Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-11-07
Official History Of the Battle of
Chaplin Hills. 4
REPORT OF M"tor-Genern1 Alexander Nc
E"weil McCook, Com am ndinS lst Corps
Amy OF the Ohio.

army OF the Ohio.
HEApcU'RTERs 1sr CoRrs ARMror THE ONO,
Camp near Crab Orchard, Oct le, 1852.
Cd james B. Fry, Chit of Stu6:--
have the honor to report that, in
compliance with written instructions
from you, dated October z, s 2. NJ,
and received by me at my camp, at
MaxyilIe, at 2;30 a. NJ. on the morn
Ing ofthe Sth, marched at A. NJ. on
the ferryville Road. / had but por-
ton Of my corps with me, Rousseau .
and Jacksou's divisions, the 2l Divis-
ion under Gen. Sill having been dc
taehed 10 march upon Frankfort. The
10th Division, Gen. jackson command
ing, was entitled to the advance, but be-
ing composed entirely of new. troops, Il
ordered General Rousseau division to
take tie Head General Rousseau was
ordered TO march with great caution in
view of the known presence Of the enc
my at HarrodsJurg, and also of your
letter informing me that the enemy
would resist your advance iuto Perry
vile, and that you I'M ended to attack
them that day Hearing reports of ar
tillery in the morning cur march was
FASTENED
Maxvilie is5equidistant from Harrods-
burg and Perry yville-the distance be
ipg ten miles. Myinstructions required
meto advance on the Perryville -oad
until reached point three or three
ahd.a half miles of Perryville, or until
/ came up with Gilberts corps. The
head of my column reached the point
designated at 1890 A NJ. Cen Rous-
seau advanced his cavalry and portion
of his ,iniansry stothe front in order to
see ifthe ground was clear The artil-
lery (Loomis battery was halted on
fhe fifll in rear. Gen. Rousseau soon
sent me word that the eEemy was re-
ported advancing in force on the posi-
tionrassigned my corps. rode for
ward, examined the ground, and saw a
few of the enemy skirmishing with the
left Of Gilberts corps. My attention
was then directed to Gen. Gilbert's left
/ saw his intantary in line about four
or FIVE hundred yards to our right. l
called General Rousseau attention to
this fact, marked out my line of bait
and orderedahim to form it, L directed
LOOMS, battery to be brought up and
put in position on a commanding piece
Of ground to the left of and standing
near Russell's house Called Clark's on
the map | had previously ordered
General Rousseau to throw forward IA
line Of sklrmishers to examine the woods
on our left and front, and also sent Cap
tain Wickliffe, with his company Of the
I'd Kentucky cavalry to reconnoiter the
ground on the left of the skirmshers
General Gays cavalry Was making re-
eoBnsissanee in front aud toward Perry
vile. | was then we'll satisfied that
the enemy, which had engaged Gilbert
lett, had retired from the field. 1 then
informed General Rousseau that my in-
s.ruclions required me to report in per-
son to General Buell., and thea was
about to leaveihe field, but would re-
turn in ashort times
had given particular Instructions to
Capt. j. A. Campbell, nay Assistant
Adjutant General, to post Gen. Jack.
sons two 1brigaJes on a commanding
piece of ground, immediately to the
right of the Maxville ard Perryville
rqad, to hold them there in column so
they could be moved in any direction oc-
casiun Fequirea. | then galloped off to
report to Gen. Buell., whose headquar-.
ters were about tw aud half miles in
the rear of my right line. | received
verbal instructions from Gen. Buell. to
make a 3feconnoissance from Chaplin
River l Immediately returned to my
troops and found General Rousseau had
advanced the line on the right, occupy
ing commanding ridge about eight
hundred yards in front and to the left OF
Russell's House. The enemy had
placed three batteries in position, and
were firing upon his line. Loomis and
Simonson Batteries were repl lying.-
There being then no infantry of the en-
envy in sight, l sent an order to these
batteries to cease firing and economise
ammunition. The command suffering
greatly for water, | repaired to make
the reconnaissance toward Chaplin riv.
er, as ordered Having been informed
by my guide, Capt. Beverly D. Viii
liams, Assistant Quartermaster on Gen
Jackson's staff, and also by Col. L. A
Harris, commanding 9th baigade, that
by moving a short distance to the Left
of the PeTyriIle road, could get high
commanding ground fora portion of my
line. went forward in person, after
having ordered a portion Of the 33d Ohio
into the woods on the rlghtas skrmish-
ers to ascertain ifany Of the enemy was
present in that vicinity, to a point over.
looking and within 600 yards of Chap
lain river. 4 then sent for Generals
Jackson and Terrell, and showed
them the water, marked their line
of battle, and ordered battery to
posted on the line with strong sup
ports. General Terrell WAS ordered
to advance a body of skirmishers
cautiously, down the slopes Of the
hill TO the water, as soon as his line was
formed. During my presence on the
ground no enemy was seen, save solIe
cavalry on the opposite hills across the
river, ~ho | supposed were threatening
my train in the rear. A few well direct
ed shots from Stones First Kentucky
Battery, posted to the left and rear Of
this position, put them to fight.
Not being aPprehensive Of an attack,
] lett this position and moved toward.
the right Of the line This was about
l:30 2. NJ. in the day. At2 2. Nj. an
attack was made by the eneny on IL e
skirmishers Of the 33d Ohio. l then
ordered the remainder Of the regiment
under Lieutenant-C Colonel Moore to sup
port the line, also the Cd Ohio to sup
nnrt the 33I My line of hattie at this