Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/381

from that time until the 5th of September at Lovejoy Station, two marches beyond Atlanta, it was nearly every hour of the time within sound of the enemy’s guns under fire. It met the foe in heavy skirmish and in battle on all of the last five days of May at Dallas. On the 28th, when the division on its right was about giving way before overwhelming numbers, it was Williamson’s Iowa Brigade that saved that division and the day by a daring charge. It was engaged in the movements and heavy fighting which preceded the assault on Kenesaw Mountain and the evacuation of that strong position by the Rebels. It was again most conspicuous in the corps at the great Battle of Atlanta on the 22d of July. Here again did Williamson’s Iowa Brigade make a bold charge under the eye of General Sherman himself, restored the line of the Fifteenth Corps which had been broken, drove the enemy from our works and recaptured the guns which had been taken from us. Again at the Battle of Ezra Church it fought finely and suffered heavily. So also at Jonesboro and Lovejoy. Everywhere and at all times, on the march by day or by night, in the trenches of a besieged army, or in battle, it faithfully, bravely, nobly did its part in that remarkable campaign.”

The Twenty-fifth was in all of the engagements here mentioned, except at the Battle of Dallas, where its position was such that it did not take part in the charge. When Marietta was captured, Colonel Stone was made commandant and his regiment was detailed as provost guard. Its losses during the campaign were considerable, but do not appear in any of the official reports. Early in October it joined in the rapid pursuit of Hood’s army and had a skirmish with Wheeler’s cavalry. The regiment was with the army in the march to Savannah and at Wright’s Bridge had a short conflict with a regiment of cavalry, putting it to flight. On the 21st of December the Twenty-fifth entered Savannah and there went into camp. While here Colonel Stone took command of the Iowa Brigade and Lieutenant-Colonel Palmer commanded the regiment. In the campaign through the Carolinas, which began on the 10th of January, 1865, and lasted until the 26th of March, the Iowa Brigade performed hard marches and labor and was in several battles, among which were the engagements at Little Congaree on the 15th of February;