The National tribune., 1901-05-23
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
BATTLE OF CoRlNrH.
Fuller's Ohio Brigade and the Part 1t Took
in This Fierce Engagement.

Clyde, who writes IN regard to the battle
of Corinth, Miss. Oct. 3, and 4, 1862. He
asks comrades who participated to write
about the matter. My experience in bat
ties was that the fellows who did the fight
ing knew but little save what was in their
own immediate front; but as l have the
report of a man who was in the battle
from start to finish, l cannot do better
than tell you what he says about it, as
those who knew him swear by him.
l quote Gen. John w. Fuller, COM
mander of the Ohio Brigade, ana | wish
to say that an experience from April II,
1861 to July Q, 1863 on the field, part of
the time his staff officer, that n better,
purer, braver man was not found in either
army from '61 to 90. He says:
On the morning of Oct 8, 1862, the Con-
federates attacked the division of Gen.
Davies at the outer line of works, the
line constructed by the Confederates
where A. Sidney Johnston and Beauregard
held possession of Corinth. Gen. Davies
had been ordered there to retard the
enemy's advance until Rosecrans could get
ready. to let Van Dorn's come in. Van
Dorn's superior strength enabled him to
drive Davies's Division from this line, but
Davies's men fought stubbornly, and fell
back over two or three miles so slowly
that it was nearly night when they ap-
preached the outskirts of the town, and
when reinforcements enabled Davies to
stop the enemy's advance.
After dark the Ohio Brigade composed
of 9th, Both. 43d and G3d Ohio. marched
to relieve one of the brigades of Davies S
Division, and was ordered to occupy the
high ground near Battery Robinett. Near
the crest was formed the line of battle.
Directly on the right of the earthwOrks,
covering the battery and stretching cross
the Chewalla road, stood the men of the
| G3d: next came the 9th, and further still
to the right was the 39th. On the left OF
the battery, facing to the left and nearly
at right angles with the main line, rested
the 43d.
Now 90 back to the field and fame" your
self standing on the spot then occupied,
| and look again over that field, which then
became famous. Before you for 300
wards lie in confusion the few trees
which have been fclled to form a partial
abatis Beyond this stands the forest,
| and through both leads, without obstruc-
ton. the road 20 Chewalla. To the right
of the 39th the line of battle is broken for
| 800 yards by an impossible swamp, be
yond which we see the rising ground oc-
cupied by several brigades of our infantry,
and on the extreme right perhaps a mile
| AWAY IUt tHTlllNOIh Il VII
son; turning, TO look over your right
shoulder you may see what occurs in the
streets of Corinth.
Without changing your position, you
may, by looking over the other shoulder
see part of the division of Gen. Mexican
and the redoubt called Battery Philips
which forms the left of Rosecrans's line
of battle. If you now come to right
! about you see directly in rear the cut
through the hill, where lies the Memphis
Railroad, and just over this, on still higher
ground stands Fort Williams, with 70
| FOUNDER Parrots looking out of each EN-
brasure, our own battery aCo. +, I'd L.
81. and Co. c, 1st Mich. Art, ready fol
action on the high ground abreast of Fort
! Williams, all apparently as near that Du'
for their elevated position you might look
down the cannons throat. Here we wait
ed during the long hours of the night OF
Oct. g. and here we fought on the 4th.
The removal of Davies's slSirmish line
which by some mistake was not made
| known to us, permitted the enemy to ad
vance so closely that. although hidden by
| the darkness, we could hear them plant
| ing their guns in the edge of the forest
not more thar 300 yards in our front, and
during the night the commander of that
battery | think from New Orleans, recon
| noitering the ground between his guns and
| our line, was quietly captured by then
Capt. (since Gem. Chas. L. Brown, of the
G3d. 1t was a night of suspense anc
anxiety to all. We knew that Gen. Hack
| alman had been killed, and we had seer
Gen. Oglesby carried to the rear, with q
| wound we then supposed was mortal, ant
hundreds more wounded during the days
| fight had been borne to the hospital, anC
the men of Davies's Division, who hat
| fought against great odds all day, and haC
| been slowly driven back, seemed well nlgf
disheartened. We knew we had to nice
| an enemy not only strong and resoiute, bu
who was also flushed with what h'
thought a victory Thence we listened
| with anxiety to those sounds of prepara
ton, so plainly heard from the hill, where
Iaying down without sleep, We awaited thu
assault With the earliest dawn of day
the enemy's battery in front opened III
fire. What a magnificent display! Moth
| ing we had ever seen looked like thu
flashes of those guns. No rockets eve
scattered fire like the bursting of thos'
shells! Not long, however, for as soon a.
| there is light enough to aim, the ~
FOUNDER Parrots in Fort Williams sud
denly belched forth a mighty flame ant
| made the place occupied by the enemy
battery so hot that it is hurriedly with
drawn Yet not all, for one gun Is aban
doned. and some venturous boys of the 63'
and 1st L. $. Inf ran forward and pulled
| II into our lines by hand. Then came tn
fierce fighting between the skirmishers
The enemy had the cover of the woods
while our men crept from log to log,
their endeayor to gain the better cover o
the forest. Reinforcement to our skirm
ishers enabled them, after two hours
fighting, to drive the enemy back, an,
gain the shelter sought. But not far OF
the conformation of the ground was pecu
liarly fortunate for the enemy. He coul'
lie on the crest of a series of ridges, ant
sweep everything at his front, scarcely eX
posing a man to view Behind these ridge
he was massing his men for the assault
About II o'clock our, attention is dIree
ted from the fierce skfr1nish in our i'm
mediate front by the advance of Gen
Prices Divisions, which are moving ou
of the woods to our right front, an.
marching upon the troops and fort whlcl
form the right of Rosefrans's line OF bat
tie. A magnificent sight is that as on
brigade of the enemy after another move
in fine style over the ground which OIL
position overlooks sosplainly. The attacl
is fierce, and we soon are shocked TO Sc
our line give way and retire into the yer.
town. We notice, to, some OF our Dat
teries drawn out of position and rapid.
pulled to the rear. The guns of Fo.
Williams and of our own batteries direct
ly on our rear all are turned to the right
and an enfilading fire sweeps through tn
rebel hosts with an effect very pialnl,
visible; but though disordered somewhat
they move on; fresh troops pour out of tn
woods, and we see the enemy rushing owe
the works on our right, and pouring INT
Corinth itself. A rolling fire is heard II
the streets, and soon after the rebels be
/ Nl,n, ,,&r,, W