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Report

of the role of the 14th Iowa Vol. Inf.

in the capture of Fort DeRussy, Louisiana

From The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion, Vol. 34

No. 43.

Report of Lieut. Col. Joseph H. Newbold, Fourteenth Iowa Infantry, of the capture of Fort De Russy.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY,
On the Steamer Ewing, March 15, 1864.

COLONEL: In compliance with instructions from your headquarters I hasten to send you a list of the killed and wounded, and also a report of the part taken by the Fourteenth Iowa in the capture of Fort De Russy, March 14, 1864. On nearing the enemy, posted within his fortifications, two companies of my command, D and I, under Capt. W. C. Jones, Company I, were ordered to deploy as skirmishers to the right of the road, where the enemy's fortifications <ar61_360> were supposed to be situated. Much of the ground passed over was wet and swampy, yet the advance was in good order and without a halt, until they reached the outer works of the enemy, within 350 yards of the main fort. The enemy seeing this opened fire on them from the fort, which was returned with telling effect. This was the opening of the battle. I sent out another company, under Lieutenant King, Company K, which took position in the swamp on the left of the other skirmishers, and did good execution. These three companies, aided by one company of the Thirty-second Iowa, which had been ordered to report to Captain Jones, kept up such a destructive fire that it became impossible for the enemy to use his guns, consequently the artillery firing in that direction entirely ceased. I advanced the regiment, which had been posted a short distance in rear of the skirmishers, as you directed, when the firing became brisk on the extreme left of the line. The nature of the ground for a short distance was such as to break the line very much, but as soon as the open field was reached and the command forward was given by the officers, the regiment, joined by the skirmishers, dashed through the field into the ditch and clambered over the parapet into the fort with a shout that drowned the rattle of the enemy's musketry.

Officers and men acted nobly. None were killed. Below is a list(*) of the wounded, which I am happy to know is very small.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH H. NEWBOLD,

Lieut. Col., Comdg. Fourteenth Iowa Vol. Infantry.

Col. WILLIAM T. SHAW,

Commanding Second Brigade.