The National tribune., 1884-01-03
ATTACK ON coRInTB.
How Price and Van Dorm We're
Routed There.
by One Of En-, Fort Dodge, Iorra.l

by One Of En-, Fort Dodge, Iorra.l
Adler pens have written accounts of the bat
tie Of Corinth, October and 4, 1862 by the
Army Of the Mississippi, Pope's old command,
at that time under General Rosecrans and the
rebel forces under Price and Van Dorm, who
had met in fierce encounter but two weeks pre-
vioasiy ut Iuka. There are Soma incidents,
however. of personal nature connected with
the battle that seemed Of decided interest 10
tho writer at the time, which are fr.aly inn
pressed Oh his memory, and which may not be
devoid of interest to others. To me there is as
much interest in personal details of the march,
the battle, the hospital aud the prison, as in
the general accounts of the great movements.
To these personal details | propose to devote
the majority of the space assigned me.
After Iuka our division, commanded by Gem
eral d. S. Stanley, had followed Price till it
was found impossible to overtake the old fox,
and then by a circuitou5 route through Jacinto,
had moved some twenty-five miles southwest
Of Corinth. Price aud Van Dorm, moving OH a
larger circle outside of Us, came in from the
west and the northwest. About sundown, on
the ID of October our brigade received march
ing orders, and all that night, till near day
light on the morning of the Sd, we held on
OUR WAY TOWARDS coRINTH.
After q short halt for breakfast and distribu-
ton of Tations and ammunition, the lire of
march was again taken up, arriving at the old
college buildings, to the southwest of the down,
and near Battery Phillips, a little before nooa.
Here we got our dinners while the sound Of
heavy artillery firing, steadily approaching
from the northwest sounded in cur ears.
As TINS cann0nadiag approached we were
formed in line waiting for orders, and when
the sound of musketry could be distinguished
al aid rode up with directions for the division
to relieve General Dodge, whose command was
about out Of ammunition. As the case was
urgent, and our commander perfect war horse
when in hearing of battle,we TOOK the double
quick. It was a very warm day, and though we
were old enough in the service to have learned
to reduce our knapsaeks TO the minimum, still,
as since the 18th OF September we had had
no abiding place, we had our knapsaeks along,
and after the tedious march of the night before
and the forenoon's tramp, they were very
heavy.
The double-qucll for about mile to the
northwest of the town, brought us to where an
oeeasonal shell from the enemy burst over and
about us, and our colonel, smelling heavy work
ahead, halted lis a moment and ordered KNAPP.
sacks ansluGg and piled, after WHICH We moved
forward TO the brow of Q little hill, where we
went
INTO LINE OF BATTLE.
Below us, in the valley, three or four hundred
yards away. were the troops we had come to
relieve while across a small cotton-lield in the
edge OF the woods perhaps eighty yards from
them, were the Johnaies They must have had
some pieces of immense range, for their bullets
| hunImed around our cars as we stood for q few
moments on the brow Of the hill while ar
rangements were being made by the generals
/ for the relief of Dodges division by ours with
| out giving the appearance of retreat. Here,
| by one of these stray bullets, our Colonel
/ Thrush was killed, being shot through the
heart as he was drinking from the canteen Of
one of the boys Of company E.
When arrangements we're completed re moved
down the hill through the brush and over the
/ line of DodgeS division and TOOK position just
! across a little stream running nearly parallel
| with cur line.
Here the bullets were flying thick and fast.
and the cotton-feld in front was covered with
a dense cloud of smoke, showing that while we
! were advancing down the HILL and the firing
of Dodge's troops had in measure ceased
| while they lay down for rs TO pass them to ths
'front.' the rebel line had advanced in5o The
/ field. We could see nothing but 9he smoke aTio
an occasional fash from a field piece, but tht
shot and shell fell fast and furious for 4 few
/ moments, and VIC returned the shots as fast a:
| We could load and fire. 1t did not seem long
and, probably, it was not, bat think after once
| under fire and at work the soldier has littIt
conception of time. Gradually the firing died
away in our 'front.' the smoke lifted little, and
we had time tosook around us.
To our trent the ground rose slightly TO the
level of the eotton-field, and as the enemy wers
not within range, and the firing was confined t
the artillery posted on the hill to our rear til,
command was
ORDERED To LIE DOWN.
In the edge of the cotton-feld, abouta hundred
yards in front of my company four trees, per
haps eighteen inches in diameter, had been lief
standing, and ii occurred 70 the deacon, thu
elder, one of the other boys and myself, tina
those trees would afford fine shelter from
which to take observations, and perhaps an oc
casional shot at the enemy. Obtaining per
mission, very reluctantly given, from the cap
tain, we made a run for the trees aud got on
positions. Peering around the side OF the tree
could see the gray line IN the edge OF th,
woods opposite, with mounted officers moving
rapidly back and forth, and it was eviden
that some movement would soon take place
They were too far away to make a shot at al
certain, so we refrained from firing but watched
q for developments. Suddenly, after few mo
ments of very heavy cannonading from
battery a little to our left, a skiTmish line de
ployed into the field and after coming abou
half way across, moved by the right flank
These fellows were nosy in good range and W
commenced l2FgeO IIfaetfSc on tnall.
Just then Il gray column broke cut Of TIN
woods, moving obsiquely to our left. From
where we stood the formation seemed to b.
in the shape Of V, with the point in 'front.'
what We called :. Wild goose formation
1t was a most beautiful sight, that column o
men as they marched steadily as if on parade
while in their midst the shells and spherica
case from the batteries in our rear tore grea
gaps, which they Immediately filled up, ant
moved straight onward.
The skirmish-line, which had depioyed-noV
acting as flankers to the colamn-soon notices
our firing from the shelter of the trees, ans
paid us their respects, scaiping the bark from
orr cover and making the bullets whistle IN
comfortably close. One fellow in particular
in a green coat, would stop and, dropping
on one knee, take long, steady aim at gu
little group, and give US the contents of hi
piece then move On loading, and when loade'
drop on his knee and repeat. had fired at hin
three or four times as he was moving alon
without the least effect, apparently, when
heard the deacon cali out Boys, see that fel
low 10 the green coat When he fires agail
let's all give it to him at onee!o He haril,
ceased speaking, when the fellow dropped t
his knee and cut the bark close to the deacon
head. Before he had time fairly to get ON hi
feet our four Springfelds spoke almost stimuli
: taneously, he gave spring into the air, an
dropped in his tracks, and the skirnish-lin
was q man short.
To the left of our brioade on an eU1iTene.