that part of the swampy and heavily-timbered river-bottom where we lay. The conflict [lasted]
seven mortal hours, with such fierce vigor and determination that the fire of musketry became

one undistinguishable and unbroken roar. The field [was] a heavily-timbered bottom, swampy
at best, and now so covered with water that a foot could not rest on land alone.

[Soon] a dense cloud of powder-smoke settled so closely down, that at a few feet distant,
nothing was distinguishable. The rebels [fired] mostly too high or too low. But our men soon
learned to stoop down, and look under the smoke to discover the rebel masses and then fired at
the level of the breast.

Some [dead and wounded] were borne from the field, but most had to remain unheeded.
The rebels brought one battery to bear upon us, and fired three or four shots from it; but the 29th
Iowa and 2d Kansas colored infantry charged upon it, and captured its guns. All of the train and
stores that could be saved were sent across the river on the pontoon that had been laid, and the
pontoon-wagons, and large quantities of stores were broken, scattered and destroyed. About
2 o'clock in the afternoon the day was won: the rebels abandoned the field, all their dead and
wounded. [We left our] dead and wounded on the field with men to care for them and crossed
the river and cut the pontoon away. Crossing the river, we found ourselves in a slough, which
was in places waist-deep; and in which we waded, rather than walked, for some three miles.
Teams stuck, and were abandoned. About three miles from the river we came to land again,
and went into camp in the midst of a steady rain. There was rest now, but little food.?”

April 30th. The most eventful day so far. Were ordered out early in the morning to relieve the
33d Iowa, who had been out all night on picket. We were out half or three quarters of an hour
when we were ordered back, passing the 29th Iowa and 9th Wis. farther in the rear. About this
time the fight became general; our regiment was again ordered out to support the left wing so that
we might not be outflanked. The fighting on the right and centre was now dreadful; a continual
roar of musketry. The rebs came on in six ranks with fresh forces, and their shouts might plainly
be heard urging their men on; but our troops never wavered. Several charges were made and
each time the rebs driven back with terrible slaughter. Our regiment lost about 30 men killed and
wounded; I have not learned of our entire loss, probably five or six hundred. The battle was in
heavy timber and is called the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry.

After we had crossed the river the rebs sent in a flag of truce to bury their dead and [care
for their] wounded. The battle lasted four hours without cessation, and is said to be, by old
soldiers, one of the most desperate ever fought. Our boys fought nobly, some of them firing
80 and 100 rounds. The scene along the roads beggars all description; dead and wounded
soldiers, mules, horses, wagons, tents, knapsacks, blankets, rifles, &c., all stuck in the mud.
Refugees and little pickininies deserted to their fate -- such is war. After crossing the Saline
nothing unusual occurred, only the work of destruction was renewed, and when we got to
Little Rock the [wagon] train was so small I could not see it.?”

 

7° A. F. Sperry, History of the 33rd Iowa, p. 94.
*°> Evergreen City Times, Sheboygan, May 28, 1864, p. 2/3 (no. 26/27 of note).

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