The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-08
THE BATTLE OF IUKA.
Gen. Grants Official Report OF
the Engagement.
Important Facts not Hitherto
Published.

ers Gen. Grants official report of the bat
tie of Iuka. 1t has Lut recently been
transmitted to the pubic printer, at Wash
ington, in pursuance of a call of Congress:
HEADQ'Rs DIST. WEST TENNEssEE.l
JACKSON, Tenn, Oct. %, 1862. {
Colonel j. c. Keiton, A. 4. g.. washington,
ID. e.:
COLONEL: | have the honor to make the
following report of the battle of Iuka, and
to submit herewith such reports of subor
dinateS as have been received.
For some ten days or more before the
final move of the rebel Amy under Gen.
Price, eastward from the Mobile & Ohio
Railroad, it was evident that an attack
upon Corinth was contemplated, or some
change to be made in the location of that
army. This caused great vigilance to be
necessary Oh the part of our cavalry, es-
pecially that to the southern front, under
Miner. The labor of watching, with oc-
casonal skirmshing, was most satisfacto-
rily performed, and almost every move
of the enemy was known as soon as COM
menced
About the 18th of September, Price left
the railroad-the infantry and al tillery
probably moving from Baldwin, and the
cavalry from the road north of Baldwin,
toward Bay Springs. At the latter place,
a halt of few days seemed to have been
made; likely for the purpose of collecting
stores and recommending our eastern flank.
On the 18th of September the enemy's
cavalry made their appearance near Iuka,
and were repulsed by the small garrison
under Col. Murphy, of the Sth Wisconsin
infantry, still left there to cover the re-
moval of stores not yet brought into Cor
NTH. The enemy appearing again in in
creased force on the same day, and having
cut the railroad and telegraph between
there and Burnsvlle, Colonel Murphy
thought it prudent 10 retire to save his
.orces.
This e.! considerable amount of
commissary stores to fall into the hands OF
the enemy, which properly should have
been destroyed Prices whole force then
congregated at Iuka
Information brought in by scouts as to
the intention Of the enemy. was conflict
ing. One report was that Price wanted to
cross Bear Greek and tie Tennessee river,
for the purpose Of crossing Tennessee and
getting into Kentucky. Another that Van
Dorm was to march by the way Of Ripley,
and attack us on the southwest, while
Price should move on us from the east or
or northeast. A third, that Price would
endeavor tp cross the Tennessee, aud if
pursuit was attempted, Van Dorm was in
readiness to attack CorintiI.
Having satisfied myself that Van Dorm
could not reach Corinth under four days
with an army embracing all arms, deter
mined to leave Corinth with force stuff j..
-. cient to resist cavalry, and to attack Price
at Iuka. This regarded as emirently my
duty, let either of the theories of the enc
my's plans be the correct solution. Ac
cordingly on the 10th, gave some gene
raj directions as to the plan of operation.
Gen. Rosecrans was to move Oh the
south side Of the railroad to opposite Iuka,
and to attack from that side, with all lis
available force, after leaving a sufficient
force at Rienzi and Jscino, to prevent
the surprise On Corinth from that drec-
ton.
Burnsville, and from there to take roads
north of tie railroad, and attack from that
side. General Ord having to leave from
his two divisions, already very much re-
duced in numbers from long-contir ued SER
vice and the number of battles they had
been in, the garrison Of Corinth he also
had one regiment ofinfantry and a squad
ron Of cavalry al Kossuti, one regiment of
infantry and one company Of cavalry at
Cherwala, and one regiment OF infantry
that moved under CDlcnel Mower, and
joined General Rosecrans' cOnmanGD re-
duced the number of men cf lis command
available for the expedition, to about
1900.
| had previously ordered the infantry Of
Gen. Ross command at Bolivar to hold
themselves in readiness to move at a mo-
ment'a warning; but also directed the
concentration OF cars at Jackson to move
these troops. Within twenty four hours
from the time dispatch left Corinth. for
these troopa to ''cume Oh, they had ar
rived-3, 100 in number; this, notwith-
standing the locomotive was thrown off
track on the Mississippi Central road, PEE
venting the PASSAGE of other trains for
several hours. This force was added to
Gen. Ord's command, making bis entire
strength over g. 900, 70 take into the field.
From this force, two regiments of infantry
and one section of artillery were taken
about 900 men--tor the garrison. or rear
guard, to he held at Burnsville. Not hav-
ing Gen. Ord's report, these figures may
not be accurate Gen. Rosecrans was
moving from Jacinto eastward with about
5000 men, making my total force, with
! which to attack the enemy, about $4,000.
This was equal to, Or greater than, their
numbers as | estimated them.
Gen. Rosecrans, at his suggestion, ac-
guessed in by me, was to move north
ward from lis eastern march in two col
umns; one I'm Ter Hamilton was to move
up the Fulton and EastpOrt road; the
other under Stanley
On the 18th, Gen. Ord's command was
pushed forward, driving in the enemy
pickets and capturing a few prisoners, TAX
ing position within six miles of Iuka.
expected from the following dispatch that
Gen. kosecrans would be near enough by
the night of the 18th, to make it safe for
Ord to press forward on the morning of
the 10Th, and bring on an engagement