Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/218

 southwestern Missouri. After a long march the regiment returned to Syracuse. During most of the winter Colonel Worthington was in command of a brigade and the Fifth was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Matthies. In February, after Grant’s victory at Donelson, the Fifth was sent with General Pope, who was marching his army against New Madrid. General Pope had recently pronounced the Fifth Iowa the most soldierly appearing regiment he had seen in Missouri, and it was under the rigid drill and discipline of Colonel Worthington that his men had in, so short a period, become such thorough soldiers. The regiment did excellent service in the siege and capture of New Madrid, and also in the taking of Island Number Ten. In May the Fifth was with Pope, near Corinth, where, on the 22d, Colonel Worthington was accidentally killed. He was officer of the day and, while approaching one of the picket lines, was mistaken for an enemy by the frightened sentinel, and shot dead. Colonel Worthington was an excellent officer and had been recommended for promotion; had he survived the siege of Corinth, he would have been made a Brigadier-General. Upon his death, General Pope issued the following order:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI

New Farmington, May 22, 1862.

The General commanding announces with great regret to the army, the death of Colonel W. H. Worthington, Fifth, Iowa volunteers. He was killed by an unfortunate accident at three o’clock this morning while in the discharge of his duties as general officer of the day. In the death of Colonel Worthington, this army has sustained a serious loss, and his place in the regiment will be hard to fill. Prompt, gallant and patriotic, a brilliant career in the military profession was before him. … Sad as is his fate, he had lived long enough to be mourned by his country, and have his memory cherished by the army with which he served.

By order of Major-General Pope.

He was succeeded in command of the regiment by Lieutenant-Colonel Matthies. At the close of General Halleck’s slow approach on Corinth, finding it evacuated, his