Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/426

 Pillow. General Carr preferred charges against Colonel Scott and a special commission was convened to investigate the facts in the premises. On the 26th of February, 1863, the commission made a report fully exonerating Colonel Scott from all blame or censure for his action in the affair and decided that he did right in obeying the order of General Davies. The command remained at Fort Pillow for nearly six months doing garrison duty and going on scouting expeditions into the interior. On the 17th and 18th of June the regiment embarked in detachments for Columbus, Kentucky, where it remained for about seven months, Colonel Scott being in command of the post most of the time. Union City, Tennessee, was taken by the enemy on the 10th of July and our command hastened to its relief, but the Confederates made a rapid retreat and were not overtaken.

The regiment was again divided into detachments which were scattered about in various places. In the month of January, 1864, six companies were again brought together and embarked for Vicksburg, where they were assigned to the Second Brigade of General A. J. Smith’s Division. They were in an expedition sent to destroy railroads and public property belonging to the Confederates and were engaged in several skirmishes. Captain Peebles, while in command of a foraging party of twenty-five men belonging to Company C, was attacked by three hundred mounted Confederates and lost eight out of twenty-one wagons and one man killed. Upon returning to Vicksburg the regiment was greatly rejoiced to find Major Eberhart with the four companies, so long absent on detached service, and for the first time since November, 1862, the whole command was together. Colonel Scott issued a special order in which he warmly congratulated the regiment upon its reunion after long separation and the gallant services rendered by all. He closed with an eloquent tribute to those who had met death on the march, in battle or hospitals. Soon after came the order transferring the