Today in History:

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

Page 339 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION TO TUPELO, MISS.

On the 11th instant the enemy appeared in our front, and on the 12th instant the regiment was engaged singly with him, killing and wounding 19 and capturing 1, and losing only 1 wounded. The enemy then disappeared from our immediate front, and on the morning of the 13th instant we started in pursuit. When near Pontotoc we joined the column, then moving down the Verona road, and in the evening of this day came up with the enemy, but this regiment was not in action. Bivouacked at the forks of the Tupelo and Okolona and Pontotoc roads until 11 o'clock at night, when the regiment moved with the brigade and picketed on the Tupelo and Pontotoc road, being in line of battle during the night.

On the morning of the 14th instant the regiment moved forward with the brigade and attacked the enemy in his works at Harrisburg, making a charge across an open field of half a mile in width. Having reached the summit of a small hill immediately in front of and about forty or FIFTY yards from the enemy's works the command was forced to fall back, being exposed to the fire of three batteries and three lines of infantry in front and on both flanks, and being entirely unsupported on the right. On the evening of the same day the regiment moved with the brigade and picketed one of the Tupelo and Verona roads. The strength of the regiment on the field in the last-named engagement was 145 rank and file, and the loss was 92 killed, wounded, and prisoners.

Colonel Holt returned on the night of the 14th instant and assumed command on the morning of the 15th instant.

Respectfully submitted.

S. P. RIDGWAY,

Captain, Commanding THIRD Kentucky Regiment.

Captain W. D. McKAY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 51. Report of Captain Joel T. Cochran, Seventh Kentucky Mounted Infantry.


HDQRS. SEVENTH Kentucky REGIMENT CAVALRY,
Gillespie's Farm, Miss., July 20, 1864.

I would respectfully submit the following report of the operations of the Seventh Kentucky Regiment in the late engagements of the 13th, 14th, and 15th instant:

We had been for some days previous to the engagements picketing and skirmishing with the enemy as he advanced. On the morning of the 13th we were ordered from where we bivouacked, about seven miles from Pontotoc, on the Okolona road, to look for the enemy. We moved toward Pontotoc, were dismounted within three miles of the town, formed line of battle, marched across to the Houston and Pontotoc road, when we ascertained that the enemy had left Pontotoc in the direction of Tupelo. We are then ordered to move on the Pontotoc and Verona road-one leading parallel with the one the enemy was traveling. Arrived at the crossing of the Chesterville road about two hours before sundown, near where Bell's brigade was engaged, when the regiment was dismounted and drawn up in line to await the advance of the enemy, but soon learned that he was gone. Moved up the road a short


Page 339 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION TO TUPELO, MISS.