39th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
HISTORICAL NOTES:
Most of the companies of this regiment rendezvoused at Des Moines, but were ordered to Davenport, where they were joined by the remainder, and the regiment was mustered into service Nov. 24, 1862. On Dec. 12 it started for Cairo to report TO Brig.-Gen. Tuttle and arrived on the 14th. It was soon afterward ordered South, and on the 26th, it arrived at Trenton, Miss., suffering from exposure to rain and lack of sleep. The lirst march of the 39th was entered upon at dark on Dec. 27, each man with five days' rations and 100 rounds of ammunition. Upon the morning of the second day over 100 men, too worn out and footsore to proceed, were left by the way. Attempting to make their way back, they were surrounded at Shady Grove by a regiment of Forrest's cavalry and loi made prisoners. It was October of 1863 before they were released from captivity and rejoined their regiment. On Dec. 31, 1862, the 2nd brigade, which included the 39th la. and numbered 1,545 Men, moved out alone toward Lexington, came in contact with Forrest's command, numbering from 6,000 to 7,000, and there resulted the battle of Parker's cross-roads, where the regiment, by its bravery in battle, proved itself worthy of the trust of its loyal state and its brave comrades in the field. On April 15, 1863, Gen. Dodge's division, to which the regiment belonged, moved out to cover the raid of Col. Streight into Georgia. At Bear creek the enemy disputed the passage, but a pontoon was thrown over and the division moved to Tuscumbia, skirmishing constantly until arriving at Town creek, Ala. The enemy under Roddey was there reinforced by Forrest and contested the crossing, but after an artillery duel, three bridges were built under fire and the enemy retired. On May 6 Co. H, while guarding a corral, was surrounded by 800 Confederate cavalry and mostly taken prisoners. The regiment was then on guard duty until March, 1864, when it took up a line of march for Athens, Ala., and April 30 moved for Chattanooga, where its division set out for Sherman's Atlanta campaign. In Dodge's command it was the first through Snake Creek gap. On May 9, with five companies of 9th I11inois mounted infantry, it engaged in a skirmish with Confederate cavalry. It led the army in crossing the Oostanaula at Lay's ferry, where it had a severe engagement with the enemy and suffered considerable loss in killed and wounded. This movement resulted in the enemy's evacuating Resaca. On Oct. 4 it was ordered to Allatoona, where it arrived at 1 a. m. on the 5th. That day. under Corse, in the battle of Allatoona, it made its name glorious in history, by its heroism and sacrifices, but lost three-fifths of its number. On Oct. 13 it crossed to the south side of the Etowah river, skirmishing with Confederate cavalry and driving them from the neighborhood. On Nov. 16, in Corse's division, the regiment joined in the brilliant march to the sea. It engaged in the skirmishing with the enemy on nearing Savannah, and entered that city with the army. It joined in the march of Sherman's army northward through the Carolinas, its labors, its adventures and its fighting. The march concluded at Washington, it participated in the grand review, and remained there in camp until June 5, when it was mustered out and went home to Iowa, its loyal mission in the war fulfilled. Its losses during its service were: deaths from battle, 62; deaths from disease, 122; wounded, 113; discharged, 123.
OFFICERS:
Cols., Henry J. B. Cummings, Joseph M.. Griffiths, James Redfield; Lieut. -Cols., James Redfield, Joseph M. Griffiths, George N. Elliott; Majs., Joseph M. Griffiths, George N. Elliott, Isaac D. Marsh.
ROSTERS:
Company A - Madison County
Company B - Polk County
Company C - Dallas County
Company D - Clark County
Company E - Greene County
Company F - Madison County
Company G - Des Moines and Henry Counties
Company H - Dallas County
Company I - Polk County
Company K - from Clark and Decatur Counties.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
REFERENCES:
REF: Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company
