Letter of General Grenville M. Dodge to his Father on the Battle of Pea
Ridge
ST. LOUIS, MO., April 2, 1862.
DEAR FATHER:--I know there is no one who would like to have a word
from me more than you. I write but little--am very weak from my
wounds; do not sit up much; but I hope ere long to be all right again.
Nothing now but the battle will interest you. It was a terrible three
days to me; how I got through God only knows. I got off a sick bed to
go to the fight, and I never got a wink of sleep for three days and
three nights. The engagement was so long and with us so hot that it
did not appear possible for us to hold our ground. We lacked sadly in
numbers and artillery, but with good judgment and good grit we made it
win. My officers were very brave. Little Captain Taylor would stand
and clap his hands as the balls grew thick. Captain Burton was as cool
as a cucumber, and liked to have bled to death; then the men, as they
crawled back wounded, would cheer me; cheer for the Union; and always
say, "Don't give up Colonel, hang to em;" and many who were too badly
wounded to leave the field stuck to their places, sitting on the
ground, loading and firing. I have heard of brave acts, but such
determined pluck I never before dreamed of. My flag-bearer, after
having been wounded so he could not hold up the colors, would not
leave them. I had to peremptorily order him off. One time when the
enemy charged through my lines the boys drove them back in confusion.
Price fought bravely; his men deserved a better fate, but although two
to one they could not gain much. Their artillery was served
splendidly--they had great advantage over us in this. Mine run out of
ammunition long before night and left me to the mercy of their grape
and canister. Had I have had my full battery at night I could have
whipped them badly. After the Fourth Iowa's ammunition gave out or
before this all the other Regiments and Brigades had given way,
leaving me without support, and when I found my ammunition gone I
never felt such a chilling in my life. It is terrible right in the
midst of a hot contest to have your cartridges give out. We had fired
forty-two rounds, and had but a few left. I saved them and ceased
firing, falling back to my supports. The enemy charged me in full
force. I halted and they came within fifty feet. We opened on them
such a terrible fire they fled. General Curtis rode into the field
then and asked me to charge. This would have blanched anybody but an
Iowa soldier. No ammunition and to charge! We fixed bayonets, and as I
gave the order the boys cheered and cheered, swinging their hats in
every direction. CHARGE! and such a yell as they crossed that field
with, you never heard--it was unearthly and scared the rebels so bad
they never stopped to fire at us or to let us reach them. As we
marched back, now dark, nearly one-half the entire Army had got on the
ground and the black-coats (Fourth Iowa) had got their fame up. The
charge without ammunition took them all, and as we passed down the
line the whole Army cheered us. General Curtis complimented us on the
field, and what was left of the Fourth Iowa held their heads high that
night, though a gloomy one for those who knew our situation. The next
morning it fell to my lot to open the battle with my artillery again,
and for one hour we poured it into them hot and heavy. We opened with
thirty-two guns; they answered with as many, and such a roar you never
heard. The enemy could not stand it and fled. Our whole army deployed
in sight that morning and it was a grand sight with the artillery
playing in open view. I had read of such things, but they were beyond
my conception. This closed the battle and we breathed free. I escaped
most miraculously. A shell burst right in front of me, and, tearing
away my saddle holsters and taking off a large piece of my pants,
never even scratched me. My clothes were riddled and I got a hit in
the side that is serious, but did not think of it at the time.
Yours, etc., G. M.
[Illustration: SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS IN THE BATTLE OF ATLANTA
Painting by James E. Taylor for General William T. Sherman. This shows the
time when Hardee's Corps, four Divisions, attacked the Sixteenth Army
Corps in the rear of the Army of the Tennessee, and were defeated. General
Dodge on horse in foreground ordering Colonel Mersey's brigade to charge
one of the columns of the enemy in flank. Extreme right of picture,
General Fuller's Division fighting General Walker's Division of the
Confederate Army.]