motion, crossed the
Tennessee river and moved southward through the Tuscumbia Valley and then
into the mountain regions of Alabama. We met with no opposition until
about the 26th, when we were met by Rhoddy's Cavalry, which did not stay
long enough to give us a second shot, but lit out at the sound of the
first gun, leaving one dead.

We met and defeated the enemy at Monticello, capturing one hundred
prisoners.

The next day, we routed the combined forces of Forest, Buford and Rhoddy,
in their chosen position at Ebenezer church, capturing two guns, three
hundred prisoners, and many killed and wounded. Our loss was 44 killed and
150 wounded.

We followed on, reaching Selma late in the afternoon. Around Selma was an
intrenchment reaching from the Alabama river above the city, to the river
below, with palisades of pine timber set in the ground and sharp at the
upper end. The approach to Selma was through open ground with no
protection whatever to our men.

The plan of attack was as follows:

The First Brigade, Fourth Division, composed of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Iowa,
was put in position on the left of the road, and what is known as the
Wilder Brigade, was placed on the right of the road. The Second Brigade,
Fourth Division, composed of the 1st and 7th O. V. C. and the 5th Iowa V.
C. were retained, mounted in columns, on the road, and when the two first
mentioned brigades got fairly engaged in a hand to hand encounter within
the enemy's parapets, the Second Brigade charged down the road mounted and
into their works, killing and wounding over four hundred and capturing
eleven hundred prisoners, five battle flags and thirteen pieces of
artillery.

The 7th followed the flying enemy several miles beyond the city and in the
darkness of the night, captured a battery, complete, including caseons,
horses and harness.

Selma was taken within one hour from the time our lines were formed. In
this short space of time, one of the most important places in Confederacy
fell, it being situated in the midst of their iron regions, was of itself
a solid machine shop, where a large portion of their ordnance was made,
together with their niter works. Some of the most formidable iron works on
the continent were in this region, which also fell into our hands and were
destroyed.

We remained at Selma eight days, during which time we erected scaffolding
out into the Alabama river and ran their unfinished ordnance from their
works and dumpe