Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/245

 back to near the river. At the northern extremity of these defenses, a deep ravine runs down to the river, dividing the high bluff along its eastern bank. On the northeast side of this ravine was the Brigade of Colonel Geddes, in which was the Eighth Iowa. At the mouth of the ravine was low bottom land and this was the point selected from which to carry Spanish Fort. The Eighth Iowa led the advance. For an hour and a half our artillery had been sending balls and shells into the fort and the sun was just sinking below the horizon when Colonel Geddes gave the order to charge. Instantly, the men of the Eighth Iowa sprang to their feet and rushed among the fallen trees, pushing their way through the obstructions and across the mouth of the enemy. Those behind the log breast-works fired on volley and fled. But from the extreme left of the rifle-pits a heavy fire was poured into the ranks of the Iowa men until the foremost of them mounted the bluff and took the enemy in the rear. Three hundred Confederates were made prisoners on the spot and the others retreated toward the interior of the fort and a new line of battle was formed. For more than three hundred yards the gallant Eighth had fought its way toward the enemy’s center. It was now dark, and in obedience to orders the regiment halted and constructed rifle pits. At eleven o’clock in the night the enemy began to retreat and the whole Union army moved against the fort. But little resistance was made, as our army took possession, capturing six hundred prisoners, forty pieces of artillery, a large quantity of ammunition, and other property. General Steele had been equally successful at Fort Blakely. When the news of Colonel Geddes’ victory at Spanish Fort reached Steele, on the morning of the 9th, he at once ordered an assault, and in a short time everything was in our possession and the victory complete. This campaign, so successful, reflected great credit on Iowa