, 1864-03-30

| In the WOODS and remained ont over night,
arriving at headQuaftcrs next morning about
the same hour that Gen. Rosccrans' messen-
ger arrived For. the particular troops en-
| gsEed, and The part taken BY each regiment,
VIII have to refer you entirely to the &C.
e2mranylnE reports: Of those officers who
Not Occupying lnka afterwards for any
length Of time, and then with f0rco not suf-
ficient to give protection for my great dis
tsncc around, {thc battle was fought about
| two miles out,) / cannot accompany this
| with Typographical msp. I send, however,
| a map showing all the roads and places
named in this report. The country between
to some distance south Of the railroad, is i'm
passab1c for cavaly and almost so for infan-
try It Is. impossible for artillery to move
southward to the road travelled by General
Rosecrans' command. - o.
Soon after dispatchlns Gen Ord, word was
the enemy were In full retreat tmmedi-
ately proceeded to Iuka and found that the en-
cmy hed left during the night, taking every
thing with them except their wounded aud.
the artillery captured by them the evening
before, going south by. the. Fulton road.
This swas the first I knew of tho Fulton
road. With it occupied, noronte would have
been left them except cast, with the difficult
bottom Of Bear Greek to cross, or northeast,
with the Tennessee River in their front, OF
to conquer: their way ont, A partial c1ami-
me, however, that troops moving In sepa-.
rate columns by the routes suggested could
not. support each. other until they arrived
near 1uka. On the other band an attempt to
retreat would, according to programme, have
brought Gem Ord, with. his force, ION the
rear OF the retrcati1g column.
For casualties and captures see accompany
ing reports. o.. -,
The battle of Iuka foots up as follows:.
On the 10th of September We commenced
to collect our strength to move upon Price
ut 1uka In two columns-the one to the right
General, now Major General, w.. s. Rose
clans, the one to the left commanded by
Major General E. 0. @. Ord. On the, night
Of the 18th, the latter was IN position
to bring on IN 'cngRgemenI In one hours
march. The former from having d greater
. guide Was twenty miles back. On the 10th
BY making & rapid march, with hardy, we'll
disciplined, and tried troops; arrived within
twotmfles Of the place. to be attacked. Un.
cxpectcdiy the enemy took the initiative,
and became the attacking party: The ground
chosen YVES such that large force on our
side: could not be brought into action. But
the br4very and endurance Of those brought
in WIS such that with the skill and presence
OF mind Of the officer commanding, they were
able to- hold their ground till night closed
the conflict, During the night the enemy
aeld, with fheir. dead to bury ana wounded
to care for: # it wasthe object Of the enc
my to mike their way into Kentucky, they
were defeated In that; If to hold their POSI-
tion until Van Dorm could como up On the
southwest Of Corinth and make simnltane-
Gus. attack, they were defeated In that also.
Our only defeat was in not capturing the
entire army or in destroying It as I had
II was part of Gen. Hamilton's com
mand that did the fighting, directed entirely
by That cool and deserving officer. I com
mend him to the President for ackno wleds.
msnt OF bis Services
During the absence of these forces from
Corlnth, that post was left in charge Of Brig.
Gen. T. j. Mexican. The southern front
from Jaointo to Rienzi wns under the charge
Of Col. DE- Bois, with a small iniantry and
eayal1y force, Tie service was most salts
great vigilance and efficiency. was kept
constantly advised Of the movements Of ly-
that 'front.'
i. The wounded, both friend and enemy, are
much indebted to Surgeon ]. G: F. Holster,
Medical Director, for his untiring labors In
organizing hospitals and providing for their
j cannot close this report without paying a
tribute to all the officers and soldiers COM
posing this command. Their conduct ON
the march was exemplary, and al were eager
to meet the enemy. The possibility Of defeat
do not think entered the mind Of single
individual aud believe this same feeling now
pcrvades the entire army which ! have the
honor to command
NEGLECTED to mention in the proper con-
nection that to cover our movement from! Cor
inth, and to sttract the attention Of the on
cmy In another direction, ordered move
ment from Bolivar to Holly Springs. This
was conducted by Brig Gen. -Lauman
Before completing this: report that Of Maj.
Gen. :,Ord.wns received and aceohpanies this:
dient sczvnlt, q. 8. GRANT,
Major General.