The following was forwarded to me by Alex Vasquez, and I wanted to pass it along.
Found at: http://crpubliclibrary.newspaperarch...¤tPage=0
Transcribed as best I could; text is difficult to read. Original errors in text remain
Iowa State Register
Wednesday June 18 1862
THE FIFTEENTH AT SHILOH!
The following extracts from a private letter from Lieutenant Studor of Company B, 15th Iowa, are valuable as showing the part taken by that Regiment in the Battle of Shiloh:
Gen’l Hospital of the 6th Division
In the field between Pitt (illegible) and Corinth
May 15 1862
The 15th Regiment of Iowa volunteers left St. Louis on the 13th of April. in the steamer Minnehaha, and after delaying at Cairo and Paducah for a considerable time arrived at Pittsburgh Landing early on Sunday morning, the 6th of April. I suppose it was about 7 o’clock in the morning, while eating our breakfast when we could hear from a long distance the booming of cannon; which reminded us all that the bloody struggle had commenced. Soon after I went into the stateroom which I had the good fortune to share with our kind Major Belknap, and got my trunk ready for the landing; and when the gentleman just mentioned came in exclaiming:--“Lieutenant, get yourself and men ready; we are ordered out to fight in Gen. Prentiss’ division! Take it cool! We will whip them!” I thought that was rather a queer introduction on a Sunday morning on a stranger’s premises, but I said nothing more than just passing a few remarks to the Major about the talents of Prentiss as a Division General. He is a prisoner now; and therefore I make use of the old Latin proverb, “de mortuis nil nisi bene”. I buckled on my sword, looked after my six shooter, and went up on deck and ordered Company B to “fall in”; had the roll called, and after that I announced to them the order I had just received. At the same time I made a short speech to them, reminding them of what they had enlisted for; beside that I gave them a few instructions necessary to be known by raw recruits. They answered, “We will follow you, Lieutenant, and obey your commands!” I felt proud of them, I assure you. All the companies were ordered to form into line of battle on top of the hill or bluff overlooking the landing.
By that time the wounded were brought in thick and fast, being 8 o’clock AM—Great numbers of stragglers had gathered about the Landing, exclaiming that such and such regiments prevent stragglers from coming in. Officers of all grades rode and walked around, praying, cursing, and imploring the men to form again, and to start out again to fight. A good many obeyed, and some fell in with our Regiment. Ammunition was now issued to all our men, who all seemed sanguine to meet the enemy. This I considered a good omen for raw soldiers who had drawn their arms just ten days previously; considering the sight of all the wounded soldiers, the stragglers, and the general panic.
It was about (illegible) o’clock when an Aid-de-Camp of Gen. McClernand rode up, ordering us to proceed out to his Division and to support Dresset’s Battery, with the 16th Iowa Regiment, which had arrived with us. The command—“Right face! Forward—march!” immediately followed. Forward we went, over hills, ravines, and through the timber; the 16th followed in our wake. On our march, we begged stragglers standing on the way side to fall in with us. Very few obeyed, and the balance walked away.
We met the Battery we were ordered to support on the road; announcing that they were out of ammunition. This looked rather awkward. The 16th Regiment, on a cross road left us, filing off to our right.
It is necessary to remark here that we were marching by the right flank in double files. We arrived now in an open, cleared field enclosed by timber. About half the regiment had entered the field when the enemy’s artillery, hid on our left in the timber, greeted us with shells, grape, and canister. The grape and canister told on a few in the right wing. On we marched and the regiment had just gained the field when we were greeted with a shower of musketry. The sudden crossfire was enough to make veterans careful. The sudden thought stuck me that we were either outflanked or that our own troops were firing at us. The regiment got in disorder, threatening to break up in squads. We succeeded, after much difficulty, in reforming the line. Capt. Smith and especially Lieut. Landstrum assisted me very much. At the same time our gallant Major’s cheering voice would be heard. The 16th Regiment had arrived on the field in a shape that their right wing would come in with our extreme right at right angles. They kept low under cover of a fence. That was the last I saw of the 16th during our engagement, as they were drawn up in line on our (the 15th’s) right, our company being on the extreme left. Then we marched by the front towards the timber. The enemy’s skirmishers opened fire on us, and out Regiment gave them a round which according to their own telling killed 40 men. We kept advancing through the timber down a gradually falling hill until we reached at the foot thereof a small creek nearly parallel with out front—in front of us on a gently sloping hill, very thinly timbered, lay the enemy behind tents which in their advance they had previously captured from out forces. They were thus almost hid from our view, the tents, logs, and stumps affording them a good screen. Opposite our right wing they had a masked battery of 9 guns playing on us and the 16th, and at the same time they had a chance to rake the ground in our rear and on our right and left. We crossed the creek and a few steps beyond it we halted. I ordered our men to lie flat on the ground or take advantage of any cover which the ground might afford. We had not one piece of artillery to support us, neither could I see any reserve forces in our rear, and our left was perfectly open for I could not detect any forces on the prolongation of the line on our left, nor could I hear the report of arms in close proximity. I feared from the beginning judging from our position and the enemy’s murderous fire, that unless supported by artillery our ground would prove untenable. We were at the mercy of the enemy’s fire. The boys of company B advanced bravely. Here I would like to mention some of them for their bravery, but for fear that I might do injustice to others I will not mention them. There were so many coming under my observation as cool and brave that I could not mention them all. The company next to us on our right, Co. G., Capt. Cummingham from Knoxville acted likewise very bravely and their 1st Lieut, Hanks stood up like a lion. The 2nd Lieut. Of the same company, Mr. Fisk, although sick and suffering, stood up well to his work. Further on our right my observation did not go as I was too busy watching the interests and progress of our own company. All I could see was that the whole line was there loading and firing with all their might doing their duty faithfully, many of them advancing close to the enemy’s position. I noticed some of our men that advanced within 20 steps of the enemy. Captain Smith stood up well on the right of his company cautioning the men not to shoot unless they saw something to fire at. I ordered the men to gain ground by degrees which they faithfully did. If any man should ever tell me that the 15th regiment did not do its duty I should certainly make it a personal matter. Our Captain changed his place from the right to the left of the company, where stood until we left the ground. We held the ground about one hour.
A.G.STUDER.
Found at: http://crpubliclibrary.newspaperarch...¤tPage=0
Transcribed as best I could; text is difficult to read. Original errors in text remain
Iowa State Register
Wednesday June 18 1862
THE FIFTEENTH AT SHILOH!
The following extracts from a private letter from Lieutenant Studor of Company B, 15th Iowa, are valuable as showing the part taken by that Regiment in the Battle of Shiloh:
Gen’l Hospital of the 6th Division
In the field between Pitt (illegible) and Corinth
May 15 1862
The 15th Regiment of Iowa volunteers left St. Louis on the 13th of April. in the steamer Minnehaha, and after delaying at Cairo and Paducah for a considerable time arrived at Pittsburgh Landing early on Sunday morning, the 6th of April. I suppose it was about 7 o’clock in the morning, while eating our breakfast when we could hear from a long distance the booming of cannon; which reminded us all that the bloody struggle had commenced. Soon after I went into the stateroom which I had the good fortune to share with our kind Major Belknap, and got my trunk ready for the landing; and when the gentleman just mentioned came in exclaiming:--“Lieutenant, get yourself and men ready; we are ordered out to fight in Gen. Prentiss’ division! Take it cool! We will whip them!” I thought that was rather a queer introduction on a Sunday morning on a stranger’s premises, but I said nothing more than just passing a few remarks to the Major about the talents of Prentiss as a Division General. He is a prisoner now; and therefore I make use of the old Latin proverb, “de mortuis nil nisi bene”. I buckled on my sword, looked after my six shooter, and went up on deck and ordered Company B to “fall in”; had the roll called, and after that I announced to them the order I had just received. At the same time I made a short speech to them, reminding them of what they had enlisted for; beside that I gave them a few instructions necessary to be known by raw recruits. They answered, “We will follow you, Lieutenant, and obey your commands!” I felt proud of them, I assure you. All the companies were ordered to form into line of battle on top of the hill or bluff overlooking the landing.
By that time the wounded were brought in thick and fast, being 8 o’clock AM—Great numbers of stragglers had gathered about the Landing, exclaiming that such and such regiments prevent stragglers from coming in. Officers of all grades rode and walked around, praying, cursing, and imploring the men to form again, and to start out again to fight. A good many obeyed, and some fell in with our Regiment. Ammunition was now issued to all our men, who all seemed sanguine to meet the enemy. This I considered a good omen for raw soldiers who had drawn their arms just ten days previously; considering the sight of all the wounded soldiers, the stragglers, and the general panic.
It was about (illegible) o’clock when an Aid-de-Camp of Gen. McClernand rode up, ordering us to proceed out to his Division and to support Dresset’s Battery, with the 16th Iowa Regiment, which had arrived with us. The command—“Right face! Forward—march!” immediately followed. Forward we went, over hills, ravines, and through the timber; the 16th followed in our wake. On our march, we begged stragglers standing on the way side to fall in with us. Very few obeyed, and the balance walked away.
We met the Battery we were ordered to support on the road; announcing that they were out of ammunition. This looked rather awkward. The 16th Regiment, on a cross road left us, filing off to our right.
It is necessary to remark here that we were marching by the right flank in double files. We arrived now in an open, cleared field enclosed by timber. About half the regiment had entered the field when the enemy’s artillery, hid on our left in the timber, greeted us with shells, grape, and canister. The grape and canister told on a few in the right wing. On we marched and the regiment had just gained the field when we were greeted with a shower of musketry. The sudden crossfire was enough to make veterans careful. The sudden thought stuck me that we were either outflanked or that our own troops were firing at us. The regiment got in disorder, threatening to break up in squads. We succeeded, after much difficulty, in reforming the line. Capt. Smith and especially Lieut. Landstrum assisted me very much. At the same time our gallant Major’s cheering voice would be heard. The 16th Regiment had arrived on the field in a shape that their right wing would come in with our extreme right at right angles. They kept low under cover of a fence. That was the last I saw of the 16th during our engagement, as they were drawn up in line on our (the 15th’s) right, our company being on the extreme left. Then we marched by the front towards the timber. The enemy’s skirmishers opened fire on us, and out Regiment gave them a round which according to their own telling killed 40 men. We kept advancing through the timber down a gradually falling hill until we reached at the foot thereof a small creek nearly parallel with out front—in front of us on a gently sloping hill, very thinly timbered, lay the enemy behind tents which in their advance they had previously captured from out forces. They were thus almost hid from our view, the tents, logs, and stumps affording them a good screen. Opposite our right wing they had a masked battery of 9 guns playing on us and the 16th, and at the same time they had a chance to rake the ground in our rear and on our right and left. We crossed the creek and a few steps beyond it we halted. I ordered our men to lie flat on the ground or take advantage of any cover which the ground might afford. We had not one piece of artillery to support us, neither could I see any reserve forces in our rear, and our left was perfectly open for I could not detect any forces on the prolongation of the line on our left, nor could I hear the report of arms in close proximity. I feared from the beginning judging from our position and the enemy’s murderous fire, that unless supported by artillery our ground would prove untenable. We were at the mercy of the enemy’s fire. The boys of company B advanced bravely. Here I would like to mention some of them for their bravery, but for fear that I might do injustice to others I will not mention them. There were so many coming under my observation as cool and brave that I could not mention them all. The company next to us on our right, Co. G., Capt. Cummingham from Knoxville acted likewise very bravely and their 1st Lieut, Hanks stood up like a lion. The 2nd Lieut. Of the same company, Mr. Fisk, although sick and suffering, stood up well to his work. Further on our right my observation did not go as I was too busy watching the interests and progress of our own company. All I could see was that the whole line was there loading and firing with all their might doing their duty faithfully, many of them advancing close to the enemy’s position. I noticed some of our men that advanced within 20 steps of the enemy. Captain Smith stood up well on the right of his company cautioning the men not to shoot unless they saw something to fire at. I ordered the men to gain ground by degrees which they faithfully did. If any man should ever tell me that the 15th regiment did not do its duty I should certainly make it a personal matter. Our Captain changed his place from the right to the left of the company, where stood until we left the ground. We held the ground about one hour.
A.G.STUDER.
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