3rd Iowa Cavalry
Lt. William Wycoff
On the 1st of June 1864 a considerable army of cavalry infantry and artillery moved out from Memphis under command of Gen. Sturgis in search of the enemy. The movement was a blunder and disastrous failure, owing entirely to the incompetency of the General commanding. The battle which took place is known as the battle of Gun Town in Mississippi. It occurred on the 10th of the month. The cavalry far in advance, bro't on the action about 10 0clk am. The troopers were dismounted and formed line of battle & lay down to await the charge of the enemy which was seen to be coming. It soon came. The rebels came on with shouting & whooping, and much shooting. The thin line of cavalry easily drove back the enemy. A second and a third charge by the rebels likewise failed. The bullets came awful close with the wicked ping of the minnie ball. One ball struck the gun barrel in Wm Wycoff's hands, and another struck a small hickory sapling directly in front of Wm's head as he lay in line which probably saved his life. Joe Myers who lay just beside of Wm was struck in the left temple and a great flow of blood gushed out.
Confederate Cemetery At The "Crossroads"
Flag Pole Base
There was a long lull in the battle after the third charge. But the cavalrymen could hear the whistles of the engines a little way to the eastward bringing up reinforcements. After a long wait the head of the infantry column came up and began to deploy in line to relieve the cavalry. At the very time this change was being made Forrest with his reinforcements struck the Union right with much vigor and the infantry not being ready for the onset soon began to give ground although they managed to strike viciously back at the rebels while the cavalry were withdrawing their lines. The troopers withdrew in perfect order while furious fighting was going on. Reaching their horses they mounted them and formed in column of squadrons facing the enemy. The formation covered both sides of the road which was the main line of retreat. The massed formation of the cavalry was simply superb, and its moral effect upon the enemy was very great. They maintained their splendid formation in spite of artillery fire by the enemy to demoralize the troopers. One episode of the shell fire is sure vividly remembered by Wm Wycoff. David Smith of Co. G was only a few feet to the left of Wm. A shell struck Smith's horse in the left shoulder, and passing diagonally through the body tore Smith's right foot to fragments. Horse and rider went down of course, and Wm saw Smith as he lay on the ground hold up his tattered member. All that was left of it was shreds of boot, flesh, skin & bone.
Soon the infantry came pouring back through the cavalry lines. This continued for a long time--till evening--till dark even; then the cavalry retired in perfect order, the 3rd Iowa covering the rear.
The battle had ended most disastrously. The enemy captured all the union artillery. The whole wagon train, 250 in all fell into their hands. Another star in Forrests crown of successes.
Gloomy were the soldiers as they marched along that gloomy night.
General Nathan Bedford Forrest
A surprising thing happened. It was the custom for the captain to ride at the head of the column. Sergt Wycoff who was the "orderly" Sergt rode at the rear. Sometime after midnight Sergt Wycoff heard a plaintive voice in the woods to the left calling out feebly "is this Co. H?" No one answered. Again the voice "is this Co. H?" Sergt Wycoff answered, "Is this Jo Myers?" And sure enough it was Jo Myers. The Sergt inquired "How on earth did you get here "? He said, "They turned me out of the ambulance because I had good legs & feet, and took in others who were disabled in their lower limbs." The sergt said "Well Jo if you can ride, you may mount your horse. Allen Stans-berry, you will have to dismount and give Jo Myers his horse." This was done and the column moved on, and the wounded soldier reached Memphis with the balance of the troopers. He was turned over to the hospital and his comrades never saw him again. But in 1868 Wm Wycoff and Jo Myers met in Keokuk and recounted to each other the heroic days of 1864 & 1865. They shook hands at parting, and Jo said, "Bill, you saved my life."
General Samuel D. Sturgis
But to return to the thread of the narrativ;--The retreat continued all the night after the battle--all day on the llth, all night of the 11 & 12, all day the 12th--the night of the 12th & 13th, reaching Memphis in the forenoon of the 13th, men and horses tattered & battered and exhausted; and worse than all, the morale of the troops well nigh exhausted too.
This was the only time in all the four years service that the 3rd Iowa Cavalry had to pass through the humiliating experience of defeat and retreat!
This was all owing to the incompetency of Gen. Sturgis, in command of the expedition on this occasion.
Sturgis was a dead dog after this.
Not long after a new commander was placed in charge of the fighting forces in and about memphis. This was Maj Gen. A J Smith, the man who saved Gen. Banks' army in Louisana from destruction. Gen Smith knew how to march and how to maneuver and how to fight! The soldiers believed in Smith.
