The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-05


a fruitless battle, a retreat and hard times
generally, with the prospect Of more to
come But his expression of relief found
no echo in the ranks, of other prisoners,
about a dozen IN, number, who later were
marched past us to the rear. They looked
50 detected and so uncommunicative that
we spared them any questions.
Our superior officers have little respect
for the Fourth Commandment. At 10 a.
M, Sunday, April 81, our brigade was
marched out to protect working party
engaged in building bridges over Lick
Greek, four miles in our front, where the
enemy is liable at any time to make an
attack, in order to prevent or destroy tha
works so necessary to our advance. All
having been quiet, we returned to camp
at 4 D. IN.
On April % Gen. Buell. directed his
army to move forward to Lick Greek, and
in order that the enemy might not take
advantage of this movement to attack,
each regiment not in motion, was required
to form line and stack arms in quarters.
ready for any call. Our company stacked
its arms in the company street, where
they remained all day, as we had no call
to use them.
On April 30 we moved to Lick Greek,
where our division took its place and
pitched tents, with Davis on the right
and Wood on the left, all strung along
the bank of the creek in line of battle.
We heard some firing, caused by sklr-
mish at Monterey.
Two bridges over Lick Creek were COM
pleted May on the two principal routes
leading from the Tennessee River to Co
rinth, also causeways of logs laid side by
side, were constructed through the
swamps, half a mile beyond the creek.
The neighbOring trees furnish abundant
material for these roads, called ''cordu-
roy" and are quickly constructed when
thousand or two axes are employed. We
expected to move forward, but no order
came to DO SO. Nelson's Division crossed
on the new bridge at Green's and ad-
yanced with Il force Of cavalry to Mount
Olivet Church, ~ miles from Corinth.
Our division on May ) was directed to
cross the creek ut AitkeD's bridge, and
Crittenden and Wood at Green's.
Our regiment broke camp at a. m,
following the troops ahead, hating or
starting just as they were Obstructed by
bad roads, or the necessity of carefully
accommodating every step of their advance
in the face of the enemy. We were heart
lily tired of the dismal surroundings OF
Lick Creek as we hobbled over the IN
even corduroy, impossible on either side.
One of our boys remarked to his cOmrade,
How embarrassing would be our posi-
ton in case of sudden attack in front,
especially if the enemy should be able
to transform our narrow road into 10
pin alley, and bowl few cannon balls
over it, At this moment there was a
heavy report of cannon. "All down but
nine Set 'em up again." shouted the
cOmrade and after that whenever the re-
port of cannon was heard, it was fol-
lowed by the cry of some voice in the
ranks, "All down but nine; set 'em up
again."
Occasional musket shots ahead and
heavy cannonading on our left indicated
4 slight resistance to the pressure of our
division, but a more determined one else
where. We made so many halts that we
lad scarcely accomplished FIVE miles,
when we turned off the road at nightfall,
q bivouac for the night.
We then learned that the cannonading
vas caused by AN expedition of one of
'ope's Divisions TO Pennington, only five
niles from Corinth, where an inferior
force of the enemy was encountered and
driven from the town, after sharp resist
Lnce. ~
On May 4 Gen. McCOOk took Johnson's
Brigade, of our division, and marched out
in the Hamburg and COrinth road to re-
onnoiter. The Confederate cavalry on
he outrOsts fell back. exchanging few
shots with our Skirmishcrs, depending on
their reserves to .olfpr1a more effective re-
posed to stir up a hornets nest, preferring
rather to return 10 camp, after a survey
of the land he encroached upon.
Early the morning Of May . our regi-
Inent was formed in line in a soaking
rain, but soon after dismissed to quar-
tiers.
At l p. m. we were again called out
and marched half a mile from camp, then
countermarched to our tents. We trust
these movements are as bewildering to
the enemy as they are to us.
1t was a great relief to find the weather
clear May 6. 4 large number of men
were detailed from the several regiments
and Sent out five miles to repair the cor
duroy road through the swamps, where
it had been washed out in many places.
The country in our front is a wilderness
of swamps and heavy timber, interspersed
with numerous creeks having soft and
treacherous banks.
Our brigade, leading the division,
marched from camp at Z a. M. May Z on
the road toward COrinth. We had gone
six miles, when we were halted and re-
turned one mile, to bivOuac for the night,
sleeping on our arms. We found ourselves
on the south bank of Seven Mile Greek,
to the left Of the main Corinth road, be-
tween the divisions of Wood on the right
and Nelson ON the left, these divisions
having advanced at the same time, on
parallel roads. Crittenden's Division was
halted in rear of ours, being held in re-
serve. The cavalry and reserve artillery
were stationed five miles to our rear, to
be nearer the forage, which had to be
carried from the river on horseback, the
roads being too deep for loaded wagons.
We are six miles from Corinth, while
the enemy in our front, under Hardee, is
TWO miles outside the defenses of Corinth
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