damYankee
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2011
In another discussion I brought up the point that as late as mid 1863 many Union Regiments were not fully equipped nor had full rosters. The following quote is from the official record of the 4th Iowa Cav.
"
On the 29th of August 1863, the regiment with its brigade embarked for Vicksburg where it arrived on the 31st and again went into camp. On the 26th of September, General Sherman issued a General Order, from which the following paragraphs are quoted.
1. "Colonel Winslow will organize a force of about one thousand men, to move via Brownsville, Vernon and Benton, and to return to Yazoo and Mechanicsburg, to start tomorrow evening, special instructions to be given to the Commander, who will report in person in the Commanding General...
2. Colonel Winslow, Fourth Iowa Cavalry , is announced as Chief of Cavalry, and his orders will be obeyed by all the cavalry forces now attached to this command."
A detachment of 300 men of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, under command of Captain William Pursel, constituted part of the force under Colonel Winslow, which moved, as instructed, making a diversion to attract the attention of the enemy from the movement of Sherman's main army, then marching towards Memphis, its real destination being Chattanooga. The Cavalry expedition was entirely successful, met with slight loss and returned to camp with eight prisoners captured in a skirmish with the enemy(1). On October 16th, the regiment started on another expedition, under command of Major General McPherson, and, in the first days' march, encountered the enemy several times losing two men killed and one captured(2). On the 4th of December, a detachment of 100 men of the regiment, under command of Major Spearman, accompanied a force of cavalry which moved by transports to Natchez and there cooperated with the command of General Gresham on an important expedition. This detachment returned to Vicksburg December 17th. On the 19th of December, a sufficient number of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry had re-enlisted to entitle the regiment to be designation as a Veteran organization. Recruits began to arrive from Iowa about the same time and the strength of the regiment was increased to nearly three-fourths of the maximum number. New and improved carbines were supplied and, for the first time in its history, the Fourth Iowa Cavalry was completely armed and equipped."
http://iagenweb.org/henry/Military/hcivwar3.htm
The truth is much of the supplies of uniforms, boots, pack gear and other necessities were of poor quality because in the rush to war contracts were often given to companies who were less than above board.
"
On the 29th of August 1863, the regiment with its brigade embarked for Vicksburg where it arrived on the 31st and again went into camp. On the 26th of September, General Sherman issued a General Order, from which the following paragraphs are quoted.
1. "Colonel Winslow will organize a force of about one thousand men, to move via Brownsville, Vernon and Benton, and to return to Yazoo and Mechanicsburg, to start tomorrow evening, special instructions to be given to the Commander, who will report in person in the Commanding General...
2. Colonel Winslow, Fourth Iowa Cavalry , is announced as Chief of Cavalry, and his orders will be obeyed by all the cavalry forces now attached to this command."
A detachment of 300 men of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, under command of Captain William Pursel, constituted part of the force under Colonel Winslow, which moved, as instructed, making a diversion to attract the attention of the enemy from the movement of Sherman's main army, then marching towards Memphis, its real destination being Chattanooga. The Cavalry expedition was entirely successful, met with slight loss and returned to camp with eight prisoners captured in a skirmish with the enemy(1). On October 16th, the regiment started on another expedition, under command of Major General McPherson, and, in the first days' march, encountered the enemy several times losing two men killed and one captured(2). On the 4th of December, a detachment of 100 men of the regiment, under command of Major Spearman, accompanied a force of cavalry which moved by transports to Natchez and there cooperated with the command of General Gresham on an important expedition. This detachment returned to Vicksburg December 17th. On the 19th of December, a sufficient number of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry had re-enlisted to entitle the regiment to be designation as a Veteran organization. Recruits began to arrive from Iowa about the same time and the strength of the regiment was increased to nearly three-fourths of the maximum number. New and improved carbines were supplied and, for the first time in its history, the Fourth Iowa Cavalry was completely armed and equipped."
http://iagenweb.org/henry/Military/hcivwar3.htm
The truth is much of the supplies of uniforms, boots, pack gear and other necessities were of poor quality because in the rush to war contracts were often given to companies who were less than above board.