigadier generals; Hiram Scofield, James Weaver, Norton Parker Chipman and Thomas J. McKenny, became a brevet brigadier generals.The 2nd Iowa Infantry Regiment fought throughout the course of the war. The soldiers of the 2nd Iowa Infantry Regiment enlisted for three-year terms, with many soldiers fighting until the end of the war.
Highlights
Highlights of the service of this regiment include distinguished actions at the Battle of Fort Donelson and at the Battle of Shiloh, where about 80 members of the regiment were casualties, either dead or wounded. The regiment fought in the subsequent Battle of Corinth and later in the Atlanta campaign, including at the Battle of Atlanta, continuing on to South Carolina and to Goldsboro, North Carolina, in the Carolinas campaign. With the surrender of the Confederate States Army under Joseph E. Johnston, the 2nd Iowa traveled to Washington, D.C. for the Grand Review of the Armies of the Union on May 23–24, 1865.The regiment was mustered out on July 12, 1865, and discharged at Davenport, Iowa, on July 20, 1865.
Total strength and casualties
Strength of unit was 1433. The regiment suffered 12 officers and 108 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 4 officers and 159 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 283 fatalities. 312 soldiers were wounded.Commanders
- Colonel Samuel R. Curtis
- Colonel James M. Tuttle
- Colonel James Baker – killed in action at the Second Battle of Corinth
- Colonel James B. Weaver
Beginning of Service
After St. Joseph, the 2nd Iowa embarked on the journey across Missouri to Bird's Point, Missouri, and the surrounding area for similar duties. The regiment arrived at Bird's Point on August 2, 1861, and performed more guarding duties similar to those in St. Joseph. Soon after, the regiment marched to Jackson and Pilot Knob, Missouri, and Fort Jefferson, Kentucky, for more guarding duty until reporting back to Bird's Point on September 24, 1861. After arriving at Bird's Point for the second time, the 2nd Iowa remained there from the end of September to the end of October 1861. Colonel Curtis was promoted to brigadier general and Lt. Colonel Tuttle became the new leader of the regiment, receiving his promotion to colonel on September 6, 1861.
While serving at Bird's Point and the surrounding area, the 2nd Iowa lived in poor conditions, which caused much illness. An estimated 400 of 1000 men were able to serve. Because of the poor state of health, the 2nd Iowa was ordered to the Benton Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri, in order to recuperate and recruit in order to replace the men who had died from disease. The 2nd Iowa arrived in St. Louis on October 29, and by December 26 the regiment's sick list numbered about 200.
As the overall health of the regiment continued to improve, the 2nd Iowa was ordered to guard McDowell College. After the owner of the college joined the Confederate army, the U.S. War Department seized the school and converted it into a military prison. When the 2nd Iowa began guarding the prison, there were approximately 1,300 prisoners held at the college. Thanks to some reeducation and the resulting oaths of allegiance, the number was reduced to approximately 1,100 prisoners at the time of the 2nd Iowa's departure. Colonel Tuttle led the re-education of the prisoners, teaching the rebels “Uncle Samuel is not to be fooled with and that have to submit or somebody will get hurt.” Shortly before the 2nd Iowa would be relieved of prison duty in early 1862, a few unknown members of the regiment broke into a museum at the college and stole some items of minimal importance. Because of this, General Henry Halleck ordered that the regiment, which was well-liked by the people of St. Louis and the prisoners, march through the streets on the way to the steamer T. H. McGill in disgrace without music or colors. On February 10, 1862, the 2nd Iowa Infantry embarked on their next assignment.
At Fort Donelson
On February 14, 1862, the Iowans arrived at Fort Donelson. There, the 2nd Iowa would become legendary in one of the most crucial battles of the war. Strategically, the capture of Fort Donelson meant navigability for steamers along the Cumberland River, a direct path to the rear of Confederate forces in Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as a hold on valuable supply and communications lines. After the defeat at Fort Donelson, confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston wrote, “The blow was disastrous and almost without remedy.”Fort Donelson was defended with twenty-eight regiments of infantry, two independent battalions, one regiment of cavalry, artillerymen for six light batteries, and seventeen heavy guns. This added up to approximately 18,000 defenders. The Federal army, under the leadership of General Ulysses S. Grant, managed to create an attacking force that numbered approximately 20,000 soldiers. Along the line fierce fighting without much success for Federal troops was still occurring upon the arrival of the 2nd Iowa. During the fighting the previous day, a brigade advanced on the extreme left, where the 2nd Iowa was eventually placed, and suffered severe losses before retreating back to the skirmish line. After their arrival on February 14, 1862, the 2nd Iowa was placed at the extreme left of Grant's force as a part of General Charles Smith's division, and Colonel Tuttle sent companies A and B ahead as skirmishers. The rest of the regiment spent a night on the line without tents or blankets to protect them from the brutal winter weather.
On February 15, the Confederate forces counterattacked the right wing of Grant's forces and the Federal troops were pushed back. When told of this, General Grant said, “Gentlemen, the position on the right must be re-taken” and rode off to give instructions to General Smith. Those instructions were to attack with the brigade on the left, which were the 25th Indiana along with the 2nd, 7th, and 14th Iowa. Colonel Tuttle and the 2nd Iowa led the gallant charge.
John A. Duckworth recorded the words of Colonel Tuttle just before the charge. Tuttle told his men, “Now, my bully boys, give them cold steel. Do not fire a gun until you have got on the inside, then give them hell! Forward my boys! March!” At 2:00 p.m. Colonel Tuttle led the advance toward the enemy stronghold. As ordered, the 2nd Iowa marched in silence, without firing a shot. The regiment marched in line over the open meadow, through a gully, over a rail fence, and up a hill cluttered with broken trees when suddenly the enemy came into sight and a steady rain of lead poured into the ranks of the brave men. The 2nd Iowa answered with a deafening roar and continued to advance toward the Confederates despite their losses. The march was challenging and costly as volley after volley leveled the men of the 2nd Iowa Infantry. Continuing to absorb the damage from the enemy, the 2nd Iowa marched across the difficult terrain. Colonel Tuttle and Lieutenant Colonel Baker were both injured in the charge, yet they remained on the field throughout the charge. Company captains Jonathon Slaymaker and Charles Cloutman were killed in the charge. When Captain Slaymaker fell and his men tried to help him, he yelled, “Go on! Go on! Don’t stop for me!” At least five members of the color guard were wounded or killed before Corporal Voltaire Twombly would take the flag and be hit in the chest by a spent ball. However, he would rise again and charge with the colors until the day was done. Twombly would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. Acts of bravery like those mentioned were normal for the men of the 2nd Iowa during the charge. Despite running for 200 yards under enemy fire, the 2nd Iowa would successfully charge and cross into the enemy's works without firing a single round from their muskets.
Once inside the enemy breastworks, the men of the 2nd Iowa opened fire on the Confederate soldiers, most of whom fell back to the next trench. Those who refused to retreat were put down by the men's bayonets. The men of the 2nd Iowa continued their attack on the Confederate forces and followed them into the next line of trenches before the Confederates could regroup and counterattack. At this point in the battle, the rest of the brigade, which formed the right wing of attack, began occupying the first trench and firing upon the second entrenchment. Friendly fire from the 52nd Indiana Infantry caused more casualties for the 2nd Iowa. In the confusion, the 2nd Iowa fell back into the first entrenchment and regrouped with their comrades behind them. General Smith then ordered the regiment to take cover behind the walls of the first trench while the 25th Indiana unsuccessfully tried to take the second trench by bayonet. After the failed charge, the Federal forces regrouped. The men endured another cold night without any protection from the elements, and prepared for battle in the morning.
To the surprise of the Federal Forces, the Confederates did not continue the fight in the morning but instead agreed to Grant's terms for unconditional surrender. On account of their bravery, the 2nd Iowa received the honor of leading the march into the fort. The regiment was the first to place their glorious flag, ridden with bullet holes and stained with blood, inside the fort. General Halleck, who just ten days ago ordered the regiment to march in shame, spoke of the bravery of the men of the 2nd Iowa. He wrote, “The Second Iowa Infantry proved themselves to be the bravest of brave. They had the honor of leading the column which entered Fort Donelson.” The price for glory came at a cost; the 2nd Iowa had 32 killed and 164 wounded during the battle. Fort Donelson was now in possession of the Federal Government.
After the capture of Fort Donelson, the Second Iowa remained at the fort. The men quickly plundered the fort, taking everything from weapons to blankets. Iowa governor Samuel Kirkwood visited the heroes, and the flag from the regiment was taken back to Iowa and hung in the place of honor over the house speaker's desk. Colonel Tuttle was placed in command of a brigade, which included the 2nd Iowa. This made Lieutenant Colonel Baker acting commander of the regiment. The 2nd Iowa would remain at Fort Donelson until March 6, 1862, when the regiment would be called to Pittsburg Landing to fight in the Battle of Shiloh.