12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 12th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
, pneumonia
or typhoid contracted there.
At Smithland, Kentucky
, it joined General Ulysses Grant for the movement upon Fort Henry
, was present at the capture of the Fort. It then moved to Fort Donelson
, where it took part in the fight and assault which resulted in victory. It won glory for itself at the Battle of Shiloh
on the battle's bloody first day (April 6, 1862). It did so by fighting in the advance until sundown, and by holding back the enemy while other regiments withdrew to a new point and waited the arrival of Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell
. The regiment, together with the 8th
and 14th
Iowa Infantry Regiments, comprised four-fifths of that advance line, and surrendered only when surrounded by ten times their numbers.
Those members of the regiment who escaped capture at Shiloh, including future Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives David B. Henderson
, were assigned to the "Union Brigade." The Union Brigade fought in the Second Battle of Corinth
and others, before being sent to Davenport, Iowa
for re-organization, and remaining there during the winter of 1862-63. Meanwhile, many of the members of the regiment who were captured at Shiloh were paroled on January 1, 1863 and exchanged at Benton Barracks, and soon thereafter went to Rolla, Missouri
, which was threatened by the forces of Brigadier General John S. Marmaduke
. They returned on the January 15, 1863 to St. Louis, where they were again stationed. Lieut. Col.
John P. Coulter resigned and was succeeded by Major
John A. Edgington, and the latter as major by Capt. John H. Stibbs of D Company.
The regiment was reorganized about April 1, 1863 and became part of General Sherman's
command. It participated in the movements of that division during the Vicksburg Campaign
, though it was in reserve at the May 22 assault. After Vicksburg surrendered, the regiment was engaged at Jackson, Mississippi
, and was in the skirmish at and capture of Brandon, Mississippi
. It went into camp near Bear Creek on July 23 and remained there until Oct. 10. Lieut. Col. Edgington resigned, Maj. Stibbs became a lieutenant colonel and was succeeded as major by Capt. Edward M. Van Duzee.
In October 1863, the regiment was in a skirmish at Brownsville, Arkansas. It then proceeded to Vicksburg, Memphis, Tennessee
, La Grange, Tennessee
and Chewalla, where it remained on railroad guard duty until near the close of January 1864. While there, it broke up the guerrilla bands that were pillaging the country, and built a strong fort. It was ordered to join the forces for the Meridian raid
, but reached Vicksburg too late to take part, and went into camp.
Having been mustered in as a veteran organization, the reenlisted men were sent home on a furlough in March 1864. In their absence, the non-veterans, numbering about 70, accompanied the 35th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
on the Red River Campaign
and was in battle at Lake Chicot
. On their return from home the men reached Memphis on May 2, 1864 and were joined by the detachment in mid-June 1864.
In May 1864, six companies under Lieut. Col. Stibbs, went to the mouth of the White River
, established a military post and left A and F Companies under Captain J. R. C. Hunter. The command proceeded to Tupelo, Mississippi
, where it was engaged in July. The regiment while acting as a train guard, was attacked by a Confederate
brigade
, but repelled it. In the subsequent fighting, it occupied the most dangerous post and received special commendations of the commanding general.
Returning to Memphis, the regiment moved to La Grange, then to Holly Springs, Mississippi
(via Lumpkin's Mills), remaining on duty there for some time. In the meantime, the detachment at White River was protecting the residents of that section and building a stockade
. Before daybreak on June 5, 1864, the small force of fewer than fifty men was attacked by a force of 400, in an attack so sudden that the men were compelled to fight in their shirts only. A number of the enemy gained the stockade at one side, but Sergeant
Isaac Cottle and Corporal
George Hunter, armed with revolver
s, attacked them and drove them out in confusion. Hunter was shot dead and Cottle was so severely wounded that he died soon thereafter. The entire besieging force was finally driven off, with over fifty killed (including their commanding officer), wounded or taken prisoner.
Joining the regiment at Holly Springs, this detachment accompanied it to Oxford, Mississippi
, then to Memphis, and eventually to De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
and Brownsville in search of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price
. With ten days' rations it marched 350 miles in nineteen days to Cape Girardeau, Missouri
via Jacksonport, Arkansas
, and Jackson, Missouri
. From St. Louis it proceeded to the Missouri cities of Jefferson City, Smithton, Sedalia, Lexington and Independence, into Kansas. It pursued Price to Harrisonville, Missouri
, but was unable to catch him, and returned to St. Louis.
The non-veterans and some of the officers were mustered out, with Lieut. Col. Stibbs remaining as commanding officer. Moving to Nashville
, the regiment aided in the defense of that city, and captured two flags in a December 1864 battle. It joined in the pursuit of Nashville's attackers as far as Clinton, Tennessee
, then proceeded to Eastport, Mississippi, where it assisted in building quarters and fortifications.
Maj. Samuel G. Knee took command after Lieut. Col. Stibbs was called to Washington, D.C.
in January 1865 to become a member of a military tribunal. Stibbs' tribunal tried Capt. Henry Wirz
, who was held responsible for the inhumane conditions of Camp Sumter, the Confederate prisoner of war camp in Andersonville, Georgia
.
In February 1865 the regiment was ordered to assist with the siege of Mobile, Alabama
, where it was engaged at Spanish Fort, Alabama
. In the Battle of Spanish Fort
the regiment fought in the front line and occupied an exposed position for thirteen days and nights. After the siege of Mobile, it moved to Montgomery, then to Selma. It remained in guard and garrison duty until early 1866, when it was mustered out. Lieut. Col. Stibbs received a merited promotion to colonel
.
The regiment lost 5 officers and 114 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 4 officers and 205 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 328 fatalities.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
History
The 12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry was organized at Dubuque in October and November 1861, and was mustered in at intervals during those two months. It left Iowa late in November 1861, and went into quarters at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, for two months. Like its predecessors at the Barracks, the 12th suffered greatly there from diseases. Seventy-five members of the regiment died of measlesMeasles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
, pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
or typhoid contracted there.
At Smithland, Kentucky
Smithland, Kentucky
Smithland is a city in Livingston County, Kentucky, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers. The population was 401 at the 2000 census...
, it joined General Ulysses Grant for the movement upon Fort Henry
Battle of Fort Henry
The Battle of Fort Henry was fought on February 6, 1862, in western Tennessee, during the American Civil War. It was the first important victory for the Union and Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in the Western Theater....
, was present at the capture of the Fort. It then moved to Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River leading to the heart of Tennessee, and the heart of the Confederacy.-History:...
, where it took part in the fight and assault which resulted in victory. It won glory for itself at the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
on the battle's bloody first day (April 6, 1862). It did so by fighting in the advance until sundown, and by holding back the enemy while other regiments withdrew to a new point and waited the arrival of Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, and the American Civil War. Buell led Union armies in two great Civil War battles—Shiloh and Perryville. The nation was angry at his failure to defeat the outnumbered...
. The regiment, together with the 8th
8th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 8th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 8th Iowa Infantry was organized at Davenport, Iowa and mustered into Federal service between August 31 and September 4, 1861.The regiment was mustered out on...
and 14th
14th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 14th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 14th Iowa Infantry was organized at Davenport, Iowa and mustered in fir three years of Federal service on November 6, 1861.The regiment was mustered out on...
Iowa Infantry Regiments, comprised four-fifths of that advance line, and surrendered only when surrounded by ten times their numbers.
Those members of the regiment who escaped capture at Shiloh, including future Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives David B. Henderson
David B. Henderson
David Bremner Henderson , a ten-term Republican Congressman from Dubuque, Iowa, was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1899 to 1903...
, were assigned to the "Union Brigade." The Union Brigade fought in the Second Battle of Corinth
Second Battle of Corinth
The Second Battle of Corinth was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. For the second time in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S...
and others, before being sent to Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
for re-organization, and remaining there during the winter of 1862-63. Meanwhile, many of the members of the regiment who were captured at Shiloh were paroled on January 1, 1863 and exchanged at Benton Barracks, and soon thereafter went to Rolla, Missouri
Rolla, Missouri
Rolla is a city in Phelps County, Missouri, United States, midway between the larger cities of St. Louis and Springfield along I-44. The population in the 2010 United States Census was 19,559.It is the county seat of Phelps County...
, which was threatened by the forces of Brigadier General John S. Marmaduke
John S. Marmaduke
John Sappington Marmaduke was a career military man and a West Point graduate. He is known for his service as a Confederate Major general during the American Civil War...
. They returned on the January 15, 1863 to St. Louis, where they were again stationed. Lieut. Col.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
John P. Coulter resigned and was succeeded by Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
John A. Edgington, and the latter as major by Capt. John H. Stibbs of D Company.
The regiment was reorganized about April 1, 1863 and became part of General Sherman's
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
command. It participated in the movements of that division during the Vicksburg Campaign
Vicksburg Campaign
The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen....
, though it was in reserve at the May 22 assault. After Vicksburg surrendered, the regiment was engaged at Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, and was in the skirmish at and capture of Brandon, Mississippi
Brandon, Mississippi
Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
. It went into camp near Bear Creek on July 23 and remained there until Oct. 10. Lieut. Col. Edgington resigned, Maj. Stibbs became a lieutenant colonel and was succeeded as major by Capt. Edward M. Van Duzee.
In October 1863, the regiment was in a skirmish at Brownsville, Arkansas. It then proceeded to Vicksburg, Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, La Grange, Tennessee
La Grange, Tennessee
La Grange is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 136 at the 2000 census. The town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as La Grange Historic District.-Geography:...
and Chewalla, where it remained on railroad guard duty until near the close of January 1864. While there, it broke up the guerrilla bands that were pillaging the country, and built a strong fort. It was ordered to join the forces for the Meridian raid
Battle of Meridian
The Battle of Meridian was fought in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, from February 14 to February 20, 1864, between elements of the Union Army of the Tennessee led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk...
, but reached Vicksburg too late to take part, and went into camp.
Having been mustered in as a veteran organization, the reenlisted men were sent home on a furlough in March 1864. In their absence, the non-veterans, numbering about 70, accompanied the 35th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
35th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 35th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 35th Iowa Infantry was organized at Muscatine, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service on September 18, 1862.The regiment was mustered out on...
on the Red River Campaign
Red River Campaign
The Red River Campaign or Red River Expedition consisted of a series of battles fought along the Red River in Louisiana during the American Civil War from March 10 to May 22, 1864. The campaign was a Union initiative, fought between approximately 30,000 Union troops under the command of Maj. Gen....
and was in battle at Lake Chicot
Lake Chicot
Lake Chicot is a lake located near Lake Village, Arkansas. It is the largest oxbow lake in North America and the largest natural lake in Arkansas, formed 600 years ago by the meandering of the Mississippi River....
. On their return from home the men reached Memphis on May 2, 1864 and were joined by the detachment in mid-June 1864.
In May 1864, six companies under Lieut. Col. Stibbs, went to the mouth of the White River
White River (Arkansas)
The White River is a 722-mile long river that flows through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Missouri.-Course:The source of the White River is in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas, in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest southeast of Fayetteville...
, established a military post and left A and F Companies under Captain J. R. C. Hunter. The command proceeded to Tupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
, where it was engaged in July. The regiment while acting as a train guard, was attacked by a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
, but repelled it. In the subsequent fighting, it occupied the most dangerous post and received special commendations of the commanding general.
Returning to Memphis, the regiment moved to La Grange, then to Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
(via Lumpkin's Mills), remaining on duty there for some time. In the meantime, the detachment at White River was protecting the residents of that section and building a stockade
Stockade
A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...
. Before daybreak on June 5, 1864, the small force of fewer than fifty men was attacked by a force of 400, in an attack so sudden that the men were compelled to fight in their shirts only. A number of the enemy gained the stockade at one side, but Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Isaac Cottle and Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
George Hunter, armed with revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
s, attacked them and drove them out in confusion. Hunter was shot dead and Cottle was so severely wounded that he died soon thereafter. The entire besieging force was finally driven off, with over fifty killed (including their commanding officer), wounded or taken prisoner.
Joining the regiment at Holly Springs, this detachment accompanied it to Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
, then to Memphis, and eventually to De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
De Valls Bluff is a town in and the county seat of the southern district of Prairie County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 783 at the 2000 census.-Geography:De Valls Bluff is located at ....
and Brownsville in search of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
. With ten days' rations it marched 350 miles in nineteen days to Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
via Jacksonport, Arkansas
Jacksonport, Arkansas
Jacksonport is a town in Jackson County, Arkansas, United States, along the White River at its confluence with the Black River. The population was 235 at the 2000 census.- History :Jacksonport was once an important steamboat stop on the White River...
, and Jackson, Missouri
Jackson, Missouri
Jackson is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,758 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cape Girardeau County. Jackson is named for U.S. President Andrew Jackson. It is a principal city of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan...
. From St. Louis it proceeded to the Missouri cities of Jefferson City, Smithton, Sedalia, Lexington and Independence, into Kansas. It pursued Price to Harrisonville, Missouri
Harrisonville, Missouri
Harrisonville is a city in Cass County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,019 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of CassCounty.Harrisonville was found in 1837, and was named for Congressman Albert G. Harrison...
, but was unable to catch him, and returned to St. Louis.
The non-veterans and some of the officers were mustered out, with Lieut. Col. Stibbs remaining as commanding officer. Moving to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, the regiment aided in the defense of that city, and captured two flags in a December 1864 battle. It joined in the pursuit of Nashville's attackers as far as Clinton, Tennessee
Clinton, Tennessee
Clinton is a city in Anderson County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 9,409 at the United States Census, 2000. It is the county seat of Anderson County. Clinton is included in the "Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area".-Geography:...
, then proceeded to Eastport, Mississippi, where it assisted in building quarters and fortifications.
Maj. Samuel G. Knee took command after Lieut. Col. Stibbs was called to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in January 1865 to become a member of a military tribunal. Stibbs' tribunal tried Capt. Henry Wirz
Henry Wirz
Heinrich Hartmann Wirz better known as Henry Wirz was a Confederate officer in the American Civil War...
, who was held responsible for the inhumane conditions of Camp Sumter, the Confederate prisoner of war camp in Andersonville, Georgia
Andersonville, Georgia
Andersonville is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The population was 331 at the 2000 census . It is located in the southwest part of the state, about southwest of Macon, Georgia on the Central of Georgia railroad...
.
In February 1865 the regiment was ordered to assist with the siege of Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, where it was engaged at Spanish Fort, Alabama
Spanish Fort, Alabama
Spanish Fort is a suburb of Mobile, Alabama in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, located on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. The 2000 census lists the population of the city as 5,423. It is part of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area....
. In the Battle of Spanish Fort
Battle of Spanish Fort
The Battle of Spanish Fort took place from March 27 to April 8, 1865 in Baldwin County, Alabama, as part of the Mobile Campaign of the Western Theater of the American Civil War....
the regiment fought in the front line and occupied an exposed position for thirteen days and nights. After the siege of Mobile, it moved to Montgomery, then to Selma. It remained in guard and garrison duty until early 1866, when it was mustered out. Lieut. Col. Stibbs received a merited promotion to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
Total strength and casualties
The original strength of the regiment was 926 soldiers. Gaining 55 recruits, it grew to 981.The regiment lost 5 officers and 114 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 4 officers and 205 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 328 fatalities.