Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-10-15
~ nATrLR OF OORINTm.

EDITORS AEtEAL AAp SApoA D~ss.o NDAANsA
has been fought, and lost. The Sd, 4th and 9th
of October, 1862, are memorable days, the events
Of which form a part Of our history yet to be
recorded and read by future generations. But,
thank God, our failure to take COrinth has not
been so disastrous to our armya as the impression
uuon the public mind first indicated.
On the Sd and 4th, We beat the enemy back
from ali Of his strong holds outside Of his main
notifications, and drove him in, with great
slaughter, to shelter behind bis siege guns. He
found shelter there, but not security. Our brave
troops, led by the invincible Price, charged the
enemy in his strongest position and in the
face of a terrific fire of grape, canister, ball and
she'll, hurled him backward, confused and con
founded. His batteries were ours. Rosecrsns'
center fHltered and broke, and now, for a mo
meDt, the Confederate fsg proudly kissed the
breeze, and victory seemed to perch upon the
glorious banner of the Southern Confederscy.
But, alas the support, the support did not
come. These victorious troops were too much
shattered 10 hold their position, and, as the
enemy were speedily reinforced and rallied, they
were compelled to retreat. This they did, and
carried off from the TishOmingo and Corintb
houses a number of prisoners and horses.
A retreat was now ordered, and we fell back
in good order and bivOuacked all night at Che
wslla, six miles from the battle field. The next
day we continued our march. The enemy now
pursued, and overlook US at the Tuscumbia.
Here General Bowen repulsed him, losing but
one man, and killing and wounding a great
many Of the enemy.
Previous to this repulss Of the enemy, how
ever, General Prices division was met by the
Federal Hurlbuts division, from Bolivar, at
Hatchie bridge, four miles from the T~useumbia,
where they had masked batteries and smbushed
troops in waiting for US. General Price ordered
Moore's brigade, (the same that had two days
before so gloriously carried the Confederate flag
into the very center of Corinth, } to drive the
enemy and take possession Of the bridge. In
this attempt General Moore was drawn into the
enemy's ambush, aud received from him a most
deadly cross FIRE, which routed him and forced
him to a precipitate retTeat.
With the enemy hanging on our rear, and
elated with their victory over our front, and our
troops greatly exhausted by excessive fatigue
and fasting, together with the fact that We were
hemmed in b. the two rivers, one bshind and
the other before us, and no crossing, at least
none in our direct path, our situation was truly
embarrassing. 1t is situations like this-great
extremites-when everything depends upon
quick and correct decision, and prompt and sue
cs8sful execution of plans that test the ability
o. officers. There was bat one way of escape,
aud escape we must, for our army was not then
in a condition to fight There was but one road
not held by the enemy, the Bone yard road, run
ming northeast, between the two rivers, in the
direction Of CoriDtb, and crossing the Hatchie
ten miles above the bridge held by the enemy.
Our train of wagons measured about ten miles.
We must get them all ont. General Price takes
the front again, General Bowen and General
Rust hold the euemy in check at Tu5cumbia,
and General ViIipigue throws out skirmishigg
parties and threatens him st Hatchio bridge.
Night comes on, the train is put in motion and
moves steadily forward The division Of Gen
eral Price is in front, that Of level in the rear.
We are safe. The morning comes, we have
the Hatchis, and the enemy still waits
ia ambush ten miles below US. General Viii
continued to cover the retreat, aud on enc
occasion, hearing Of the enemy he waited two
hours for hin in line of battle, but be did not
up.
The casualties Of this battle win be sent you
officially it was not my purpose to speak of
.4sU c,prot rsfr.;u bovrava~ from,
giving you one interesting incident.
Captsin Stsuiifsr'5 company, of the 18th
Louisiana regiment, formed one of the skirmish-
ing parties thrown out in front Of our column.
These parties all had heavy skirmishing, and
frequently got up to within fifty to seventy
yards of the enemy! ThOs. H, B. Petty, of this
company, had exchanged several shots with a
both being protected by a tree. Come
put - says Petty at last to the Federal, "come
,ut and don't act so c0wardly. 1 will meet you
IN open ground" NO" replied the Federal,
4 will not make myself q target." just at this
lime she Federal skirmishers had made a flank
movement, and Petty received a mortal wound
the bowels. 1 saw him soon afserward.
Tell my family said he, Il died bravely
lighting for my country" John G. Minton, a
of Petty's, seeing the fellow who had
efused his banter skulking out from behind bis
raised his rife to avenge Petty's death, and
lad the pleasure of seeing him measure his full
ength upon the ground.
Once more. What can strengthen the people
nore than to hear of the undaunte1 bravery of
lv.J AGo- mo bod dr;za, Rhe o,an-
n frsm all of his outworks, we slept Oh our
ct night within four hundred yards of the
main fortifeations.' This position was chosen
BECAUSE General Villepigue, at a certain signal,
to charge the enemy at this point. In the
(Sanday, at Daylight the enemy !
hail. General Vilepigue sat calmly upon
is horse and gently stroked his beard. Colonel
7homss N. Scott rode placidly up and down bis /
mes, speaking words of courage to his men
nd thus through the whole line, from Colonel
7erney. on the extreme left, to Colonel Shelby,
n the right, the same uudaunted and fearfully J
c~oolness was manifest. Shells burst
bove our heads, balls ~ploughed the earth before
IS, grape and canister flew thick everywhere, =
balls whistled through the air, but our t
we're as calm as when they ride across c
parade grounds of the muster-feld and the t
nen, as fearless as their gallant leaders, }
nxiously waited, and would gladly have heard
he order: Forward charge! But the order to !
barge the Notifications did not come. This :
rigade afterward charged a division Of the enc :
and put them to preeipitste fight
Your correspondent is not q cOmbatsnt, but
an eyewitness. U. r n.
ACTIVE SERVICE The newly-arrived regi- t
aents are not generally supplied with camp
uipags, and have to content themselves with I
tents-some bivouac wrapped in their |
,lsnkets. It is very evident that the days Of '