Hello,

The 23rd Iowa captured two CS flags at the Battle of Big Black River in May, 1863 on the Vicksburgs Campaign.

They are the 63rd Tennessee and the 21st Arkansas, based on a report in the Official Records.

Is there a unit history for the 23rd Iowa? If so, I would like to find any and all accounts for the capture of these two flags. Period newspaper reports are helpful as well.

Thanks in advance,'

Greg Biggs
Clarksville, TN

I did a quick check of a few references on the 23rd Iowa and can find no mention of the incident. I once read an article in an Iowa history journal listing all the Confederate flags captured during the war and what became of them. But I can't recall where that article is.
Clark

Hi Clark,

The flag I was asking about has been identified as that of the 21st Arkansas Infantry and it was captured by a Capt. Houston of the 23rd Iowa. They also grabbed another flag at Big Black River.

Hopefully some soldier letters to Des Moines or other period Iowa papers will have some details.

Greg Biggs

I checked the letters of my ancestor, Sylvester Gridley Beckwith of Co H 23rd Iowa Infantry. He tells in detail about those wounded in the battle...but makes no mention of flags taken from the enemy. not do I find any mention in "Dear Companion: the Civil War Letters of Silas I. Shearer" ©1995 by Harold D. Brinkman. No mention of the flags there. Nor do I find any mention in "Brave Men Shouldered their Muskets" ©1996 by Roxana Curie.

Sorry for all the negatives, but it will rule out some sources ou might try to check.

Mahlon Erickson

http://homepage.mac.com/fotl/talent_news/tn_93-06-01.html


TALENT NEWS
VOL. 2. JUNE 1, 1893. NO. 9.

The TALENT NEWS is published the 1st. and l5th. of each month.
EDWARD ROBISON EDITOR.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
One year................ 25 cents
Six months.............. 1/4 of a dollar,
Three months............ Two bits.

Entered at the Talent Post Office as second
class mail matter.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

AN INTERESTING TROPHY.

There was brought into this office the other day a battle flag that was carried by the 61st Tenn. Infantry in the late Rebellion, and captured at the battle of Black River, Miss. May 17th 1863, by Capt. W. Rawlings, commanding company F. 23d Iowa infantry volunteers, and who now resides in this vicinity.

The flag is 5x7 feet, red white and blue, with eleven white stars on the blue ground.

It was evidently home made, a close inspection showing that the stars were worked upon it by different hands.

We may easily imagine it to have been presented by several ladies to the regiment, accompanied by their earnest hopes and prayers that it would never be wrested from the hands of its proud bearer by a northern foe. Giving full play to the imagination we can almost view the scene, and feel a sympathetic thrill of enthusiasm in response to the stirring speeches and rousing, cheers on the occasion of the presentation.

As the donors saw the beautiful flag borne proudly away at the head of the gallant regiment, what would have been their consternation could they, for one brief moment, have been gifted with the power to foresee its fate -- to have beheld it torn by shot and shell, stained with southern blood and finally borne away in triumph by the hated enemy, never again to greet the gaze of the fair givers?

But such are the fortunes of cruel war. Mr. Rawlings was severely wounded, but not fully disabled, on the occasion of the capture, a confederate soldier having shot at him after his company had surrendered. As the captor was bearing his trophy from the field, General Grant happened along and demanded what he was carrying under his arm. Upon being told, he rode on without ordering the flag to be brought to head quarters. Mr R. has since kept it as an interesting memento of the war, not having responded to Cleveland's call for the return of all battle flags captured in the Rebellion.