Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-02-27

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Mississippi at Memphis. General Buell.
had command of district joining
Grants district on the east, and Buelrs
objective point was Chattanooga, Ten
nessee.
The foregoing is preliminary to the aub-
]ect of this sketch-the two conflicts at
Iuka and Cornith, in which the confeder-
ates were prevented from consummatiDg
their design to re-occupy the country
they had been driven from by the fed
eral forces. l have given it place as
an important Introductory. 1t outlines
the opening of the successful career of
the federal army of the west (Which
/ purpose following in subsequent
sketches) and leads down to the Iuka
and Corinth episodes through regular
stages of progress.
By this time the army under Grant
from Caro- sonthward, had been reduced
to $4,000 men. though policy of disor-
ganization none the less culpable be.
cause it originated in Washington.
Grant had entered the enemy's country
with magnificent army for aggressive
purposes. ae had penetrated south
ward hundred and fifty miles from
Cairo, his starting point and base. His
mission was clearly an offensive one, yet
he was left in condition of weak de-
fense by the withdrawal of the bulk of
his army and long line to maintain
with an inadequate force.
The opening days OF September, 1862
brought unmistakabls signs of offensive
activity upon the part of the enemy, and
the federal commander was on the alert
to anticipate the intentions of the
large force gathering in front of
his line. The federal line extended from
Corinth to Memphis. The left wing,
under command of General W. S. Rose
Grams, was stationed at Uorinth and the
adjacent towns of Rienzi, Jacinto and
Danville, all within ten miles of Corinth.
The right wing, under General W. L.
Sherman, was at Memphis and at the
Hatchie crossing of the Memphis &
Ohio railroad, two points about sixty
miles apart. General Ord was in COM
mand of the centre. which stretched its
lines from Humboldt to Bethel, along
the Mobile & Ohio railroad and from
Jackson to Bolivar, his troops being
from thirty-fve to sixty live miles north
west from Corinth. Thus the forces re-
lied upon to support Rosecrans at and
about Corinth were thirty.fve, sixty
five, seventy and hundred miles away.
This was an unavoidable con-
dition, because of the exteut of
country Grants offensive army, acting
upon the defensive, was expected to pro-
tect against invasion. All of Ords
forces were, however. IN position to be
transported to Corinth by rail on tele-
graphic notice. General Grants head
quarters were with the center, at Jack.
son, Tennessee.
The general situation at this time was
most discoureging. The army Of the
Potomac occupied ground in rear of Its
original position at the opening of hos
tilities. Buell. was retreating back upon
the Ohio river, harassed by the confed-
crate, Bragg. Grant, holding the most
advanced position on the federal side,
was striving to maintain his place
against increasing difficulties.
By the seventh of September
the movements of the confed-
crates Van Dorm and Price in.
dicated an attack upon Grants extreme
left, at or near Corinth. Van Dorm was
approaching from one direction and
Price from another. Rosecrans ooncen-
trated his forces at and within reach of
CorInth, leaving small detachment un-
der Colonel Murphy,.of the 9Th Wiscon-
sin infantry, as guard at Iuka, town
on the Memphis & Charleston railroad
twenty miles east of Corinth. On the
18th of September the confederates oc-
cupied Iuka, Colonel Murphy
retiring upon their approach.
1t was General Grants desire to attack
and defeat Price at Iuka before Van
Dorm could form junction with him,
and as Rosecrsns' force of 5000 was in
sufficient to fight the battle and protect
Oorinth, 5000 men under Ord were sent
down from the center to assist in the
! work. Ord's forces halted at Burnsville
| station on the railroad seven miles
west from Iuka, and Rosecrans was or.
dered to move all the troops be could
spare from about Corinth to a point 6
few miles south of Burnsville and to CO.
operate with Ord in the attack upor
Iuka. On the morning Of the 1Sth, o
September Ord advanced his lines ou
of Burnsville, felt of the enemy and afte,
this demonstration remained in position
awaiting the coming of Rosecrans, who
was momentarily expected from Jacinto
| This was the plan of the battle, al
afterwards ascertained, and that Or;
was ready and waiting in line of b attl'
on the morning ct the 18th is matte
of record. The command to which be
longed was part of the army unde
Rosecrans, and we had been maintainin,
for several days and nights line G
battle, at Jacinto, twelve miles distap
from Iuka and about eight miles fror
Burnsville. Turning to my pocket diar
of that period l find this entry: