Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-04


bird Ohio lay about forty rods in ad.
vance OF the Missouri regiment A.
cloud Of sharpshooters preceded the
Confederate column and took the Ohio
ans for their principal target. So
deadly was this fire that when the
charging column. headed by Colonel
Rogers, reached the little fort the Ohio
regiment had entirely disappeared.
One Of the Ohio soldiers made the
most desperate flag capture of the
day. In the last charge a gallant Tex.
an marched in front Of the column
straight for the fort. He was shot.
and Private Grin B. Gould OF Com
pany G sprang forward TO seize this
flag A Confederate captain called out
to his followers. Save your coiors!"
Gould was hit In the breast with a re-
volver shot. but brought away the tro
ply.
Retreat and Pursuit.
The fight at the works OF Corinth
did not last over an hour. The Federal
Battery Powell was captured by
brigade Of Prices Missourians. but be
fore help could come up to hold 1t the
assailants had been routed. By noon
the Confederates were in full retreat
Van Dorm drew his army south into
Mississippi, and it took no further part
in the campaign around Corinth or the
game which General Bragg was play
ing In the invasion OF Kentucky.
The Confederate retreat southwark
from Corinth battlefield led across the
Big Hatchie river. In that vicinity
they encountered two divisions Of
fresh troops which General Grant had
retained at Bolivar and Jackson,
Tenn, in order to meet an attack at
either point should Van Dorm succeed
in taking Corinth or avoid it altogether
and dash for Tennessee. On the 5th
retreat at the river. but with feeble
result.
This was a critical time for the de-
feated troops. But a retreating column
has some advantage of its purSuers,
especially when the pursued are on
home soil and the pursuers cropping in
the dark The COnfederateS knew
greater rapidity than the Federals. The
| road led through wild and wooded
country well adapted to laying an am
bush.
The pursuit continued with vigor IN,
| til it was halted by General Grant. ia
spite of protests from RoSecrans. who
proposed TO push on and capture vicks-
! burg before Van Dorn's army could re-
| cover from its reverse at Corinth.
After the Battle.
! In a general order announcing the
results of the battle to his command.
! General ROsecranS said: I'VE killed
and buried l.423 officers and men of
/ the enemy. including some of their
/ most distinguished officers. Their
/ wounded AT the usual rate would eH,
/ coed 5000 We took 22GS prisoners
among whom We're 1871 field officers
captains and subalterns. We cap.
{ tured $500 stands Of small arms Il
/ stands Of colors. . pieces OF artillery
/ and Il large quantity Of equipments
/ We pursued Lis rptreating column for
/ ty miles with all arms. and with cav.
airy sixty miles Our loss was 81
/ killed. ISL wounded, 32i captured or
missing" The official Confederate re-.
ports make their loss 800 killed. 2.l5C
I wounded 2.IS3 missing.
In closing his report General Van
I Dorm said.
"A hand to hand contest was being
enacted in the very yard Of General
. Ro>ecrans' headquarters and in the
streets Of the town The heavy guns
were silenccd. and all seemed 10 he
about ended when heavy fire from
fresh troops who had succeeded in
reaching Corinth. poured into our thin
ned ranks Exhausted from loss OF
sleep. wParied from hard marching
and fighting. companies and regiments