156 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



but they were subdued. Directly they began 

 to wave their handkerchiefs upon sticks in 

 token of submission, shouting to spare them 

 "for God's sake." Over 200 of them were 

 taken within an area of a hundred yards, and 

 more than 200 of them fell in that frightful 

 assault upon Fort Robinett. Fifty-six dead 

 were heaped up together in front of that re- 

 doubt, most of whom were of the 2d Texas 

 and 4th Mississippi." 



The battle was now over. It had begun in 

 earnest about 9 o'clock, and at half past 11 the 

 Confederate force was falling back. The front 

 was so thoroughly masked that it Avas late in 

 the afternoon before it could be determined 

 whether a second assault was intended. Pur- 

 suit in force could not be attempted before ra- 

 tions and ammunition were provided. It was 

 3 o'clock on the morning of the next day, Sun- 

 day the 5th, before the column moved in light 

 order and swiftly. The vigor and determina- 

 tion with which Gen. Rosecrans would pursue 

 a flying foe may be understood from his views 

 expressed to his officers : " Follow close ; force 

 them to pass to the rear ; compel them to form 

 often in line of battle and so harass and dis- 

 courage them; prevent them from communi- 

 cating from front to rear ; give them no time 

 to distribute subsistence ; don't let them sleep." 

 Meantime, after the Confederate force had re- 

 tired, Gen. McPherson arrived with 3 regiments 

 from Jackson, and led the van of the pursuit. 



The Confederate force retreated by the route 

 on which they had advanced, which was the 

 Chewalla road. It was necessary for them to 

 cross the Tuscumbia river in the neighborhood 

 of Pocahontas. They sent a body of troops to 

 protect the Hatchie river bridge, which is two 

 miles from the bridge across the Tuscumbia. 

 On the 4th Gens. Ord and Hurlbut, from Gen. 

 Grant's force, moved down and encountered 

 this detachment and defeated it, capturing a 

 large number of prisoners and two batteries of 

 6 guns. The Federal loss here was 50 killed, 

 493 wounded, and 17 prisoners. This action 

 compelled the Confederate force to retrace 

 their steps and by making a wide circuit they 

 finally crossed the Hatchie at Crum's Mill, 

 about 6 miles farther up. Gen. Rosecrans, 

 however, continued the pursuit to Ripley, 

 whence he was ordered by Gen. Grant to return. 

 ITe captured nearly 1,000 prisoners, part of the 

 Confederate ammunition and baggage trains, 

 and 11 guns. The Federal loss at Corinth was 

 stated at 315 killed, 1,312 wounded, and 232 

 prisoners, taken chiefly on Friday, and two 

 Parrott guns. The additional ejects of the 

 battle are thus stated by Gen. Rosecrans in 

 an address to his troops, dated October 25 : 



I have now received the reports of the various com- 

 manders. I have now to tell you that the magnitude 

 of the stake, the battle and the results, become more 

 than ever apparent. Upon the issue of this fight d e . 

 pended the possession of west Tennessee, and perhaps 

 even the fate of operations in Kentucky. The entire 

 available force of the rebels in Mississippi, save a few 

 garrisons and a small reserve, attacked you. They 



were commanded by Van Dora, Price, Villipigue, Rust, 

 Armstrong, Maury, and others in person. They num- 

 bered, according to their own authorities, nearly 40,000 

 men almost double your own numbers. You fought 

 them into the position we desired on the 3d, punishing 

 them terribly ; and on the 4th, in 3 hours after the in- 

 fantry went into action, they were completely beaten. 

 "W>u killed and buried 1,423 officers and men; some 

 of their most distinguished officers falling among 

 whom was the gallant Colonel Rogers, of the 2d Texas, 

 who bore their colors at the head of his storming col- 

 umn to the edge of the ditch of " Battery Robinett," 

 where he fell. Their wounded, at the usual rate, must 

 exceed 5,000. You took 2,268 prisoners, among whom 

 are 137 field officers, captains, and subalterns, repre- 

 senting 53 regiments of infantry ; 16 regiments cav- 

 alry ; 13 batteries of artillery ; 7 battalions ; mak- 

 ing 69 regiments, 13 batteries, 7 battalions, besides 

 several companies. You captured 3,300 stands of 

 small arms, 14 stands of colors, 2 pieces of artillery, 

 and a large quantity of equipments. You pursued his 

 retreating columns 40 miles in force with infantry, and 

 69 miles with cavalry, and were ready to follow him to ' 

 Mobile, if necessary, had you received orders. I con- 

 gratulate you on these decisive results; in the name of 

 the Government and the people, I thank you. I beg 

 you to unite with me in giving humble thanks to the 

 Great Master of all for our victories. 



After the battle at Corinth and the pursuit 

 of the Confederate force, the troops of Gen. 

 Grant returned to their respective positions. 

 Gen. Rosecrans, on the 25th of October, was or- 

 dered from Corinth to Cincinnati to take com- 

 mand of the forces preparing for a new cam- 

 paign. On the 4th of November the forces of 

 Gen. Grant advanced from Jackson and Boli- 

 var to Lagrange, 3 miles east of Grand Junc- 

 tion on the Cairo and New Orleans railroad. 

 The scattered forces of Gens. Van Dorn and 

 Price had rallied and were Avitbin 20 miles of 

 the same place, at Cold Water and Holly Springs, 

 Mississippi. Their numbers had not been in- 

 creased by reenforcements, but they had been 

 rendered more effective by concentration. The 

 forces of Gen. Grant had been slightly increased 

 by the new levies. His army was required to 

 garrison Columbus, Humboldt, Trenton, Jack- 

 son, Bolivar, Corinth, and Grand Junction, and 

 was now designated as the army of west Ten- 

 nessee. The position of the army was un- 

 changed until near the end of November. It 

 required reenforcements and supplies. Active 

 efforts were made to repair the Memphis rail- 

 road in order that supplies might be brought 

 from that point instead of Columbus in Ken- 

 tucky. The distance to the latter place is 138 

 miles, and to the former, from Lagrange, 49 

 miles. On the south a small body of troops 

 was thrown forward a few miles to Davis's 

 Mills, and on the west a heavy force had been 

 stationed at Moscow. On the 28th, however, 

 the advance of Gen. Hamilton's corps began to 

 move in the direction of Holly Springs, which 

 place was reached on the 29th. By the 1st of 

 December, Gen. Grant's forces had arrived and 

 were chiefly encamped at Lumpkin's Mills, south 

 of Holly Springs, and 7 miles north of the Tal- 

 lahatchie river. The Confederate force had re- 

 tired to the river. At the same time that the 

 movement was commenced from Davis's Mills, 

 a division of Gen. Curtis's army left Helena, 



