New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-10-16
Composition Ct tie Union and Retei Forces
GalantFight by our Western Soldiers
THE ENEMY UTTERLY DEFEATED
rhE sPo,ls OF THE VICTORY
-. ss,,o Of The Chicago Iiules.

u. ~ m w
$50 tbronch sources and circumstances which ren-
A. i eniir.ly Trustworthy, and 1 may amuse my
,elf some t,n,e hereafter, IN senoing you 'he iuii
,,erSong4 Of tie Rebel army. Two army corps
a. de, the c)mmand Of Van Dorm and Price, com
nosed tins force. Zach corps was composed Oh TWO
Jv,.ions. Que division in each corps was composed
cf foag brigades oach and the other Of three brig
sdes each making IN all fourteen brigadeF. EaSn
brigade was composed OF todr reeimentsIln al,
tiity-sx regiments OF infantry. IDfee thousaiu
cavalry also formed part of the army. lhelr ar
tlery did not bear its usual proportion 10 the rest OF
the army it being difficult OF transportation over
the country they had to traverse, and, III Their pro-
posed attack npon CoTinth, they chose to rely upon
She iupetuosity OF infantry charges Inc ioree OF
the Rebels cannot be figured below 10000, and the
lowest claim | have heard made 10y ANY oil the
Rebel prisoners was 2Z,ouJ ,
Iaie on Friday afternoon. Oct 3, Gen. liurlbut
received orders to telegraph for Cen Grant TO Darch
h,s diyision toward COiinth, to aid Gen. Rosecrans
m his defense Of that ulaee to aid in cutting oil
the retreat of the enemy, should ne be beaten oa'H
from the attack be was then making on that point
by O'clock On Saturday morning, tue diNisioh was
on the march.
Gen Hurlbut aud the active members OF has stau on
this 90 casion were Major C. {. Campbeii, thiei OF
Artillery; Capt. Wm. jackson, Cnei Comml:saiy oil
Subsistence j.. j. G.. keenau, 5iedlcal Direc'ofi
Lieut. VI. X. Cook, Aid-je-Camp. Bng'Gen D. u
I,uman conmssIed tie let Brigade, which was
composed OF the following regiments ana batteries:
I'd Iowa. Cart Irumbuli Acting Colonel; 18th Ill
iools, Col A X. johnson; J3d Illinois, Capt. J0nn
w. McClanghan Acting Colonel; ga Illinois; CI,'
John Logan; 4lst Illinois, Col. j. +. Pugh; Co. +,
is, Mi.s5un Battery, Lieut. Broizman commanding,
guns Ssh Ohio Battery, Lieut.. burrows COM
handing. :
The Second BRIGADE was under the command OF
BIG. ten J. c. Veatch. Capt. Frank w. Fox, a.
A. g., Capt. Walker, Lieut.. White and Lieu.
Hewitt formed lis staff. The brigade was composed
of the following regiments aud batteries: l4th il'
nos Col. Cyrus Wall; l5th Illinois, Lieut.. Col. g.
e. Rogers, commanding; 45ih ILLINOIS, Col. john A.;
Indiana. Lieut. Col. William Jones, commanding;
Bottoms Chicago Battery, and Burnaps IN Ono
Baiery-each OF four guns. The I'm Michigan,
IieuI Col Graves commanding, and the 6Sth Ohio,
Col Scott were added 10 thia brigade from tina, Of
Gen. Ross's for this special expedition. The cavalry
force COZ sisted OF Two battalions OF the 9th Ohio
Caysiry, Major Haze, commanding; Major SheaIer,
secOnd IN command.
Saturday was All excessively hot day, but, not
UNDERSTANDING this the little army had marched by
the road twenty-sx miles through the dust and heat
and they onc4mied i've miles from tie Ilaioile
River, on what X led the State hne road. During
the last half If this march, TIE cavalry were iaces
sanity engaged with that OF The Re0eis, and cid gall
liant service IN clearing the way
The pre- ence Of the e9emy in force being a.
aertained our troops bivouacked in line Of battle,
by the order Of marching in advance on alternate
II fell to tie lot of the Second Bigade TO lead
held as the reserve.
The country in tbe vicinity of The river is very
Druken--rhVst, otVeP Lins, eud the valleys filled
with a thick nnGer6rush OF timber. Oar army was
faced directly east on the line which divides the
State OF Mississippi, snd approaching the Iiatehie
River, which at tie point OF crossing, runs nearly
from The south 10 the north.
Tie enemy had moi only strongly posted himself
on the opposite aide OF The river Saturday even
ing bat had thrown a considerable infantry force
across the river, and battery Of artillery Of four
guns and planted i; Immediately IN front Of Ia,
bridge.
Early in The morning our army began to move,
shellng the nights with the artillery, the nth Hi
nois and 2Sth Indiana acting os administers, and to-
gether, driving the encrnys cavalry and srmishers
from every position.
Soon after the march commenced Mai.-Gen. Ord
arrived on the field and took the chief command,
though he made changes il the disposition Of the
troops on the plan OF the engagement.
The first important contest Wac opened about
O'Clock for the possession Of the bjl whose lopes
and the bottom beyond stretched three quarters o!
mile 10 the bridge the river. The enemy Lad
planted battery of four l2pound howitzers im.ne-
oaiely in front Of the bridge to protect the advance
of their infantry, which had already been missed in
the timber on both sides OF the wood During the
fire Of th!s artillery upon the hill onr line Of battle
advancing the opposite side, preceded by the
artillery.
B7lton's Baitery was quickly planted in portion
their ep facing orr right, 10 fsnk II, which move
ment was checked by throwing on, Brnap's Battery
90 the night OF Bottoms Battery distance which
opened upon the advancing column OF Rebel infantry
n most destructive fire OF grape and canister, which
with the aid Of some sharp practice Of iufanty,
the whole hclter-skelter back through the
timber, across open field, and into the woOds be-
yond 20 far that they never seen aiterwaro.
immediately after, both batteries were brought 10
bear MON that of the Rebels in front Of the bndge,
and after a sharp contest were enabled TO silence il.
The first line OF battle bed been formed by the
Second Brigade, The First being held as "A reserve.
Gen. NeAicb led GA his line IN gallant style His
night was speedily engaged by iresh tro DDS when
the enemy lad thrown across the bridge and de-
ployed 20 their left but with little effect in stopping
the onward march OF our trOOps. The left wing Of
our column, with Capt. Fox iD lie lead, feeling
tier way through point Of timber and over deep
gully, and d.ayCnug 10 draw be lire Of the Reb-
e.s posied to tae right OF their battery. This they
ga not succeed IN doing until they reached an open
space when the lire OF the Rebels Told plainly where
Mey we've, end that Ia numbers not TO be despeed.
short, and DECISIVE. -
In twenty minutes from the time the Rebels |
oIeieu 'Hc'' hFe' lour hundred OF them threw down
ui ", "iihs anu surienderei, while hundreds Of |
The nNer ana reaching the opposi,e hank. I. fc,r |
made good their retreat across he bride otL.r,
broke fOr the right and left some throw M, -,
their arms In their flight. Tie Rebel La,tstg 80,
then drawn 10 our Daung tbis MARI, ,o,,n
the hill. Col. DAVIS o. the iGth Illinois MS soviv
wounded, while "a lantly leading biz regiment. ar3 |
the command deyolyed upon Lieut. Col. j. j. Jo1.s.
During this time the Rebels opened another bal erv
on an euneuoe n quarter Of mile IN rear Of the |
bridge and commanding Il, and were throwing a |
CALLING fire from il, well IA from their infantry |
winch lined every available point on that se Of the
river.
AT Ihis time Gen. IIurlbut WAS just bringing up
the brigade, sll of i. bur Two companies,
which proves the desperate character OF The engage
Gent. All If The artillery was also being FASTENED