Wilson's Creek Connection To The Iron Brigade

Jim's Photo Taken At Wilson's Creek Battlefield

From the History of the Twenty-Fourth Michigan of the Iron Brigade:

September 1, 1862

Alexandria - Fort Lyon

Marching a couple of miles beyond this city, we climbed to the top of a high hill crowned by Fort Lyon, named in honor of the hero of Wilson's Creek.  Its ponderous guns frowned down upon the secesh city below.  It was now past sunset, and scarcely had the crest been reached when angry, dark clouds hovered low over our heads, soon bursting into one of Virginia's severest rain storms, which lasted till morning.  The men had neither tents nor shelter, and they suffered greatly from the cold storm--a most severe initiation into the hardships of soldier life.  And such was our first night at the front.  Colonel Morrow and a few of the men found shelter in a house where General Joseph Hooker was stopping for the night.  The latter had just arrived from the battlefields near by, and the two formed an acquaintanceship which continued through later experiences in army life.

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