Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/472

 began drill, but the regiment was not organized until November. H. J. B. Cummings was commissioned colonel; James Redfield, lieutenant-colonel; Joseph M. Griffiths, major and George C. Tichenor, adjutant. On the 13th of December the regiment started for the south, stopping for a few days at Cairo, Columbus and at Jackson, Tennessee, marching from there to Trenton. Here two brigades were organized to move against General Forrest. Colonel C. L. Dunham of the Fiftieth Indiana commanded the Union forces which included the Twenty-ninth Iowa. On the 27th of December he marched eastward with 1,600 mean and on the fourth day came suddenly upon Forrest’s army 6,000 strong, drawn up in battle array at Parker’s Cross Roads, a few miles south of Clarksville. The battle at once began and was carried on with vaying success for several hours, the little Union army holding its position with great bravery until General Sullivan came up with heavy reënforcements, when the Confederates were routed. The Thirty-ninth was under heavy fire for several hours and fought bravely. Misapprehending an order at one stage of the battle, the regiment was temporarily thrown into confusion but soon rallied and regained its place in the line. Lieutenant-Colonel Redfield and Captain Cameron, Major Griffiths and Adjutant Tichenor were conspicuous for gallantry. The loss of the regiment was four killed, thirty-three wounded and eleven missing. Among the wounded were Lieutenant-Colonel Redfield, Major Griffiths, Captain Brown and Lieutenant Rawles. On the 29th about one hundred men of the regiment, worn out on the march in attempting to return to Trenton, were captured at Shady Grove and suffered an imprisonment of nearly ten months. In January, 1863, the regiment moved to Corinth and was there assigned to the Third Brigade in the division commanded by General G. M. Dodge of Iowa. Headquarters were in Corinth for nearly a year, with an occasional march into the adjacent country. The regiment was with Colonel Streight in his raid into Alabama,