Captains Silas Johnson and William Carbee and Lieutenants Chauncy Lawrence were killed and Lieutenants J. C. Gue, S. J. McKinley and J. W. Strong severely wounded. Hovey held his position for more than an hour and a half amid a most terrific fire of musketry when his lines were forced back by overwhelming numbers. Fortunately at this juncture he was reënforced by Crocker’s Division and, again returning to the attack, the combined forces finally, by severe fighting, broke the enemy’s lines, reënforced by Logan, the enemy retreating in great confusion down the Vicksburg road, artillery and many prisoners falling into our hands.
The enemy was now driven from every position, beaten and in full retreat, but our losses had been very heavy in this by far the greatest battle of the campaign. The killed, wounded and missing in our army were 2,457, of which Hovey’s Division lost more than 1,200. The Confederate army lost more than 2,000 prisoners, twenty pieces of artillery and General Tilgham killed. Of the Iowa regiments engaged in this battle the Fifth, Tenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth were in the thickest of the fight and were particularly distinguished for their bravery. The Twenty-fourth lost one hundred ninety-five men, of which forty-three were killed and forty mortally wounded. The regiment bore a prominent part in the siege and capture of Vicksburg, and few suffered more or accomplished more in bringing about that great victory. The Twenty-fourth joined General Sherman’s army and participated in his campaign through central Mississippi, after which it was transferred to the Department of the Gulf. In October and November it was with General Franklin’s expedition to Opelousas. Upon its return while camped at Carencro Bayou Captain J. C. Gue was killed by a band of Texas Rangers. The regiment was in the battle near that camp, where General Burbridge was attacked on the 3d of November. During the winter months of 1864 the
