The Daily Gazette Saturday Morning City of Davenport May 17, 1862 Part 1 >From the 2d Iowa Cavalry Camp of Hamburg and Corinth Road Friday, May 9, 1862 Friend Sanders.-Of yesterday's skirmish, and loss, I wrote you last night , and to-night as a faithful chronicler, am compelled to add further to the record, which though of noble deeds, will carry anguish to loving hearts. About noon, orders came to be ready to move at the firing of a single gun. The signal soon came, and in ten minutes the regiment was in column, and on its way to the front. I may mention that most of our force which had advanced yesterday, had retired back to camp, vacating the ground they had occupied. Yesterday our regiment was a mile and a half beyond Farmington; to-day two miles this side of the town. They met Gen. Paine's Division and three batteries, retreating. Passing this column on coming to an opening a mile wide, on the opposite side of which the rebels had three batteries, they formed into line, Lieut. Col. Hatch commanding with Majors Hepburn, Coon and Lave, commanding respectively the 1st 2d and 3d batteries. The rebels had the range, and th! eir batteries were well manned and playing rapidly on our lines. Gen. Paine rode up and ordered the regiment to "charge" those batteries. The batteries were three-fourths of a mile distant, and formed a line half a mile in length-sweeping with their murderous fire the whole space. The charge sounded and officers and soldiers swept forward through the leaden tempest! Shot and shell hurtled through the air, or plowed up the ground beneath. The woods flanking the open space were occupied by rebel sharp shooters, and they too poured forth their murderous fire on the rushing line. Though such a fire of iron hail is seldom faced in a charge and horse and man went down by sections, yet onward at full speed charged the 2d Cavalry through canister and grape, to within one hundred yards of the guns, when they were found to be supported by dense lines of infantry. When knowing we were unsupported, the rally was sounded, and we retired, but had the satisfaction of seeing the batteries limber up and cease firing. The regiment was absent from camp less than three hours. The charge was of short duration, but from the annexed list, which is reliable, Iowa may see whether her glory has been dimmed by the 2d Cavalry-whether another laurel has not been added to her brow-another bright page added to their immortal list-a record made that when Iowa is tried, she is never found wanting. 1st Battalion-Commissary Sergt W. W. Miller, by spent ball in leg, slightly. Co. K-Killed, none. Wounded, Corpl Elias W. Shephard, in head; Derwin Doner, flesh wound in leg; R. M. Downer, in leg by piece of shell; Fred Lehart, in head; G. R. Bradley, in leg by piece of shell, Abraham Leffler, in head and chest. Co. L-Killed, none. Wounded, Corpl M. V. Hubbard, in head; G. W. Kelso, in the thigh, Missing James Raymond. Co. E-Wounded, Lewis Kephart, in hand; Bugler, Wm. Dunderdale, in head; Corpl W. Aldrich in head slightly; Sergt J. W. Jennings, in hand. Co. M-Wounded. Nathan Smith, in the foot, amputated below the knee; Sylvester L. Hazen, in shoulder, slightly; J. S. Breedan, in leg; John Parker, wounded and missing. Continued... ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann List Adm. for: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES Assist. CC: Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project