Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/490

 third battalion was ordered to Sedalia where it joined the first battalion under Major Torrence. On the 12th the two battalions marched to Clinton, where they established headquarters and remained until the 8th of April.

Colonel Warren marched with a part of his regiment to the river Marias des Cygnes and returned with thirty prisoners and a quantity of ammunition. In July Major Gower defeated the notorious guerrilla Quantrill in a fight, killing and wounding many of his men. Our loss was three killed and ten wounded. On the 2d of August Captain Heath with one hundred men, attacked a greatly superior force of the enemy posted in a grove on Clear Creek and with the help of Captain Caldwell, was victorious; Captain Heath lost four men killed and fourteen wounded. On the 8th of August all of the companies of the regiment were united for the first time since leaving Burlington. Although the separated battalions had rendered valuable services in hunting down bands of desperadoes that were a terror to the Union men of Missouri, that kind of warfare brought them no glory. It was full of hardships and dangers and helped materially to hold Missouri in the Union. In September Colonel Warren was promoted to Brigadier-General and, bidding farewell to his comrades of the First Iowa Cavalry, departed to assume his new duties. He was succeeded in command by Colonel J. O. Gower, promoted from lieutenant-colonel. Soon after the regiment marched to Springfield and was employed in protecting that region from hostile bands. In December the regiment marched to Cane Hill and joined General Blunt’s army taking part in the Battle of Prairie Grove and rendering valuable service.

THE CAPTURE OF VAN BUREN

After General Hindman’s defeat at Prairie Grove he retreated toward Van Buren. On the morning of the 27th of December General Blunt moved his army toward that place and at night rested on the north side of Lee’s