On this anniversary of the Battle of Milliken’s Bend, consider these accounts of the fighting, recorded first-hand by men who were there.

David West, 23rd Iowa Infantry (US)

The fight took place at Miliken’s Bend. The Rebels were commanded by young Ben [sic – Henry] McCulloch six thousand strong & we had 2 negro regt. & 120 of the 23d Iowa and it was a race who should reach the Levee first and we got there all at the same time and went to bayoneting and club fighting with the butts of our guns and they the Rebs seem to be intent on killing us all but we stood as long as we could and then was obliged to fall back under the bank of the river, close to the waters edge and the rebs did not pursue. If they had we would have had to surrender being over powered and already losing half of our men killed & wounded and I believe out of the 120 there was 62 killed and wounded. The old 23d is quite small. We have not 100 effective men in the Regt. Co. G went in with 12 men and had the sad misfortune to lose killed one half of their number and the six that remained buried the six that was killed. The fruits of war is horrible to behold though when one is in [smudge] a engagement he has no fear of death before him & he can plunge his Bayonet plumb through his fellow man and laugh at the sight or knock his Brains out and care not but rather be incouraged at the sight. But after the battle is all over & then walk over the field always causes my soul to shudder and my heart grows sick within me. I never want to walk over battle field. Great deal rather do the fighting than to walk over and carry off the dead and wounded. I am all right again and with the company. We are off to Duty though we Expect to be attacked here Daily & hourley as there is no force here but a few convalescents and a large camp and camp equipage. We have long since formed a resolution to Fight as long as there is any fighting to do here. We Expect to do our part willingley and cheerfully.

David West to Dear Father, June 9, [1863], Battle of Jenkins Ferry [sic], Civil War Papers, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, IA. [spelling has been standardized]

D. E. Young, 17th Texas Infantry (CS)

There was the hardest battle fought that has been fought in the South.I could tell you a heap more than i can write. Our regiment and Fitzhugh’s was in the hottest of the fight. The yankees said they could whip 20 thousand and we whipped them with 800 men and them strong fortified. The first thing we done was to charge them and we done it. We run as hard as we could until we reach the breastwork and then i tell you that we done the work. We kill about a one thousand and wounded about as many more. Our loss is one hundred and 85 killed and wounded. Our company went in with 41 men and lost 19. I don’t see how we kept from all being killed. We was exposed to all the fire. The Yankees and the negro stood 5 deep behind their breastworks and their gunboat and transport was full of Men they Being about 15 in number. They throwed shell and shot at us too but they done no damage to us. They kill two men. I had ruther fight A [dozen?] gunboats than to charge one breastwork. Martha i hope that we will never have such A fight….I want you to tell My little children howdy for me and kiss them too and tell them i will come and see them the first chance i get…. So fare you  well My Dear i hope the lord will let me live to [see] you all again.”  [Young died of fever two days later.]

D.E. Young to Dear Wife and Children, June 20, 1863. In 17^th Texas Infantry regimental file, Texas Heritage Museum (formerly Confederate Research Center), Hill College, Hillsboro, TX. [spelling has been standardized]

Both of these accounts give a vivid account of the severity of the fighting, the casualties sustained, and the personal toll that the battle took upon the soldiers who fought there. Pause for a moment to honor and remember these men and all the others who fought at Milliken’s Bend.