New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-11-19

CoaiNrm, o.. 20, 1902.
MAJOR: have the honor to submit, for the IN
formation Of the Major-General commanding tne
District, the following Report Of the baie o. Oof'
intb:
pRrrISIINARIEs.
The rumors which followed the ha'tles OF I3ea
were that Price Lad marched 10 the vicinity oil zap,
lev. and 1vgs boiug Joined by Van Dom with gil
the available Rebel forces in North Mlsslesppi, Tor
the rurnose of capturing Corinth, or breaking our
line OF communication, and forcing us to retreat to-
Thee minors gained strength until the let of De-
tober when strong cavalry scouts cent ont Tor The
puroose demonstrated The fact that the Rebels were
moving from Ripley via EuckersNile, and tie main
BODY was a. p0cahOntas.
Tie question hen was, where they would strike
the main blow
Equally fayoraby situated to strike either Boil.
val, Bethel, Jackson, or CoTinthi which would
ii bel
Unfortunately for me, there was no. map Of the
country northwest ST this place 10 be found there
fore I could not tell whether 70 expect strong
demonstration here 10 hold us IN suspense while the
blow WIS struck else where, OF vice versa. RumoIs
that the attack was take the direction of Ja kson
or Bolivar. via Bethel were 80 Iite and the forth
cations o. C0rinth were SO Well known 70 the kcb-
els, that had hopes they would undertake 10 mask
me. aud passing north, give me ap opportunity 10
beat the masking force and cut Oft their retreat.
This hone Gained some strength from the sup oaed
difficulties of the country lying in Tie triangle formed
by the Memphis apd Charleston, tie Mobile and
TO lie prepared for eventualiiies llamilton's and
SANKEY'S divisions were placed Just beyond Bridge
Creek tie infantry outpcsis were called in from
Iuka Evansville, Rienzi aud DanWlle, and the out
posi- at Cbowala retired 70 New-AloXGuder aud
strengthened by another regiment and d battery,
early on the morning Of tie second.
During that day evidences increased showing the
rractcsbiity Of The country noIih-west Of us, and
disclosed the facts, NOS before known, that there
were two good roads from Chewalla eastward one
leading directly into the old Rebel inlcucbments,
md tie o.Ler crossing ever iuto tie P.tsburg Land
ing road.
Accordingly, tie following dirpo.ition Of tie
troops for lie 81 was o.de,ed a, O'Clock a. IL Of
lila, day, viz:
Tlers being indications Of possible attack on
Coriufh, irwe filtcly the loving dispositions Of
iroors viii De made: Gen. Mexican with bic division
viii occupy the pI,seut positions Gen. Davis will
OCCUPY tie line between the Memphis and Columbus
road Gen. Hamilton with his division viii take pO
s0u between the Rebel works on the Purdy and
on the Hamburg roads; and Gen. StAny viii hold
his division IN reserve AZ or near the old heaaquar
ters o. Mai0r-Gen. Grant
The resiec,iye divisions will te formed In two
lines The second line being either IN line OF battle
close column by division as their circumstances may
require.
fhe troops were ordered to move toward their
positions, with 100 rounds of ammunition and three
osys raiions per man, BY 8 ocloch. a. D..
In-se expeditions were made, and the troops at .
O'Clock tie morning Of the 81 occupied tie posi-
tons shown on tue accOI panl ing map. Hamilton
Oh tie rigb'. Davidson the center, Mexican OF tie
left with On advance ~ three regiments o. infantry
and section Of artillery under Col Oliver on tie
Chewalia Road, a. or near AlcXanders, beyond the
Rebel breastwoTAs. The cavalry were o. losoc as
follows: ls.e map accompanying Co. Wiener :
repOrt1 4 battalion a. DurnayAle, one al Honey p
Mil on the Jaceuto and Corinth Road. Col. Lee,
with the 9Th Kansas and part 81 ne 'th llrcs a.
Kossuth aud BCLtyard, Wa-cllHe tie Rete.s uSlt
flank Col. Hatch aud Cart. Wilcox on Tie east
and moth fronts covering ard rcconnoite inc.
for d. I.
from tue foregoing explanations q; our ignorance a.
the north westerly approach, ana o. ne possibility
that the Rebels might threaten ne on The ChewlIs
and attack ne bv tie Smiths Bridge Road on our lct,
or 90 round and try ua with iis n1in fofce on the
ICldy, or even liltsburg Landing Road.
TIE GENERAL Plan
wlicl was explained . the division commanders
verbally on tie morning was 20 hold the enemy O,
arm's length By approaching lin strongly n our
pssuued positions, and wien bis force became fully
developed and he Lad Assumed position, to tax a
position which would give " The use Of our bat
teIies trd the open ground IN the vicinity Of
Connih, tic exact position 10 be determined by
events and the movements OF the enemy.
OPERATIONS or THE BATTLE OF THE 80 or
OCTOBER.
EQJly in the morning the advance under Col.
Oliver found strong indications that tie pressure
uuder which he had retired On tie "a came from the
advancing foe. and accordingly took 2 strong posi-
ton tie Lii near the angie Of the Rebel breast
uliery.
By 9 o'clock the enemy began to press them
sharllv aud outhank them. Brighten. Arthur,
whom had requested 10 70 10 tie front, reported
wide-sread but slack akirmising, and said the bill
was Of great value to the advancing force. | or
eered bin to hod it pretty firmly with that view.
About 10 o clock word came that the enemy were
rresning the point holly, and that reinforcemenls
were rcquileo or they must yield the position. Sup
posing liz importance was properly understood and
that il was held in sutordination 10 the general
views Of tie Use, which were ex lained, directed
Gen. Davies TO send up from biz position two rgi-
uenie.
But il proved that Gen Macarthur had taken iup
fonr more regiments from Mckeans division, and
was eOniestug the ground almost az for battle. II
was lFooavly this which induced GenDayles TO ask
permission 10 fert his right The Rebel lDtTeDch-
ments, AID TO which consented adding the verbal
order 10 Lleut--Col. Ducat that lie might ufe HE
Judgment about leaving Lis present for that position
but in event must lie cease 10 touch the left ON
McArthurs night.
The advance was made 70 the b,easf work NJ
shown in the drawing, but leaving an interval be.
tween McAUhurs ana Daviee's lef, The .pe,ny
developed bic forces along tia, line as ne.
aired from Lis loslJon, which gave The Rebels AN
opportunity 70 advance behind Davies lefl and
7Orced H. after obstinate resistance, 10 fall bac rar
IDLY about tho lfaDl yards, losing two heavy onj,e
Our troops foneh, with the most determined
courage firing very low. At J. n. Davies hay-
ing resumed the fame position be had occupied in
the morning and McArthurs brigade having fought
heavy force, 10 became evident that the enefny
were IN fun strength, and meant mischief Mexican
with CrOckere brigade had seen only ekrmishefs
here were no sgus Of any movements on our left
and only few cavalry skirmishers on our right. j.
wAs pretty clear t3at were TO expect tic weight
q the stack 70 fall cur center, where hopes had
tsci given Of our falling back.
Ofders were accordingly given 70 Mexican 10 fall
hack 10 the next Tidge beyond our in