The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-03-11
Correspondence Of thu Gate City
from Memphis, Tenn


razs4&l 6Of0Afy Avn TOW.
After the battle of Iuka, the l7th Iowa
bore their part in pursuit 4 the flying
enemy, following them some miles beyond
the Alabama line, after which, they re-
turned to ,Taciu,o, and remained about
two weeks. From thence they were or
.dered to Corinth. and bore conspicuous
and honorable part in that memorable
struggle, in which the Northeast again
met the 'fCAiuolry," and again gave them
terrible repulse. During tho battle OF
Friday, companies A and B of cur regi-
ment skirmished CALAMITY with the enemy.
The rest of the Regiment lay, during that
time, exposed to Calling FIRE from the
enemy, until. in the evening, they were
Withdrawn to their former camp. During
almost the entire night our Brigade was
kept on the moye-taking position, now
here, now there-marching and counter
marching, until morning found them close
by the ground they had occupied the even
ing before. Whether SO Intended or not,
this seemed to have induced belief by the
enemy that our troops were employing
the darkness and small hours in the way
Of decamping, and some of the prison
ers taken next day said they had no ex-
pectation Of having fight on Saturday,
giving az their reason that they could
hear troops marching all night. aud sap
posed that the place was being evacuated.
Saturday morning, however, they found
our army still there, and warm recep-
ton awaiting them. Part of our forces
were drawn up in line facing the west,
and in the rear of that, and parallel with
it a second line. Our Brigade General
Sullivsn's) was drawn up at right angle
with those lines, to repel any attempt of
the enemy at fankng. The 18th was
In the rear OF the rest Of the Brigade, land
formed a reserve. The enemy charged
CALAMITY on the first of those parallel
lines, and broke it. Flushed with their
success, and following it up, they threw
themselves upon the second, and com
PEELED il also to give way At the same
time they swung around on the north
sido. and assaulted Sullivsn's Brigade
just at this moment, when the enemy
seemed to be carrying everything before
them, the 18th was ordered to charge
upon them. To make that charge, they
had to fall back short distance, and
then make half wheel, obstructed in the
movement by houses and out. buildings,
and by . battery which the rebels were
now advancing to storm. They cleared
all obstacles, however, and appeared in
the open space in front of the enemy, in
as perfect line as though on dress parade.
The battery, just as the 18th came up,
poured q terrible FIRE of grape upon the
rehels--then, 40 our regiment dashed
through, elevated their guns and aided
with shells. Some Of the first and secont
lines, seeing the movement, rallied on tn,
right and left, and poured cross fire up
on the enemy. Also this seige guns il
the rear now opened upon them. Thu
supported, ourfegiment made its famou
charge against overwhelming odds. Blu,
exposed to cross-6re, the tremendou
INSISTS from the aege-guns hurlin,
through their ranks. and FIRM line q
steel bearing down upon them in front q
double-quiok-i, vas too much for th
rebels. They faltered-broke-and the
fed in headlong confusion, and the gres
battle Of Corinth was won. In this strup
gle the 18th won for themselves q nam
that well entities them to : place .loal
side These elder regiments which, fer thei
brave deeds, Iowa "delights to honor
Enraged BY what they deemed most un
just aspersioa thrown upon them at Iuks
euesy n,as seemed 10 60 into the battle q
Corinth feeling that he had . persona
work before him in wiping out that stat,
and that then and there that stigm.
should be removed. After pursuing th,
beaten enemy some 40 miles, our Brigad.
returned to Corinth and lay there unit
the last Of October, when Gen. Grant,
great forward movement took place. W,
moved from Corinth to Grand Junction
the. 70 Davis Mills on Wolf River, the,
to Holly Springs. and back again the,
to Aoscov, then 70 Holly Springs again
aud onward to Lumpkip's Mills. The
driving the enemy from their strong en-
trenohnsats on the Tallahatchie, on
army pushed on to Oxfrd-on to I'll,
Yoconp River, six miles bcyond OxFord