Today in History:

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

Page 285 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION TO TUPELO, MISS.


Numbers 21. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Moore, Twenty- first Missouri Infantry.


HDQRS. TWENTY-FIRST MISSOURI INFANTRY VOLS.,
Memphis, Tenn., July 31, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report the part taken by the Twenty-first Missouri Infantry Volunteers at the battle of Tupelo, on the 14th of July, 1864:

About 6 a. m. we were formed in line of battle with the brigade, the One hundred and nineteenth Illinois Being on our left, and the FIFTY-eighth Illinois on our right. About 7. 30 a. m. the enemy opened on us with artillery, which continued until about 9 a. m., when they advanced their infantry in line of battle, driving in our skirmishers precipitately. They came within thirty paces of our line, when I gave the order to fire, and immediately afterward to advance. The fire was well directed and took the enemy by surprise, who fled in great disorder, with the regiment in close pursuit, and for fifteen or twenty minutes a continuous and deadly fire was poured in upon them. Its effect was visible on the field. There being no enemy in sight, after advancing about 450 yards we retired to our former position, and were not attacked again during the day, although frequently subjected to a heavy artillery fire.

The officers and men of the command behaved with the utmost gallantry, obeying every order with that promptness which insures success.

Our loss was 1 killed and 15 wounded, a report of which has already been forwarded.

I have the honor to be, lieutenant, yours, respectfully,

EDWIN MOORE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant S. D. SAWYER,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 1st Brigadier, 3rd Div., 16th Army Corps.


Numbers 22. Reports of Colonel James I. Gilbert, Twenty-seventh Iowa Infantry, commanding Second Brigade.


HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, THIRD DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tenn., July 24, 1864, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Second Brigade in the late battle with the enemy, on the 14th instant, near Tupelo, Miss.:

About 6 o'clock on the morning of the 14th I was notified by the general commanding that the infantry of my brigade, consisting of the Fourteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Captain William J. Campbell; the Twenty-fourth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Major Robert W. Fyan; the Twenty-seventh Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Captain Amos M. Haslip; and the Thirty-second Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Major Jonathan Hutchison, would be held in reserve, and upon it would devolve the duty of protecting the train parked on the left of the Pontotoc and Tupelo road. The THIRD Indiana Battery, Lieutenant R. Burns commanding, had been already ordered into position in the front. My line was formed upon the left flank of the train, in the following order, from right to left: Twenty- fourth Missouri, Twenty-seventh, Fourteenth,


Page 285 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION TO TUPELO, MISS.