Service
Known as Iowa's Martyr Regiment. The 38th Iowa Infantry was recruited for the most part in five counties, Fayette, Winneshiek, Bremmer, Chickasaw, and Howard. Rendezvous and initial training was conducted at Camp Franklin, Dubuque, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service on November 4, 1862. The Regiment re-occupied New Madrid, Missouri on January 2, 1863. They remained at this location as the garrison at Fort Thompson patrolling the woods and swamps of New Madrid and Pemiscot counties. Although threatened many times with attack they were never assaulted. On June 6, 1863 the Regiment left for Vicksburg as part of Major General Francis Herron's Division.
The Regiment arrived in the vicinity of Vicksburg on June 11, 1863. General Ulysses S. Grant, in command of Union forces besieging the city, originally planned that Herron's Division should be placed between general's Hovey and Lauman's divisions, but due to rumors that rebel cavalry were moving from Yazoo City, Herron's division was ordered to a position on the southernmost portion of Grant's line. On June 14, 1863 the 38th crossed the river and camped on the bluff above Warrenton. On June 15 the 38th occupied a position on the extreme left of the line, extending from the river to a short distance across the Warrenton Road.
The regiment was ordered to be consolidated with the 34th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment on December 12, 1864. Consolidation was completed on January 1, 1865. More than 500 men will continue to serve.
On April 9, 1865, these men will participate in the last major battle of the civil war at Fort Blakely, Alabama. Charging over 500 yards against redoubt #4, one man will be killed and seven wounded from the old 38th. The charge was made just hours after Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered his army of northern Virginia to General Grant.
Read more about this topic: 38th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Famous quotes containing the word service:
“Let the good service of well-deservers be never rewarded with loss. Let their thanks be such as may encourage more strivers for the like.”
—Elizabeth I (1533–1603)
“Our chief want in life, is, someone who shall make us do what we can. This is the service of a friend. With him we are easily great.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“We have in the service the scum of the earth as common soldiers.”
—Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke Wellington (1769–1852)