Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1900-10-20

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cupy j26 pages of vol. X, series | part
/, Rebellion Records. There are 1873
reports of Federal commanders and IS
of Confederate commanders. The total
Federal loss was: Killed ,754; wounded
s,40S; captured or missing 1885; aggre-
gate 1901 The effective strength, at
the beginning Of the battle, is not
stated. The field return of Confederate
forces that marched from Corinth to
the Tennessee river April 3, 1862,
showed an aggregate of iG, 425 present.
The effective total being 1885. FL,
fective total after the battle 20, 636; diff
ference 1869, Casualties in battle
killed 1,72S; wounded SOP; missing
959. The Confederate forces captured
five blue silk regimental flags, twenty
Federal flags, one garrison flag two
guidons.
The Mississippi commands engaged
were:
Blythe's Mississippi Battalion.
The Fifth, Seventh, Ninth, zenith
regiments, under Gen. j, R. Chalmers
Sixth regiment.
Swetts battery.
Third Mississippi battalion.
llarper's battery.
Fifteenth regiment.
Twenty-second regiment.
In foot note to organization OF First
corps it is stated: The First Missis.
sippi Cavalry, Brewers battalion, and
CoX's, Jenkins, Lindsay's, Robinson's,
and Iomlinson Cavalry, not accounted
for in this table, appear from the re
ports to have belonged to Folks corps
The official reports on Confederate
side include those Of
Col. A. j. Lindsay. First Mississippi
Cavalry.
Lieut.. Col. John II. Miller First Mis-.
sissippi Cavalry
Lieut. Col. Il. II. Brewer battalion OF
Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry,
Capt. T. J. Stanford, battery.
Maj A. B. Iardcastle, Third Infan-
try battalion.
Capt. w. L. Harper, jefferson Artil-
lery.
Lieut., Put. Darden, Jefferson Artu-
lery.
These commands are referred to in
the reports of other commanders, ard
always in complimentary terms. Here
are few paragraphs from the report
of Gen. p. r. Cleburne:
The Sixth Mississippi and Twenty-thiti
Tennessee charged through the encamp-
ments of the enemy. The line was necer
sarily broken by the standing tents. I'm.
der the terrible fire much confusion fol-.
lowed and quick and bloody repulse was
the consequence.
The pwenty-third Tennessee was with
difficulty rallied about 100 yards in the
rear Again and again the Sixth Missis
sippi, unaided, charged the enemy's limo
and it was only when the regiment had
lost 300 officers and men killed and wounded,
out of an aggregate of 425, that it yielded
and retreated in disorder over its own dead
and dying Colonel Thorton and Major
Lowry, the field oficerg, were both wound.
ed, 1t would be useless to enlarge on the
courage and des otion of the Sixth Missis
sippi- The facts as recorded speak louder
than any words of mine
Finding my advance on the left wing for
the present unemployed, galoped back to
my right About half of the Twenty-third
Tennessee and 80 men Of the Sixth Misss-
sippi had reformed. With these | advanced
directly to my front, through the enemy's
encampment, the enemy having retreated
as soon as my left had broken their right.
At this time-l2 or l oeock-Captain
Harper, commanding the remnant of the
Sixth Mississippi, marched it to the rear
Its terrible loss in the morning, the want
Of all its field and most of its company of.
ticers, had completely disorganized it and
untitled it for further service. saw it no
more during the battle, and would respect.
fully refer you to the reports of Colonel J.
J. Thornton for its after proceedings.
We doubt if the official report of any
commander on either side of the great
contest shows a larger per cent. of
loss than that sustained by the Sixth
Mississippi at Shiloh.
Col. j. j. Thornton was delegate in
the secession convention from Rankin
county. He voted against the ordi.
nance and was the only delegate who
refused to sign it, but he was among
the very first to fight for it, He died
at Pass Christian year or two since.
Major Lowry was also citizen OF
Rankin. He was promoted to brigadier.
general just before the Confederacy
collapsed. He has since served his
State with distinguished ability for
eight years as governor. He is still in
good fighting condition.