2nd Regiment Cavalry
HISTORICAL NOTES:
The Second Regiment of Iowa Cavalry was organized under the proclamation of President Lincoln, dated July 23, 1861. The twelve companies composing the regiment were ordered into quarters by Governor Kirkwood, between the dates July 20 and Sept. 4, 1861. Davenport was the designated rendezvous, and there the different companies were mustered into the service of the United States by Captain Alexander Chambers, United States Army, on dates ranging from August 30 to September 28, 1861. The total number of enlisted men and officers of the regiment at the date of muster in of the last company was 1,001, but this number was considerably increased by additional enlistments before the regiment left the State.
The regiment was fortunate in having for its first commander a graduate of West Point, who, at the time he received his commission from Governor Kirkwood, was a Major in the Third Regiment of United States Cavalry, with a record of fifteen years of honorable service in the Regular Army." While he was a strict disciplinarian, he was also just and fair in the enforcement of discipline and in his treatment of the officers and men under his command, and thus secured their confidence and respect. He was a superior military instructor, and his regiment rapidly acquired the rudiments of a military education so necessary for the work which was before them, and the practical experience which soon followed—under the command of this thoroughly trained officer—was of more value than a longer period of drill and instruction in camp would have been. The other field officers were very capable men and soon demonstrated their fitness for the discharge of their respective duties. They were without military training and experience, but possessed of superior intelligence, and soon became proficient in the knowledge of tactics and the handling of men in action. This was particularly true of Lieutenant Colonel Edward Hatch, who was possessed of the true military spirit in such large degree that he was from the first conspicuous for his superior ability, and was held in the highest esteem by Colonel Elliott and by all the officers and men of the regiment.
On the 7th of December, 1861, the regiment left Davenport and was conveyed by transports to St. Louis, where it went into quarters at Benton Barracks. During the time it remained there Colonel Elliott exerted himself to the utmost in imparting such instruction as would secure for the regiment as much knowledge of the theory and art of war as it was possible to obtain before it would be called upon to take the field. While at Benton Barracks the regiment suffered greatly from sickness and there were a great many deaths. There was probably no period in its subsequent history when disease made such sad havoc in its ranks in so short a time. The men had not yet become used to the great change in conditions of living; had not yet learned how to properly prepare their food; and, above all, the sanitary conditions of the barracks were bad, the ventilation was poor and their quarters were overcrowded. It was therefore a welcome change when the order came for the regiment to take the field.
OFFICERS:
ASSIGNMENTS:
Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., September 20, 1861. Left State for Louisville, Ky., December 15, 1861; thence moved to Camp Wickliffe, Ky. Attached to Cavalry 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, to June, 1862. Cavalry Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi, to July, 1865.
SERVICE:
Action at Bowling Green, Ky., February 1, 1862 (Co. "H"). Movement to Nashville, Tenn., February 14-25. Occupation of Nashville February 25. March to Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., March 10-April 8. Reconnaissance in force April 22. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Tuscumbia Creek May 31-June 1. Pursuit to Booneville June 1-3. Osborn and Wolf's Creeks June 4. Buell's Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee June to August. Raid on Louisville & Nashville R. R. August 19-21 (Detachment). Humboldt Road, near Gallatin, August 21. Murfreesboro, Tenn., August 20-25-27 and September 7. Crab Orchard, Ky., September 10. Vinegar Hill September 22. Near Nashville October 1. Near Perryville, Ky., October 6-7. Chaplin Hills, Perryville, October 8. Near Mountain Gap, Ky., October 14-16. Big Rockcastle River, near Mt. Vernon, October 16. New Haven October 29. Capture of 3rd Georgia Cavalry. Hartsville, Tenn., November 28 and December 7. Regiment complimented in special field orders for recapture of Government train and 200 prisoners. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30 (Co. "M"). Lavergne December 26-27 (Co. "M"). Operations near Lavergne December 29-31 (Co. "M"). Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863 (Co. "M"). Duty near Nashville, Tenn., until June, 1863. Murfreesboro March 10. Shelbyville Pike, near Murfreesboro, June 6. Triune June 9 and 11. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign June 23-July 7. Middleton June 24. Guy's Gap, Fosterville and Shelbyville June 27. Bethpage Bridge, Elk River, July 1. Occupation of Middle Tennessee until August 16. Expedition to Huntsville July 13-22. Passage of Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Reconnaissance toward Rome September 11. Alpine September 12. Dirt Town, Lafayette Road, near Chattooga River, September 12. Reconnaissance from Lee and Gordon's Mills toward Lafayette and skirmish September 13. Near Stevens' Gap September 18. Battle of Chickamauga, Ga., September 19-21. Missionary Ridge and Shallow Ford Gap September 22. Operations against Wheeler and Roddy September 30-October 17. Fayetteville October 13-14. Duty along Nashville & Chattanooga R. R. until December. Operations about Dandridge and Mossy Creek December 24-28. Peck's House, near New Market, December 24. Mossy Creek December 26. Talbot Station December 28. Mossy Creek, Talbot Station, December 29. Regiment reenlisted January 10, 1864. Near Mossy Creek January 11-12. Operations about Dandridge January 16-17. Bend of Chucky Road, near Dandridge, January 16. Dandridge January 17. Operations about Dandridge January 26-28. Fair Garden January 27. Swann's Island January 28. Near Marysville February 8. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1 to September 8. Varnell's Station May 7 and 9. Demonstrations on Dalton May 9-13. Tilton May 13. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Cassville May 19. Stilesborough May 23. Burnt Hickory May 24. Battles about Dallas May 25-June 5. Ackworth June 3-4. Big Shanty June 6. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. McCook's Raid on Atlanta & West Point R. R. July 27-31. Lovejoy Station July 29-30. Clear Creek July 30. Newnan July 30. Expedition to Jasper August 11-15. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Rousseau's pursuit of Wheeler September 1-8. Consolidated to a Battalion of 4 Companies September 14. Cartersville September 20. Camp Creek September 30. Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama October. Moved to Louisville, Ky., to refit. Pursuit of Lyon from Paris, Ky., to Hopkinsville, Ky., December 6, 1864, to January 15, 1865. Hopkinsville, Ky., December 16, 1864. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., duty there until February, 1865, and at Waterloo, Ala., until March. Wilson's Raid from Chickasaw, Ala., to Macon, Ga., March 22-April 24. Near Scottsville and Selma April 2. Near Hinton April 10. Montgomery April 12. Columbus Road, near Tuskegee, April 14. West Point and near Opelika April 16. Capture of Macon April 20. Duty at Macon and in the Dept. of Georgia until June. Moved to Nashville, Tenn., and there mustered out July 12, 1865.
ROSTERS:
The roster of this unit has the names of 2517 men.
Company A - men from Carroll County
Company C - men from Wayne County
Company F - men from Wabash County
Company G - men from Clay County
Company I - men from Sullivan County
Company L - men from Fayette County
Company M - men from Elkhart County
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
REFERENCES:
REF: Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
The regiment was fortunate in having for its first commander a graduate of West Point, who, at the time he received his commission from Governor Kirkwood, was a Major in the Third Regiment of United States Cavalry, with a record of fifteen years of honorable service in the Regular Army." While he was a strict disciplinarian, he was also just and fair in the enforcement of discipline and in his treatment of the officers and men under his command, and thus secured their confidence and respect. He was a superior military instructor, and his regiment rapidly acquired the rudiments of a military education so necessary for the work which was before them, and the practical experience which soon followed—under the command of this thoroughly trained officer—was of more value than a longer period of drill and instruction in camp would have been. The other field officers were very capable men and soon demonstrated their fitness for the discharge of their respective duties. They were without military training and experience, but possessed of superior intelligence, and soon became proficient in the knowledge of tactics and the handling of men in action. This was particularly true of Lieutenant Colonel Edward Hatch, who was possessed of the true military spirit in such large degree that he was from the first conspicuous for his superior ability, and was held in the highest esteem by Colonel Elliott and by all the officers and men of the regiment.
On the 7th of December, 1861, the regiment left Davenport and was conveyed by transports to St. Louis, where it went into quarters at Benton Barracks. During the time it remained there Colonel Elliott exerted himself to the utmost in imparting such instruction as would secure for the regiment as much knowledge of the theory and art of war as it was possible to obtain before it would be called upon to take the field. While at Benton Barracks the regiment suffered greatly from sickness and there were a great many deaths. There was probably no period in its subsequent history when disease made such sad havoc in its ranks in so short a time. The men had not yet become used to the great change in conditions of living; had not yet learned how to properly prepare their food; and, above all, the sanitary conditions of the barracks were bad, the ventilation was poor and their quarters were overcrowded. It was therefore a welcome change when the order came for the regiment to take the field.