Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/525

 place. November, 1864, found the regiment at Columbia, on Duck River, not far from Nashville, Tennessee. On the 28th General Forrest forced a passage of the river above the fords guarded by the brigade to which the regiment belonged. The brigade commanded by Colonel Capron was by this movement left in a bend of the river completely isolated from the main army and in a perilous position. Colonel Capron was missing and Major Young assumed command. He at once determined to make a desperate attempt to save the brigade by cutting his way through the enemy’s lines. The dispositions were quickly made and the order given “forward.” The Fifth Iowa was in advance and when the enemy’s liens were reached, the major shouted—“charge!” and with a fierce yell the cavalry cut its way through the Confederate ranks. The brigade reached the Union lines about midnight and reported to General Wilson. He was most agreeably surprised as Colonel Capron had arrived some time before and reported his brigade cut to pieces. The Fifth Iowa lost fifteen men in this affair. Lieutenant-Colonel Baird, now having secured horses from Kentucky to replace those lost in the campaign, was ready for the Battle of Nashville. On the 15th of December General Thomas advanced with his army to attack the Confederates and won a great victory. The Fifth Iowa was in the fight on the right of the line where Lieutenant John W. Watson was killed. Joining in the pursuit it skirmished with the retreating enemy for several days. The next important service of the regiment was in the raid led by General J. H. Wilson. Major J. M. Young was now promoted to colonel, in place of Lowe who had previously resigned. In an engagement near Six Mile Creek the Fifth was in the advance when Colonel Young gave the order to “charge.” For a moment both friend and foe were obscured by dust but the next moment revealed the enemy broken and fleeing in every direction. At the battles of Ebenezer Church and at the capture of Selma our regiment was in the thickest