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CIVIL WAR
Cape Girardeau County Missouri Genealogy Trails REGIMENTAL HISTORY A BATTLE AT CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO, April 27, 1863 THE NEWS IN BRIEF, April 29, 1863  Regimental History Thirty-second Infantry IOWA (3 years) Contributed by Michelle Kennedy Byrd Thirty-second Infantry. Cols., John Scott, Gustavus A. Eberhart, Lieut.- Cols., Edward H. Mix, Gustavus A. Eberhart, Jonathan Hutchinson, Majs., Gustavus A. Eberhart, Jonathan Hutchinson, John R. Jones. This regiment was mustered into the service at Dubuque, Oct. 6, 1862 and was sent to St. Louis. On Dec. 17 Cos. C and I started on an expedition west of New Madrid, during which they captured from the enemy 5 commissioned officers, 3 enlisted men, 35 horses and 50 head of cattle. Col. Scott, with 20 men, examined the various points on the river between New Madrid and Cape Girardeau, where trade or smuggling was practicable. On his return he brought a scouting party, 50 strong, from Cape Girardeau to Lane's landing, from which place it returned to Cape Girardeau through the interior, making a successful reconnaissance. Co. C was attached to the 4th MO cavalry as mounted infantry and engaged in arduous duties. Co. E was placed on duty at Fort Quinby, near Columbus, Ky., and H and K were sent to Island No. 10. The duties at this place were largely in protecting the contraband colony and in guarding public stores though there were expeditions to either shore and some fighting. In one of these affairs, Oct. 22, 1863, Private John D. Baker of Co H was killed by guerrillas. A detachment of six companies of the 32nd, B. C, E, H. I and K, participated with the 2nd brigade, 3rd division, 16th army corps, in the famous and successful Meridian raid of Gen. Sherman, in which the railroads were torn up and destroyed. On Feb. 28, 1864, near Canton, Miss., a forage train of _2 teams, guarded by 25 men of Co. C, was attacked by 300 mounted Confederates. A gallant resistance was made, the fight lasting over half an hour. Private Edward Flood was killed. The Confederates admitted a loss of 25 killed and wounded. The train escaped with a loss of eight teams captured -- due to a panic among the teamsters. A detachment of the 32nd, Cos. A, D, F and G. was attached to a cavalry division under Gen. Davidson and remained with it until ordered to Vicksburg in Jan. 1864, to rejoin the regiment. Gen. Davidson expressed his appreciation of the courage and fidelity of the detachment in a special order. On March 4 the regiment was reunited, and on the 10th it entered on the Red River expedition. In Gen. Smith's division and Col. Shaw's brigade, it bore a gallant part in the marches and the battles of the campaign. At the storming of Fort De Russy the brigade played a brilliant role. In the battle of Pleasant Hill, Smith's division was ordered to the front, and Shaw's brigade, in the advance, did the hardest fighting of the day. It seems almost incredible that the 32nd, cut off from its brigade and entirely surrounded, with nearly one-half of its numbers killed or wounded, not only held its own, but near dark fought its way through, joined the advanced troops, and in less than 30 minutes was ready to meet the enemy again. At the battle of Bayou de Glaize during the retreat the 32nd was actively engaged, its casualties being 5 wounded. At Lake Chicot, in a sharp engagement of only a few minutes, the regiment lost 4 killed and 4 wounded. The 32nd also participated in the Tupelo campaign, and was in the battle of Nashville with Col. Gilbert's brigade, Smith's division. In the final charge on the afternoon of Dec. 16, the regiment captured a battery of 5 guns with 50 prisoners, losing 1 man killed and 25 wounded. The regiment was present at the siege and capture of Spanish Fort, and after the storming of Fort Blakely and the fall of Mobile it remained in Alabama until sent to Clinton, IA, where it was mustered out on Aug. 24, 1865. During its term of service the regiment lost, in killed or died from wounds, 95; died from disease, 206; wounded, 142; discharged, 173. Source: The Union Army, vol. 4 A BATTLE AT CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. Albany (NY) Evening Journal, April 27, 1863 8,000 Rebels under Gen. Price make the Attack. The Rebel Forces Repulsed They Retreat with Severe Loss. St.
Louis, April 26. Despatches from Gen. McNeil at Cape Girardeau,
dated 7 o'clock Saturday evening, announce that the Rebels, about 8,000
strong, under Marmaduke and Burbridge, were eight miles distant,
approaching on two roads.
This morning a flag of truce brought a demand for surrender in half an hour, signed by the order of Maj. Gen. Price, to which a defiant reply was returned. At 11 A. M. the Rebels attacked in force. After three hours' hard fighting they were handsomely repulsed. It was supposed, however, that they would change their position and attack from another point. Reinforcements reached McNeil to-day. He has two gunboats ready for any emergency, and expresses the utmost confidence in his ability to whip the enemy and pursue them in case of retreat. No apprehension need be felt for the safety of Cape Girardeau. No mention is made of the loss on either side. A strong force of artillery and cavalry occupied Frederickstown last night. Nearly all the Rebel prisoners captured here have been removed to Alton, Ill., and all the gun shops in the city placed under guard. A later despatch from Gen. McNeil says: "We have repulsed the enemy with severe loss. He is now retreating, but will be taken care of. Our loss is less than twenty killed and wounded." |