The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-05-24


cred the Confederates fsrming a line
OF battle on the opposite bank, with the
apparent purpose of an attack in force,
so I withdrew the brfgadess to our in
trenchments on the crest, and there
awaited the assault.
while this skirmfshing was going
on. Gen. Gilbert. the carps commander,
whose headquarters w6fe located on
hill about q mile distant to the rear
kept sending me messages by signal not
| to bring on an engagement. replied
to each message that was NOT bring
ing on an engagement. but that the
enemy evidently intended to do 30, and
| that I believed I should be shortly at
tackled. Soon after returning to the
crest and getting snugly fixed in the
rifie-pits. my attention was called to
our left the high ground we occupied
affording me in that direction an un-
Obstructed view. I then saw Gen. Med.
McCooks Corps-the First-advancing
toward Chaplin River by the Mackville
road, apparently unconscious that the
COnfederates were present in force be-
hind the stream. I tried by the use OF
signal flags to get information OF the
situation to these troops, but my efforts
failed. and the leading regiments SEEM
ed to approach the river, indifferently
prepared to meet the sudden attack
that speedily followed, delivered as 1t
was from the chosen position Of the
enemy. The fury of the Confederate
assault soon halted this advance force,
and in short time threw It into con-
fusion, pushed It back considerable
distance, and ultimately inflicted upon
1T such loss Of men and guns as to seri-
ously cripple McCook's Corps and pre-
| vent for the whole day further offensive
movement on his part. though he stout
| ly resisted the enemy's assaults until 4
o'clock in the afternoon.
Seeing McCook so fercely attacked.
| In order to aid him / advanced Hes
| cocks Battery, supported by six regi-
ments, to very good position in front
Of belt Of timber on my extreme left,
where an enf1lading fire could be opened
on that portion Of the enemy attacking
the right of the First Corps and also on
his batteries across Chaplin River. But
at this juncture he placed two batteries
on my right. and began to mass troops
behind them, and Gen. Gilbert, fearing
that my intrenched position on the
heights might be carried. directed me
to withdraw Hescock and his supports
and return them to the pits. Ny recall
was Opportune, for had ND sooner got
back to my original line than the Con-
federates attacked me furiously. ad-
vancng almost to my infrenchments.
Notwithstanding that large portion of
the ground over which they had to
move was swept by heavy IRE Of can
lister from both my batteries. Before
they had quite reached us, however
our telling fire made them recoil. and
as they fell back directed an advance
OF my whole division. bringing up my
reserve regiments to occupy the crest
OF the hills Col. William p. Carlin's
Brigade of Mitchell's Division mean
while moving forward ON my right to
cover that flank. This advance pressed
the enemy to Perryville. but he retired
in such good order that we gained moth
ing but some favorable ground that en-
position where they could turn their at
tention to the Confederates In front Of
McCook. whose critical condition was
shortly after relieved. however. by. a
united pressure OF Gilberts Corps
against the flank OF McCooks assail-
ants. compelling them to retire behind
Chaplin River"
Gen. BuelPs Report.
In his report made from Louisville.
Nov. 4, 1862, Gen. Buell., after detail
ing his march and his preparations for
battle, says:
"The cannonading, which commenced
with the partial engagement In the CEN
ter, followed by the reconnaissance of
the cavalry, under Capt Gay, extended
toward the left, and became brisker as
the day advanced, but was not supposed
to proceed from any serious engage
ment. as no report to that effect was
received.
"At 4 o'clock, however, Maj-Gen Nc
Cooks Aid-de-Camp arrived and re-
ported to me that the General was sus-
tanning severe attack, which he would
not be able to Withstand unless rein
forced: that his fianks were already
giving away. He added, to my aston
ishment, that the left corps had actually
been engaged In severe battle for sew
eral hours perhaps since 12 o'clock. 1t
was so difficult to credit the latter that
/ thought there must even be some
misapprehension in regard to the for
mer. I sent word to him that I should
rely on his being able to hold his
ground, though should probably send
him reinforcements. I at once sent or
ders for two brigades from the center
corps (Schoepf's DivisiOn) to move
promptly to reinforce the left. Orders
were also sent to Gen. Crittenden to
move q division In to strengthen the
center and to move with the rest Of his
corps energetically against the enemy's
left flank. The distance from one flank
Of the army to the other was not, per-
haps. less than six miles. and before
the orders could be delivered and the
right corps make the attack night came
on and terminated the engagement"
Gen. Bragg's Report.
Gen. Braxton Bragg reported from
Richmond, under date Of Oct. IL, 1862,
as follows:
mot having succeeded In getting my
supplies from Lexington to my new de-
pot near Bryantsville, 1t was necessary
to hold large portion Of Gen. Smiths
forces In that direction. Finding the
enemy pressing heavily In his rear near
Perryville. Maj.-Gen. Hardee, Of Polk's
command, was obliged to halt and check
him at that point. Having arrived at
Harrodsburg from Frankfort, deter
mined to give him battle there, and
accordingly concentrated three divisions
Of my old command (the Army OF the
Mississippi, now under MAJ.
Polk Buckner's and An
derson's-and directed Gen. Polk to
take the command on the 7th and at
tack the enemy the next morning With
ers's Division had gone the day before
to support Smith.
Having on the night OF the 7th
learned that the force In front OF Smith
had rapidly retreated, L moved early
next morning to be present at the op-
erations Of Polk's forces. The two