Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-11-07
Letters From Dixie.
LETTER NUMBER ".

One needS Dut 10 DE present OH the SrouHu
shortly after battle to become thoroughly
convinced that careful reading Of all the let
tiers written by newspaper correspondents
gives but a very imperfect idea of it; for
apart from the gloss and varnish with which
they generally embellsh the story, many err
rors occur in point of fact. But now, after a
lapse of four weeks, having been over the
ground and heard the story of the fight from
various sources-mostly from private sol
diers, who have no ambitious ends to sub
verve, who expect nothing but to fight in the
ranks until the war is ended have thought
clearer idea of some facts connected with the
battle of Corinth than they have obtained
elsewhere.
In order to effect that object, it will be nee
essary to give some general idea of the
ground over which the fighting was DONE
The Memphis and Charleston railroad runs
nearly due east course through the South
ern portion of the village, and the Mobile and
Ohio road crosses it near the western end o.
the village, running from little east South
On little elevation from one-half to three
fourths of mile west of the town, and or
the South side of the Memphis and Charles
ton railroad, stands Fort Williams, a little
west OF south from which stands Battery Phil
lips. Northeast from Fort Williams, on the
same ridge, and across the railroad, at dis
lance Of little more than quarter of a mile
stands Fort Robinett, where Rodgers and
Ross made the very determined effort o.
Saturday-an effort which resulted in the
death of both, and the utter rout of the whole
rebel army.
North, east and west Of Fort Robinett there
is an area of perhaps one hundred acres COW
cred with fallen timber There is a gradua
fall in the ground east and towards town
from Fort Robinett until we reach the line Of
the Mobile and Ohio railroad. From the
railroad, east, the ground rises again until we
arrive at Fort Richardson, distant about three
fourths of mile, and Immediately north Of
the most thickly settled portions of the viii
age Southeast of Fort Richardson, across
the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and
distant about half a mile, is Fort Madison
These four forts and Battery Philips were all
that were engaged on Saturday, the memora-
BILE 4th of October, 1862, and being so en-
gagged, the enemy are fully aware of their
several localities, consequently this description
cannot be considered contraband Now it
must be remembered that the enemy Apr oach-
ed Corinth from the north, Immediately in
front of Forts Robinett and Richardson, and
under cover Of woods, which is distant only a
few hundred yards at any point.
At the time they made their dash into
town, breaking our battle line, their line was
formed in the woods, In the form of V,
with the point in the low ground Immediately
east of the Mobile and Ohio railroad, so that
as they approached each flank fronted fort
their left towards Fort Richardson, and their
right towards Fort Robinett
The reason of the partial success of that
undertaking-for they were certainly in the
town, and left number of their dead and
wounded lying in the streets - has been
attributed to various causes, but, from the
best information I can obtain, it grew out of
the fright and unmanageableness of the horses
attached to the 1st Missouri battery, which
caused slight panic and came near resulting
in a stampede. Our men were rallied, how
ever, and charged them with the bayonet,
when they retreated to the woods
Meantime their left flank had reached Fort
Richardson. and actually took possession of
it but Fort Madison, though entirely out of
sight, made it too soarm place for them to
stay over very few minutes. 1 noticed
among the graves behind Fort Richardson the
names of several members of the I'd Iowa
infantry, D.
Having been entirely repulsed, and at the
same time having ascertained that Fort Robi-
nett would command several other forts, as
well as the town, they seem to have deter
mined on one more desperate effort on that
ort, though it was evidently far more difficult
# access than Richardson, owing 10 the fallen