The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-08


former criticised the new general in
chief officially, and his action was the
beginning Of frequent breaches Of eti-
quetts that earned him disfavor at court.
He was finally succeeded in command by
General Fremont.
The turning point of Rosecrans' up
ward career was the Iuka- Corinth CAM
paign of September and October, 1862.
He was then an army commander and
won two substantial victories. First,
commander of wing of the Army of the
Mississippi under Pope, he naturally sue
ceeded to the head of the army. When
Pope was transferred to Virginia, Grant
was commander of the western depart
ment. The Confederate invasion of Ken
tucky under Bragg's leadership called
for detachments from Grants force to
meet the crisis, and the Confederates
thought they had an opportunity to in
crease the panic by making dash from
Mississippi for west Tennessee. The
movement was led by General Sterling
Price. simultaneously a force of Con-
federates lying on the lower Mississippi
was marshaled under Earl Van Dorm to
strike for the recapture of Corinth, where
Rosecrans was intrenched. Grant had
decided to throw 5000 men under Rose
Grams eastward from Corinth and 5000
under General Ord from Memphis to in
tercept Price before he crossed the Ten
nessee river. Price had $4,000 men.
AS usual the combination failed. Rose
Grams was up to time with his part in
the programme, met Price at Iuka Sept.
10 and beat him in brilliant battle,
with Ord's army lying idle within four
miles of the field. Ord was under in
structions to march at the sound Of Rose
GRAMS guns, Owing to an unfavorable
wind he did not hear them, thus leaving
to Rosecrans the sole honor Of visiting q
stunning blow upon Price and fastening
his retreat back to Mississippi. Van
Dorm and Price then united to attack
Corinth. They mustered 10000 men.
Rosecrans had about $4,000. Corinth,
owing to Rosecrans habitual restlessness
and foresight, was in fair state Of de-
fense, although the scheme of fortifca-
tions was not complete when Van Dorm
drew up his columns before the town on
Oct. 8. After developing the enemy's
strength and plans by vigorous oppo-
sition to the advance outside of the
works Rosecrans withdrew his army to
the fortified lines and batteries and
awaited attack. To novices those tactics
looked like retreat. Word was brought
to Rosecrans that the enemy was plant
ing a battery within 900 yards of his
main redoubt, Fort Robinett. "Let
them plant it," said he in malicious
glee. Other weak hearts he encouraged
by quoting Barkis. Things is workin," !"
he would exclaim. In good time he Or
dered several 3O-pounder PARROTS to
open on the sly Confederate battery. 1t
was knocked out in three minutes.
From first to last he maintained mas
terly grip on his confidence that every
thing was working all right.
The battle opened at s o'clock on the
morning of the 4th. The Confederates,
under accomplished and dashing leaders,
moved forward in three and four lines,
undismayed by the pitiless fire that re-
ceived them. One Union brigade lying
in an unfortunate position fell back be-
fore the enemy and was followed through
the intrenchments into the streets of the
town by the reckless assailants. BY
quickly ordering up reserves Rosecrans
expelled the intruders, and for the rest the
fight was all one way. Rosecrans was
everywhere when needed, and his men for
the first time learned that they were
commanded by fighting man. His saber
strap was cut by bullet and his hands
Redeemed by the blood of staff officer
wounded at his side The rumor spread
that he was killed, and in order to dispel
apprehension he showed himself all along
the line.
The result of the fight was Waterloo
for Van Dorm and Price. They left be-
hind over 1000 men-killed, wounded
and prisoners. Rosecrans Immediately
threw out a pursuing column and har-
assed the retreat at every step until re-
called by an order from General Grant
on the Sth. The termination of the af-
fair gave rise to the endless differences
between Grant and Rosecrans. Corinth,
the key to the railroad system of the
west, had been saved, but Rosecrans was
anxious to push on toward the interior
and the gulf. In series of dispatches
sent to Grant within three days after the
battle he used these aggressive phrases:
Il propose to push the enemy" II most
deeply dissent from your views as to the
manner of pursuing" "All that is need
full is to continue pursuing and whip
them, and "Wehave whipped and should
now push them to the wall"
To two dispatches from Grant order
ing him to return to Corinth he re-
mained deaf, but ON receipt of third
yielded. His explanation afterward was:
"If Grant had not stopped us, we could
have gone to Vicksburg. We
were about six days march from Vicks-
burg, and Grant could have put his force
through to it with my column as the CEN
ter one Of pursuit"
The victory at Corinth at once lifted
Rosecrans into prominence. He was a
new light in the west, where an unequiv-
ocal Union victory had not been gained
since Donelson, nine months before. A
new commander was wanted for the
Army of the Cumberland, in front of
which in middle Tennessee lay the ag-
gressive strength of the Confederacy in
the west-th combined forces Of Bragg
and Kirby Smith. Rosecrans was given
the place. With the rise of Rosecrans'
fortunes the fortunes of Phil Sheridan
were identified, for Rosecrans was the
discoverer Of that officers ability. Sheri-
dan was colonel of the Second Michigan
cavalry when Rosecrans assumed COM
mand of the army at Corinth. On July
he fought even handed for eight hours