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100 Series I Volume VIII- Serial 8 - Pea Ridge

Page 100 OPERATIONS IN MO., AKR., KANS., AND IND. T. Chapter XVIII.

our midday heat I detailed four companies of the Twenty-seventh and three companies of the Thirty-ninth Regiment, under Major Noyes, of the Thirty-ninth Regiment, to deploy as skirmishers and scour the country between Tiptonville and Island Numbers 10, which was done, and a number of prisoners taken. The night of the 8th we bivouacked at Island Numbers 10. New morning took transport Graham for camp at New Madrid. No casualties.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN GROESBECK,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain GEORGE D. KELLOGG,

Asst. Adjt. General, First Div., District of the Mississippi.


Numbers 9. Report of Colonel J. L. Kirby Smith, Forty-third Ohio Infantry, Commanding Second Brigade.


HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION,
April 17, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the movements of this brigade at the capture of the rebel position at and near Island Numbers 10:

The brigade, consisting of the Forty-third Ohio Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Wager, Swayne, and the Sixty-third Ohio Infantry, Colonel J. W. Sprague, crossed the river on the morning of the 7th instant, embarking at the upper fort at New Madrid, and landing at the site of the three-gun rebel battery just captured by our gunboats, and having been formed in line of battle, moved forward a half mile from the landing, and took a position in a wood near an abandoned rebel encampment of two regiments, apparently quite recently evacuated. A guard of 20 men was placed over the property here, and over a few prisoners, who, being sick or intoxicated, had failed to escape with the enemy. A company was sent back to the landing to render assistance and support to the rifle battery of Captain Dees, which had crossed with us. We remained at this point about an hour, until joined by the other brigade of the division (the First, Colonel Groesbeck,) and then moved in the direction of Tiptonville to the support of General Paine, whose division was in advance. The brigade bivouacked about an hour after dark at a point near the bank of the river, and about 8 miles below the point where the landing had been made.

The march to Tiptonville was resumed in the morning and the brigade reached there about noon. The enemy had already surrendered, without fighting, to the advance of our army, and the brigade was placed in position as part of the guard of the prisoners. Two hours later the brigade was put in march for the late position of the enemy opposite Island Numbers 10. On the march thither the country between the road and the river was thoroughly beaten up by a strong line of skirmishers under Lieutenant-Colonel Swayne, and several prisoners taken. The brigade bivouacked opposite Island Numbers 10 about 5 p. m. On the morning of the 9th instant the brigade was moved, with the rest of the division, by transport, to New Madrid, and resumed its former encampment.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. L. KIRBY SMITH,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Captain GEORGE D. KELLOGG, Assistant Adjutant-General.


Page 100 OPERATIONS IN MO., AKR., KANS., AND IND. T. Chapter XVIII.