The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-12-16


I orders OF the President. As the Secre
tary of War has ordered military com
R mission to investigate the operations o
General Buell. in this campaign, it woulc
, be obviously improper for me to expires;
any opinion, unless specially directed tc
do so.
, GEN. MoRGAN's RETREAT FROM CUMBER
: LAND GAP.
The command OF Brig. Gen. Morgan
at Cumberland Gap abandoned tha
: place and retreated to the Ohio River
The alleged cause of this retreat was the
want of supplies. The commanding
officer, however, had just before report,
ed that he had several weeks provisions,
and under no circumstances would he
surrender that important post. An in
vestigation Of this matter has been order
ed.
IuKAs coRINTH AND THE HATcHIE.
The withdrawal Of considerable
part Of Gen. Grants army TO reinforce
Gen. Buell. and TO occupy GAINESVILLE and
Cincinnati, induced, the enemy to re-
new operations in northern Mississippi
and western Tennessee.
\ force of some 5000 or 5000 men
was sent to attack Bolivar and Jackson
Tenn, and bv destroying the railroad to
cut off all connection between Memphis
and Corinlh. The head of the enemy's
column was met about four miles south
of Bolivar, on the 30th Of August. and a
brisk skirmish ensued On the 1st Of
September the fight WAS renewed at Brit
tons Lane, on the Denmark road, and
continued till night, when the enemy re.
treated south across the Hatchie, leaving
i rs dead and wounded on the field
Our loss was five killed, seventy-eight
wounded, and ninety two prisoners and
missing.
In the early part Of October, Gen
Price advanced with large force, and
took possession of Iuka, a small town on
the Memphis and Charleston railroad,
twenty one miles south east Of Corinth
The garrison. too weak to attempt re-
sstance, fell back on Corinth As the
occupation Of this place by the enemy
!
of Gen Grant and Gen. Buell., the for.
mer determined TO attack aud drive him
/ from that position. Grants forces NOV.
/ ed in two columns, one OH the north OF
The town under Maj. Gen. Ord, aud the
other on the south under Mai, Gen
Rosecrans. The enemy, finding himself
III, siSy igy9 ~ "',w~e"~4s4, lsft the town
/ ana allaOheu tie cviuIIu
Rosecraus about 4 p. m. on the l9th Of
/ October. The engagement lasted until
! dark, Hamilton's division sustaining the
brunt of the battle. Our men fought
with great bravery, and completely rout-
ed the enemy, who fled in confusion,
/ leaving their dead and most Of their
wounded on the field We buried 225
dead, took 700 or 800 wounded, and
captured Sol prisoners, over | 600 stand
OF arms, and a consid rable quantity oil
stores. Our loss was l08 killed, Gil
wounded, and seventeen missing. The
retrcatiug foe was pursued only few
miles.
On the 30th of October. Gen. Grant
ascertained that Generals Price and Van
Dorm were concentrating their forces at
Ripley, with the probable intention OF
attacking Corinth. The enemy crossed
tbs Haichie River, and took possession
of the railroad north of Corinth. cutting
of all direct communication with Jack.
son and Bolivar. He then advanced 10.
wards Corinlh, and some skirmishing
took place on the el OF November
Maj Gen. Rosecrans commanded our
forces at Coripth, which consisted of the
divisions OF Brig. Gems. Hamilton, Nc
/ kean. Davies, and Stanley. The first
three were placed in line OF battle near
the old rebel entertainments, and the last
held IN reserve in the town. The skir.
mshing was renewed on the morning of
the Sd, and by 10 or IL o'clock the en-
gagement became pretty general and
continued until dark Ii was fereely
renewed on the morning Of the 4th, and
fought with varied success till near noon,
when the rebels were defeated and driven
from the field, leaving their dead and
many of their wounded. The enemy S
forces were commanded by Gems. Van
Dorm, Price, Lowell, Nillipigue and Rust,
and their number estimated at about
%, 600 or nearly double those of General
Rosecrans Their loss in killed was L.
423. which would give. by the usual
proportion, 5,692 wounded We took
. eos prisoners, among whom were i27
officers. We also captured II stand of
colors, , pieces of artillery, $500 stand
OF arms, and ammunition. secountre,
ments, etc. Our loss was SIS killed.
1879 wounded. and 232 prisoners and
missing. This great disparity Of mum.
bers in killed and wounded resulted in
part from the Tact that a portion of our
! men fought behind the intrenehed bat
ieries Maj. Gen. Grant had ordered a
brigade Of four regiments, under Brig :.
/ Gen. Mcpherson. from jackson to Cor.
/ inth, Finding the railroad Interrupted
Al Bethel. the latter turned 70 the lefl and
reached Corinth on the ith, by the Far
! mington road. thus marching nearly
; around the enemy, and forming a timely
! junction with Gen Rosecrans.
} OIher forces from Jackson and Boil
var, under Brig. Gen. Hurlbuf, were di-
racted 10 march on Coriuth by way oi