Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-10-09
From the jackson Mississippian, 2ett uIt.
The Battle Of Iuka.

We this morning conversed with IF Luke z. Black
burn, aid of Gen. Price, WHO was with him at Iuka
Gen. Price was thrice ordered by Gen. Bragg to
move his army the Tennessee river at Eastport
or Iuka. On Thursday morning, the llth, be moved
bis army OF less than $4,000 men from Guntown towards
Iuka By rapid and forced marches he arrived within
3 miles of Iuka at daylight Sunday morning. There
he was informed by a courier from Gen. Armstrong;
command, whose cavalry had attacked the enemy on
Saturday, that reinforcements were being sent from
Burnsyile The men being much fatigued were Or
dered to rest and sleep in line for 80 minutes.
Gen. Price, knowing that Capt. Saunders, with his
company of 20 men had possession of the road between
luka and huntsville having implicit confidence in that
officer and he had no fear Of reinorcements from CO.
rnth until he should have captured the force at Burns
vile and Iuka. The column was put in motion on
reaching the edge of town he astonshed to hear
that the enemy 1000 strong, with 1000 stolen negroes
and large train had fled at o'clock the night pre-
vious. he took possession of the place. There was
quantity of cotton ard stores. The enemy came up
again on Monday, in small force but.soon retreated
Colonel Writ Adams and Hieman's cavalry captured
and burnt train of cars FIVE miles below Iuka.
There was no further demonstration until Friday
morning, when Colonel Ord sent in flag demanding
the unconditional surrender Of General Prices army
stating that the army of General Lee had been destroy
ed in Virginia Longstreet and Hill, with their entire
divisions, captured that the war now virtually
closed and he wished to prevent the useless shedding
of blood, he demanded unconditional surrender
That he General Price) was completely surrounded by
an overwhelming force, aud could not escape.
General Price replied that whenever the independence
of the Southern Confederacy was acknowledged, her
rights respected and the vanda hordes of the North
were driven from her SOIL that then, and then only,
would he and his army be willing and ready to lay down
their arms.
General Price, in obedience to orders from General
Van Dorm and being almost destitute of forage unable
to cross the Tennessee river prevented from passing
down towards Cornth by the unfavorabe condition Of
thn haUi IF fha
ern bank of Yellow Creek, determined to fall back to
Baldwin, and there unite with Gen. Van Dorm.
The order to fail back issued Friday morning,
9 O'clock when no one dreamed of an attack On Fri
day evening. at o'clock the enemy in line of battle
approached our out post. Heavy skirmishng ensued.
At 3 o'clock General Price ordered up the Fourth
Brigade. When they reached their position they found
the enemy in line of battle holding good position
hill. The order was given to charge them, which
charge drove the enemy back two hundred yards into
ditch formed by the road from Fulton to Eastport and
directly under their which were masked. Gen.
Price had now reached the field. The firing had almost
ceased. Gen. Hebert and Col. Martin, commanding
Brigade, with Whtfed's Legion being all the force
| in line.
General Price ordered up General Gregg's and
Green's brgades to form the left, charge the enemy
and press them down on General Mureys division, he
being on the right. Before the arrival of their bri
gades, General Price ascertained that the enemy were
lying in the road, sheltered from our artillery. They
were nrIDg but one gun, and that on our right.
The gallant and lamented Gen. Little suggested that
they seemed to have but gun in position if the
line would forward the battle could be won
The order was given. Our men emerged from the un-
der brush in line. They then met by terrific
fire from masked batteries and concealed musketry
was ever encountered. But the invincible Sd Lousi
ana Sd Tennessee and 37th Alabama, stood like statu
ary When the order to charge given, they rushed
headong through this sheet of fire and lead drove the
enemy from their position and gus Whitfeds legion
pressing tie right, the enemy would resist and ta
back until they were driven half mile, losing nine
guns.
It was dark, Gems. Green and Gregg arrived
but too late to enter the fight.
One hour of daylight and the entire Yankee division
would have been captured We held the field all night
brought in the wounded and evacuated the place in
cordance with the order issued 10 the morning.
Our loss in killed. wounded and missing, 482. That
of the enemy, over 800. Gen. Price brought of his
entire train and captured stores. Gen Murray covered
the retreat.
Gen. Little fell whilst conversing with Gen Price.