Brigade of the Second Division was composed of the Third and Fourth Iowa and Tenth Missouri, with Colonel Noble as Brigade Commander, and Major B. S. Jones, in command of the Third Iowa. On the 5th of August this cavalry force left Memphis and, in co-operation with General A. J. Smith's Division of Infantry, proceeded upon an expedition to Oxford, Miss. The Third Iowa performed its share of duty upon this expedition, but did not suffer any serious casualties. It returned with the other troops to Memphis, on August 30th, just in time to start upon one of the most important campaigns in the history of its service- that against the rebel army commanded by General Price, which had again invaded the State of Missouri.
The campaign against Price was one of the most brilliant and effective of the closing campaigns of the western armies. And during its entire progress the Third Iowa Cavalry performed most arduous and conspicuous service. Major B. S. Jones, who commanded the regiment during this period of its service, gives a carefully detailed account of all its movements in his official report. His report is dated at Benton Barracks, Mo., November 28, 1864. Major Jones assigned command, and left Memphis with his regiment on the morning of September 2, 1864. At that time the available mounted force of the regiment was 483 men and 15 line officers, and formed a part of the brigade commanded by Colonel Winslow of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry. The command marched to Cape Girardeau, Mo., arriving there October 5th, and, embarking on transports, proceeded to St. Louis, where it arrived on October 10th . The next day it started on the march up the Missouri Valley, marching rapidly and almost constantly until October 22nd, on which date it joined the forces under Major General Pleasanton, then engaged in conflict with the enemy near Independence, Mo., participated in that battle, and in the battles of the Big Blue and Osage Rivers, which quickly followed, the first being fought on the 23rd and the second on the 25th of October.
In all Three of these battles the Third Iowa cavalry distinguished itself, boldly charging the enemy and capturing many prisoners. The following extracts are made from the concluding portion of the official report of Major Jones, referring to the conduct of his regiment in the battle on the Osage River, and the closing scenes of the campaign: . . . . The enemy, having been routed from his position on the
river, was followed up at a gallop for several miles, by Winslow's brigade, in the following order, Tenth Missouri, Fourth Iowa, Third Iowa, Fourth Missouri and Seventh Indiana Cavalry, when he attempted to make a stand, formed on the open prairie, in two lines of battle, supported by eight pieces of artillery. My command was formed in line of battle, with the brigade in column of regiments, in their order of march, and constituting the left center of our whole line, We charged the enemy, breaking his right and center, killing, wounding and capturing many of his men. Among the captured were Generals Marmaduke and Cabell, the former by Private James
Dunlavy, of Company D, and the latter by Sergeant C.M. Young, of Company L, both of the Third Iowa Cavalry/ Companies C, D and E captured three pieces of the enemy's artillery. The whole of my command did nobly on that field, as also on others, and the highest commendations are due to every man and officer. The remainder of this day was one continued charge upon the enemy, and
his compete rout. We rested on the open prairie over night, near Fort Scott. On the 26th of October we rested our brigade, at Fort Scott. Early on the 27, again joined in the pursuit of the enemy, and continued through Arkansas and the Indian Territory to a point on the Arkansas River, forty miles above Fort Smith, without again seeing the enemy. From there we returned to this place, having marched, since September 2nd, 1,650 miles participated in three general engagements, marching through a country destitute of forage, it having been devastated by the enemy, and many times without food for my men, having had only three fifths rations from the 28th, ult. To the 7th inst., and not any bread from the 7th to the 12th inst., in consequence of the destitution of the Indian Territory through which we marched, and the great distance form the
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