Today in History:

261 Series I Volume XXXIX-I Serial 77 - Allatoona Part I

Page 261 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION TO TUPELO, MISS.

My casualties are as follows: 1 commissioned officer killed, 6 wounded; 15 enlisted men killed, 71 wounded, and 5 missing in action, a detailed report of which has already been forwarded.

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

W. L. McMILLEN,

Colonel Ninety-fifth Ohio Infantry, Commanding.

Captain J. B. sample,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 6. Report of Captain Benjamin C. Berry, One hundred and fourteenth Illinois Infantry.


HEADQUARTERS 114TH Illinois VOLUNTEERS,
Memphis, Tenn., July 23, 1864.

COLONEL: In obedience to your order of the 22d, I have the honor to submit the following statement of the part taken by my regiment in the late expedition to and from Tupelo:

We left Memphis, Tenn., on the 25th of June and arrived at La Grange on the 27th, nothing worthy of note transpiring on the way. On the 5th of July we again moved onward, making easy marches. We arrived at Pontotoc on the 11th, my men being greatly improved in both health and spirits. On the morning of the 13th we again took up the line of march toward Tupelo, my regiment being in the rear of the brigade. About noon the brigade was halted until the entire wagon train had moved past, when we again moved forward, my regiment being placed in the rear of the Second Iowa Battery, with orders from you to support it. The brigade receiving a spirited attack on the right flank, and the battery in imminent peril, the advance of the enemy being within a few rods, my regiment was formed in the rear of the battery, the men forming in fine order and good time. The farther advance of the enemy was checked by the time I had my line formed by the energetic action of the battery itself. We were then ordered forward to the support of the Seventy- second and Ninety-fifth Ohio Regiments, who were hotly pressed by the enemy. Arriving on the ground we were ordered, in connection with the other two regiments, to charge, which was done in gallant style, and the enemy was driven from the field, our loss being 3 killed and 10 wounded. We then moved forward until near Tupelo, where we went into camp for the night. During the operations of the 14th my regiment was not bought into action, but was held in reserve. Being somewhat exposed to the enemy's artillery we lost, by the explosion of one of their shells, 2 men killed and 1 wounded severely. During the operations of the morning of the 15th my regiment was not brought into immediate action, but, upon leaving the ground with the Ninety-THIRD Indiana, composed the rear guard of the infantry force. About 5 o'clock in the afternoon an assault was made by the enemy on the rear of the column. Our brigade, except the Tenth Minnesota, was ordered to charge them, which was done, and the enemy, who had a largely superior force, was driven back near a mile in perfect rout. During this charge my regiment, occupying an exposed position in the line, suffered severely, 7 men being killed and 15 wounded; most of them very severely wounded. I was here myself wounded,


Page 261 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION TO TUPELO, MISS.