Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/287

, was compelled to relinquish his command on account of failing health. *

BATTLE BEFORE ATLANTA

On the 21st of July Colonel Shane commanded the Iowa Brigade in which was the Thirteenth Regiment. To the left of this brigade was posted another under command of General Force. Immediately in front, on a high hill, the enemy in strong force held a fort. The Iowa Brigade moved to the assault and was to be supported by General Force’s Brigade on the left. At eight o’clock the line was formed, the Thirteenth under Major Walker, and the Fifteenth under Colonel Belknap in front, the Eleventh, Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie, and the Sixteenth, Lieutenant-Colonel Sanders, in the second line. The order to charge was given and the men rushed to the assault with loud shouts. A terrible volley from artillery and musketry smote them, thinning their ranks, but on they pushed firing rapidly as they advanced. When within fifty yard of the fort they encountered such a deadly fire that the order was given to lie down. Twenty feet in advance Sergeant Starkweather held aloft the flag amidst the cheers of the men. A steady fire was kept up on the enemy as Force’s Brigade took the outworks. The enemy retired to a strong line in the rear of the fort and kept up a deadly artillery fire on the Iowa Brigade. Finally the order was given to retire and the men retreated in good order to their line of works. The Iowa Brigade lost two hundred and twenty-six men in the charge, of which one hundred and thirteen belonged to the Thirteenth Regiment. In their reports the commanding officers speak in the highest terms of the conduct of the men, every one of whom bravely did his duty without flinching. In the terrible battle of the next day four companies of the Thirteenth were sent to reënforce the Eleventh and

* General Crocker never recovered his health but died of consumption in August, 1865. He was universally esteemed as one of the ablest military commanders Iowa sent into the service.