his Assistant Adjutant General Matthew Trumbull show up , and Gov . Kirkwood personally faces off against the Skunk River Army and tells them if they don ’ t disband , he ’ s going to bring in the militia and he ’ s going to open fire .”
In the end , Tally ’ s army dispersed , and Kirkwood ’ s leadership was able to avert disaster . The person responsible for shooting Tally was never identified .
“ So that was the closest thing that Iowa ever came to a civil war within the Civil War ,” Lyftogt said .
The Red River Campaign and the Marks Mills disaster
Throughout the course of the war , few regiments from Iowa met with more misfortune than the 36th . Mustered in late 1862 , the regiment consisted of volunteers from Appanoose , Davis , Lee , Lucas Monroe , Van Buren and Wapello counties .
The 36th Iowa was assigned in December 1863 to help the Union Army in a three-pronged campaign to bring Shreveport and the major cotton-producing centers of Louisiana and Texas under control following the capture of New Orleans , Vicksburg and Little Rock , in what became known as the Red River Campaign . But alongside the economic and strategic aims of the campaign , there were political reasons for the expedition .
“ It kind of showed the flag to Mexico . Because remember — Mexico was in its own civil war against the French emperor … and France was pro-Confederate , and the last thing Lincoln needed was a French government in Mexico that threatened the United States ,” Lyftogt said . “ So that was the dream of showing the flag to Mexico and cutting off , really , that trans-Mississippi part .”
The regiment was placed under the command of Maj . Gen . Frederick Steele , who had the task of marching from Little Rock , and became known as the “ Camden Expedition .”
The 36th did enjoy some initial successes , being singled out for distinction for their actions at Elkin ’ s Ford , where they established a foothold on the other side of the Little Missouri River for the rest of the army to cross through .
“ And in this one , the 36th was recognized for doing some fine work in crossing , holding the position and pushing Confederate skirmishers and scouts and dismounted cavalry that were trying to delay or frustrate the federal advance , were pushing them back away from the river and clearing the ford , so that the army could get across ,” Barloon said .
But the campaign resulted in a series of military defeats , forcing the Union Army to call it off . And it was during the Camden Expedition ’ s retreat at a place called Marks Mills in Cleveland County , Arkansas that the Confederate Army caught up with Steele ’ s men as they looked for supplies . The 36th was tasked with forming the rear guard . They met with disaster .
“ The campaign had already failed and Marks Mills was part of the retreat , so they ’ re trying to get out of there and as a result of the failure , every Confederate division in that area was coming down at them , so they were kind of a rear a rear guard of … so the fact that they were able to salvage as much as they could is really a tribute to the 36th and others .”
The engagement resulted in the complete destruction of the regiment . Estimates indicate that 42 men from the 36th were killed , another 89 were wounded ( 40 fatally ) and the rest captured , though a few men escaped and took part in aiding the Union Army ’ s retreat at Jenkins Ferry .
And indelible mark
In the end , over 13,000 Iowans died in the civil war from combat , disease or other factors . This included William Hurley of Oskaloosa , who survived fighting in the Hornet ’ s Nest with the rest of the 8th Iowa . Given the option of going home after his enlistment was up , he instead signed up again on June 11 , 1864 .
He received a musket ball to his chest while assaulting Spanish Fort in Alabama on April 8 , 1865 . Gen . Robert E . Lee surrendered at Appomattox the next day . Hurley died April 22 . He was one of the last fatalities of the war .
“ That ’ s just unfortunate . Bad luck , tragedy , whatever you want to call it ,” Barloon said . “ That ’ s war though , I guess .”
However , without the efforts of the Iowa volunteers , victory for the North may not have been possible .
“ From the very first of the war to the very end of the war , you find Iowa troops really at the heart and center .
” KENNETH LYFTOGT
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