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Subject: Cedar Valley Times, April 14, 1864, Fort De Russey
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 18:30:12 EDT


The Cedar VAlley Times
Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., Iowa

April 14, 1864

Iowa Valor at Fort De Russey.

With that ignoring of Iowa bravery which all through the war has ever
characterized the first reports of battles in which Iowa soldiers have borne a
memorable part, the accounts of the brilliant affair on Red River on the 14th of
March, by which a formidable fort was captured and a large amount of valuable
stores seized, have thus far been almost silent as to the part taken by Iowa
soldiers in achieving the victory. From a private letter written by Adjt. N. N.
Tyner of the 14th regiment, to his father in this city, and from other sources,
we compile the following account, from which it will be seen that, as in all
the victories of the Mississippi, Iowa earned and won a large share of the
glory due the signal triumph there achieved.

The expedition left Vicksburg on March 10th under command of Gen. A. J.
Smith; Colonel [William T.] Shaw of the 14th Iowa Infantry commanding a brigade, of
which the 14th, 17th and 23d Iowa Infantry formed the greater part. On the
13th Yellow Bayou was reached and with its fortifications and stores seized
without a struggle. From this place the army force started at 10 o'clock P. M.
on the 13th, for Fort De Russey, twenty eight miles distant, to attack its
rear; the gunboats being directed to ascend the river and attack in front. At 4
P. M., on the 14th, the fort was reached and fire opened on it by the 3d and
9th Indiana batteries. After an hour's cannonading, as assault was determined
on, and of course the Iowa boys were on hand. A most brilliant charge was made
and the works literally carried by storm, the three Iowa regiments, and the
58th, 119th and 89th Indiana, and the 24th Missouri regiments charging over
deep ditches and then abattis, amid a galling fire, and within twenty minutes
after the order was issued a Color Sergeant of the 58th Indiana planted the
American flag upon the enemy's works. The victory was complete, and resulted in the
capture of three hundred and twenty-five prisoners, including twenty-four
commissioned officers, two 9-inch Dahlgren guns, two 4 pounders, two 6 pounders,
a lot of small arms, two thousand barrels of fine powder, and immense quantity
of assorted ammunition and $17,000 worth of commissary stores.--Davenport
Gazette.

Great injustice is always done to the Iowa soldiers in the first reports
which we receive of battles fought and victories. This can be accounted for from
the fact that the Chicago Dailies usually get the first reports, and so
manipulate them as to give the glory to the Illinois soldiers and ignore the
services of the Iowa boys; this is foolish because we always find out sooner or later
that the soldiers of Iowa are always among the foremost, and that they win
immortal glory for themselves in every battle in which they are engaged.



Sue Trout Reisdorph

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