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735 Series I Volume X-I Serial 10 - Shiloh Part I

Page 735 Chapter XXII. SIEGE OF CORINTH,MISS.

No. 27 Report of Lieutenant. Col. Edward Hatch, Second Iowa Cavalry, of operations from April 29 to June 9.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND IOWA CAVALRY, Camp,near Corinth, Miss., June 18, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report, complying with order to report, actions, scouts, and skirmishes the Second Iowa Cavalry has been engaged in subsequent to its arrival at Hamburg, Tenn. The first within my knowledge is the attack upon Monterey, Tenn.

The regiment left camp at daylight on the morning of April 29, joining Colonel Elliott's command in a reconnaissance by General Stanley. Pushing forward through heavy roads, attacked the enemy's camp at Monterey, Tenn., at 10 o'clock in the morning. The enemy fled in confusion. Detaching Major Love, with the Third Battalion, composed of Companies I, B, F, and D, to the left, Major Love followed the enemy rapidly; approached a stream south of Monterey, Tenn.,when the enemy opened upon him with a masked battery as soon as his advance guard had passed a bridge only wide enough to pass by tows. Finding the battery supported, he presently withdrew under a heavy fire, losing 1 man killed and 3 wounded. Proceeding rapidly with eight companies in advance, Company K captured 11 prisoners.

The following are the names of the killed and wounded: Private William Paxton, Company B, killed; Privates William Bremner, James Boutrager, and Corp. James B. Smith, of Company I, wounded.

On the morning of May 3 received at 9 o'clock an order to proceed with the entire regiment immediately to the Memphis and Charleston Railroad between Burnsville and Glendale, and there to destroy a trestle work and otherwise render useless for the time being the railroad at that point. Left camp in the neighborhood of Widow Wolf's farm, on the Corinth and Hamburg road; proceeded southeast to a small stream, fording it upon a hard bottom, water up to the saddle-skirts of horses; on the south side of the stream came upon half a mile of very low, swampy ground, almost impassable for horses. Leaving two companies (K and L, commanded by Captain Crocker) to hold the ford, proceeded in a southerly direction 6 miles to the main Alabama road over a very broken and hilly country, well watered by small streams and springs; the hills generally clay, intermixed with gravel and iron ore. After leaving the ford 2 miles we found the enemy's pickets in small force; drove them rapidly to the crossing of the main Alabama road, where we found the enemy in some force. Leaving four companies at this point to check any advance from the enemy's camps at Farmington and Burnsville, Miss., pushed rapidly forward 6 miles southwest,the road running upon pine ridges until we reached the railroad, where we burned the trestle work, tearing up the track, heating and spoiling the rails, destroying the switches. On my return captured 3 wagons, 10 mules, and 4 prisoners. On reaching the junction of this road and the Alabama road found Companies H and F, who had been left there, commanded by Captain Sanford, were ably holding in check all attempts of the enemy to cut off our retreat, losing no man killed or wounded. From there we proceeded to camp, reaching it at 8 o'clock in the evening.

Complying with Colonel Elliott's order of May 8, moved forward with this brigade on the main Corinth road beyond Farmington. By


Page 735 Chapter XXII. SIEGE OF CORINTH,MISS.