, 1862-10-02
THE BATTLE OF luKA,
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF
THE ENGAGEMENT.
Splendid Fighting Of Our
Soldiers.
GENERAL RosEcaAKy ORDER OF
GENERALIZATION,

GENERAL RosEcaAMs' ORDER OF
CONCENTRATION.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribune.1
CoRsNTH, Mies.. Sept. q, 1859.
| propose to give you, in this commupfca-
| tlon, -5t1ets in connection with the battle OF
iuka-facts which could not be obtained
earlier, for the reason that the scattered con-
dltion Of the army engaged in the fight, which
Is obliged to hold and protect large extent
OF country, has delayed the reception Of off,
cial and reliable reports.
The battle was fought on our side entirely
by troops Of Maj. Gen. Rosecrans' command.
not gun being fired by any other. Neither
the troops Of Grant or Ord made any effort to
engage tie enemy, although the entire force
OF those generals was within seven miles OF
the enemy On the morning Of the 10Th, (the
day of the hatt1e,) while Gen. Rosecrans' with
lis command was nineteen miles distant,
Inc programme, SO understood, in Gen. Rose
cfans command was, that Gene. Grant and
Ord should attack Price from the direction Of
huntsville, and while the two armies we're
engaged, Gen. Rcsecrans was to attack the
rebels in flank by surprise, and cut off the
possibility of retreat. This plan was proposed
by Gen. Rosecrans, and be supposed was
adopted by Grant.
In accordance with this understanding, Gen.
Rosecrans made forced circuitous march,
Starting from his camp at Clear Creek On the
morning OF the 18th, and had Grant attacked
the enemy at any time during the 18th, the
capture and destruction OF Priee's entire
army would have been certain result! for
the rebel general never dreamed of our ap-
Izoach, until the head of our column Was
within two milee Of Iuka. Seven aud a
half miles from Iaka, our skirmishers
first came in contact with the piekets
Of the enemy. Our advance consisted Of three
companies OF the 51h Iowa, who steadily
E'ovtd forward driving the enemy for dis
ia; &c of five m'lee, when they were relieved
by three companies Of the 2G:h Missouri vol
unittrs, who, In their turn, drove the eEemP's
glchets within one and half miles of
luka, where We met the enemy in strong
position, with Infantry and artillery.
ErEadlcr- General g. s. Eamiltou, whose
drislon vas on the advance, immediately
moved to the front, anG, after accommodating;
11e entm5's position, proceeded to PLACE his
Own troops in lint, ordcrin. forward the llth
Olio and 12.h Wisconsin batteries, aid E1ade
such other disposition of his troops as the
emergency required. General Rosecrans had
~ this time reached the front and cordially
approved the dispositions made By General
The division Of General Stanley was not vet
Up, but that gallant leader was himself on
the ground, siding, advising and encouraging,
Inc following regiments and detachnleats,
Sna no others, comprise tue troops Of General
Hhmilton's division On the ground that d.y,
to wit: 9TH Iowa volunteers, 10Th Iowa, 1G:h
Iowa, 17th Iowa, 10Th Missouri, 2Cfh Mis.
eouri, 9TH Minnesota, 18th Indlana, and SOth
oEio, all anfantry; and the l1th Oli3 and
l1th Wisconsin batteries Of light artillery.
Although all these troops were On the ground,
a1l we're not actively in the fight, though
within the rarge Of the enemy's missiles.
A. about o'clock in the afternoon the
emmy made terrible attack upon our front
aud both Hanks with artillery and large
ftrce Of infantry. The ground inmedi4tel, Ia
our front, and on all sides, Was covered with
Il thick growth OF scrub oaks, So that rhe r+.t
almost at close quarters Out Of this dense
cover they p ured q CALLING fire, aimed priu-
elpt}ly at the 1lth Ohio battery, and ih-n
dashed forEa'd in d desperate charge. So
concentrated fire, that in less th.n three
nlnutes they had killed or wounded
Morc than half the men OF the battery,
AID I'll tie ho,scs, and nere in possession of
the guns: But curing this time our troops
we're Lot idle In front, ra7ged from right to
lett, we're the 5ta Iowa, the Goth Missouri, and
The 4S;h Indiana, Nhcse cool sad steady con
oucf, and deliberate fire, held the enemy at
bay, except when they had stormed the bat
terry.
As soon os the colonel of the 5sh Iowa saw
tia5 the enemy had captured our battery, he
h{1 mud 41,.
bayonet. On dashed that wave of steel, and
again The battery is ours, only to be asain
t.keR by the charge OF 4 fresh brigade ut r.s-
el=, and again in the end to remain in ou-
It is impossible in brief communication
such as uesisn this to be-, to give detailed
report OF the operations OF all the Regiments
ttai took L distinguished part in this battIe:
that will be found in the official report, which
will ooubtttss he published ere ]oug.
Besides the division of Gen. Hamilton. The
1ltn Missouri Of Gen. Stan!eJ's division, was
the only regiment or detachment in the
fight.
This regiment arrived on the field at a
6ontle-qoick, and reached tae front about
thlr ; minutes alter the commencement nftae
eHtacemtnt, and together with the 9Th Iowa,
10th Iowa, a part Of the 2Gth Missouri. and
the 18Th indiana, remained in front until
darkness cluseu the battle
Ii e aggregate Of our killed, wounded and
5>g. missing 40 Tot.l kill.l .un,nd.d 49,;
n,esintr. TS2-diyilcf, a1nnng ~. d;t1.-a,,t
r., ;n;tnts rs f,1;nws. 34'
5ti, I.,xa. ~ Killed. tn vonndad mice
inp-21G 7'7
SSth Tn6;ans ~ E}11na "a v-onnda5 y ,n;-,
irr-1n1 AAS'
aG!h Misscrri. af killed ~ vound.d I mia.
ing 9G 1>' "'''' Af'9''
I1th Missouri. Q killed. C6 wounded = miss
ire-1S.
18th Iowa. II killed. As wounded II mi,sx
inp-75.
4,1, AIinnesota- 1 killed a. wonnaod . m;ss.
ine-4a
i1,h inva. killed. ~ vounded-4a
11fh Ohio Ratterv- 1f Killed * vounda1 2
n,;Esing-;d-
The other 1osses are tri1inr-not mora
than fifteen in anv one regiment. and those
priucina1ly e1icht wounds from snent halls
TIE heaviest i1$s in propo1tion is That If he
batterx: though tue 5th Iowa lost nearv in
the sane nronortion. The nnmher of miss;nr
is Comparatively small: and tie MN.
her Of killed and wounded in the
rfsnectivc reoiments. chow which raoiments
done 1he fighting. as these men ali fl; vi
their faces 70 tLs Zoe. and were nat shat do IN
IN tiirht-
0n1 troons next day bur;ed o9S dead rehe,s.
a 1aroe r1m,her we're hur,ed III. n;oht hef,r.,'
by thcr friends. In addition thereto. rs ret,-
els were buried from the hosp;taIs al Iuka the
first two DAYS after the battle. they nayi1,s
been beer ma mo1ts,Iy % wounded therein. o All % thrr
slirht,y wouEded we're taken away h. then
,ef over Gfnl of their wounded fril mo nnr
honda b.s;3oe ohnuY ,.c0 nthar ,,,;.n~a-- -;