Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-10-16
The Great Battle at Corinth

After the fght OF Friday all was qui-
ct during the night till half past three
o'clock Saturday morning, when bat
terry Robinet" commanded by Lieut..
II. G. Robinet of the LIST Z. s. Infant
ry, opened upon the rebels with its
heavy siege guns. An artillcy duel
was kept up until six o'clock, when
the enemy's batteries were s'Ienced
and abandoned, aud most Of their
guns, caissons and ammunition cap
tured. At seven o'clock our batteries
commenced feeling the woods in eve
ry direction but could elicit no reply.
1t was afterwards ascertaincd from
prisoners that the rebels we're gather
ed in the timber, out Of range Of our
guns, and addressed by PRICE upon
the necessity of capturing Jerry
Robinet. lie represented the peril
Gus nature of the undertaking and de-
manded to know if 1000 men we're
willing to undertake its capture. Two
thousand men stepped forward and a
Gen. Rogers offered to lead the for
lorn hope.
At 10 o'clock the enemy were dis
covered drawn up in two lines. They
moved forward rapidly under a heavy
fire'from our artillery, followed at sup
porting distance by their reserves.
During their advance their colors were
shot away several times and as often
replaced. They came galIantly at a
charge, sweeping every thing before
them, and occupied the streets of Cor
NTH. Meanwhile our batteries were
playing upon them with terrible effect.
A huge she'll from battery Williams
exploded in the midst of q solid col.
umn, and thirty rebels went to their
long account. Their reserves had
been prevented from coming up by
the attentions of the batteries. Our
men rallied, and charging upon them,
scattered them in every direction. In
great disorder they crossed the abat-
tbs and reached the timber from whence
they started. ...
BY this time the first line, and re-
serves, had reached their old position
the second line forming an angle of
ninety degrees, were well advanced
in the direction of battery Robinet."
This was the forlorn hope. Disap-
pointed in gaining Judgement in the
village, discounted and dishcartencd,
they must confess to an utter rout if
that battery is not taken. If they
take it the town is theirs. The two
thousand men, masscd in single col.
umn eight deep, moved forward in
silence, Gen. Rogers at the head, re-
gardlcss of the shower of bullets that
whistlcd about their heads and deci.
mated their ranks The decisive mo-
ment, the turning point of the engage.
ment, had arrived. Every Federal
battery bearing on the column was
double charged with grape and can
mister. Scores were killed at every
discharge, but they moved steadily on,
maintaining deadly silence. They
charged up to the battery, reserving
their fire til, they reached the para
pets. Twice repulsed, the third time
they reached the outer works and
planted their flag upon the escarp-
ment. 1t was shot down again and
again. The rebels fired from the par
apct and through the cmbrasurcs, and
had partial possession of the works.
But their triumph was of short dura.
ton. According to previous instruc-
tions, the gunners fell back behind the
works, and battery Williams and bat
terry Robinet threw murderous fire.
1t was at short range, and the mis-
siles were directed with fearful accu-
racy. No body of men could stand
that fire, and the rebels, what were
left of them, reluctantly withdrew.
Their charge upon the battery was
bold but foolhardy affair. Nearly
FIVE hundred dead rebels were left in
the trenches, among them Gen. Rog-
ers. He was Texan officer, and
when his body was found there were
two canteens of whiskey upon it. His
forlorn hope of 1000 are supposed to
have been more or less inebriatcd.
As the sccesh retreated down the
bill towards the timber, the batteries
Robinet and Williams played upon
them with double charges of grape
and canister. Beaten at every point
and disappointed in their well con.
ceived aud nearly executed plan of
capturing Corinth, general move
ment, as if rctreating, was seen along |
the entire rebel line. This was about
l2a o'clock on Saturday and virtually
the end of the engagement. The en-
envy slowly took up his line Of retreat
in the direction of Chervalla.
After refreshing our troops over
night. pursuit was made. Gen. Rose
cranz followed the rebel army until
near the Hatchie river, where Gen.
Hurlbut had arrived and already de-
stroyed the bridge. The rebels find
ing their retreat cut off in that direc-
ton, attempted to move towards Cher.
valla, when they met the advancing
column Of Gen. Rosccranz. There
was lighting all day Sunday and Mon.
day, and Gen. Rosecranz declares the