Why was a soldier from the Iowa 27th doing at gettysburg,
The 27th Iowa served in the western theater. There was a 43 year-old "Wagoner" in Company A captured on 7/3/1863.
Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of Rebellion says your ancestor was indeed wounded on 7/3/1863, and the "Wagoner" captured the same day, but doesn't say where.
Twenty-seventh Infantry IOWA
(3 years)
Twenty-seventh Infantry. Col., James Gilbert Lieut.-Col., Jed
Lake; Maj., George W. Howard.
This regiment was organized in the summer of 1862 and was
mustered in Oct. 3. A week later it reported to Maj.-Gen.
Pope, commanding the Department of the Northwest, to take part
in the campaign against the Indians, who were waging war
against the settlers of Minnesota.
Upon reaching St. Paul it went into quarters at Fort Snelling,
and soon after Col. Gilbert, accompanied by six companies of
the regiment, proceeded to Mille Lac, to superintend the
payment of the annuity to the tribe at that point. In the
meantime Maj. Howard had been ordered to report at Cairo, IL,
with the remaining four companies and had departed for that
place. Col. Gilbert received similar orders on his return
from Mille Lac and moved at once.
The regiment went into camp at Memphis but soon moved on the
expedition into central Mississippi, marched to the
Tallahatchie River, and was assigned to the duty of guarding
the Mississippi Central railway between that point and the
town of Waterford. In December a small band of cavalry made a
dash on the regimental hospital, captured 11 men and hurried
them across the country 15 miles, when, finding them unable to
proceed, the officer in command paroled them and turned them
loose.
The regiment went to Jackson and marched with the other forces
to assist Gen. Sullivan, who was in a fight with Forrest
beyond Lexington, but failed to reach him in time to take part
in the fray or even to overtake the flying enemy, who was in
retreat for Clinton. It spent the winter at Jackson,
suffering greatly from sickness, the result of the last
campaign which was made without blankets or rations. The
regiment held the post at Corinth part of April, and was then
posted in detachments at various points along the railway from
Jackson with Col. Gilbert in command of the post at that
place.
In June it moved to Lagrange, thence to Moscow, and performed
similar duties near that place for two months, having frequent
skirmishes with guerrillas. In August it formed part of a
detached brigade which went to the support of Gen. Steele,
then moving on Little Rock, and took part in the capture of
that place. It remained there on guard and picket duty until
Nov. 15, when it moved to Memphis and went into quarters until
Jan. 26, 1864.
It then proceeded to Vicksburg and was assigned to the 2nd
brigade, 3rd division, 16th corps, with which it took part in
the Meridian raid and returned March 4. It accompanied the
Red River expedition a few days later and was in numerous
skirmishes and battles of that movement. At Pleasant Hill it
lost 88 in killed and wounded, and it formed a part of the
force that covered the retreat from Grand Ecore to Alexandria,
almost constantly skirmishing on the way. It was also engaged
at Marksville and Yellow bayou. It accompanied the forces
under Smith, which dislodged Marmaduke from his position at
Lake Chicot and then went into camp at Memphis.
It was heavily engaged at Tupelo, and at the battle of Old
Town Creek on the following day it took a prominent part.
Returning to Memphis, it joined the Oxford expedition, after
which it proceeded to Jefferson barracks, Mo. It accompanied
an expedition through the state in the early part of October,
in pursuit of Price, as far as Little Santa Fe on the Arkansas
line, but returned without having had a fight.
It accompanied Smith's forces to Nashville, where it took
position in the line of defenses and was active in the battle
in December. Col. Gilbert was in command of the brigade and
its work was such as to win for him a commission as brigadier-
general soon after. The regiment lost 61 but inflicted much
greater damage on the enemy. In the pursuit it moved to
Pulaski, thence to Clifton and Eastport and Feb. 9, embarked
for Dauphin island, Ala.
It took part in the operations about Mobile, aided in the
siege of Fort Blakely, was in the final assault when its
brigade captured 8 pieces of artillery and 600 prisoners.
Gen. Gilbert was afterwards brevetted major-general for his
skillful conduct in this affair. With its brigade the
regiment was assigned duty in garrison work, but was soon
after sent to Montgomery where it remained for two months and
was mustered out in July, 1865, when its recruits were
transferred to the veteran 12th IA
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4
*********************************************************************************
Forum Host
Bringing the