Today in History:

157 Series I Volume XVII-I Serial 24 - Corinth Part I

Page 157 Chapter XXIX. CORINTH.

health; 700 Confederate wounded already sent to Iuka paroled; 350 wounded paroled still at Corinth. Cannot tell the number of dead yet. About 800 rebels already buried. Their loss in killed about mine to one of ours. The ground is not yet clear of their unburied dead. Prisoners yet arriving by every road and train. This does not include casualties where Ord attacked in the rear. He has 350 well prisoners, besides two batteries and small-arms in large numbers. Our loss there was between 400 and 500. Rebel loss about the same. General Oglesby is shot through the breast and the ball lodged in the spine. Hopes for his recovery. Our killed and wounded at Corinth will not exceed 900, many of them slightly.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN,

President of the United States.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Jackson, Tenn., October 30, 1862.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the accompanying reports of the battles of Corinth and of the Hatchie, fought on the 3d, 4th, and 5th instant, together with a short statement of the preparation made to receive the enemy and of orders given previous to and during the engagement:

From information brought in by scouts, who wee constantly kept out by General Rosecrans, from Corinth, and General Hurlbut from Bolivar, it was evident for a number of days before the final attack upon Corinth that that place or Bolivar was to be assailed. From the dispositions made by the enemy of his forces it was impossible to tell which place would be the one selected for the attack. My main bodies of troops were at these two places, but to re-enforce one from the other would have invited an attack upon the weaker place. I was compelled therefore to leave my forces where they were until the enemy fully exhibited his plans. At this time Price was at Ripley with his force; Van Dorn wa at La Grange, with cavalry thrown out to the neighborhood of Somerville, and Villepigue (and Lovell probably) at Salem. With this disposition made of his cavalry Van Dorn was enabled to move from La Grange to Ripley without being discovered. This I learned on the 30th instant by dispatches from both General Rosecrans and General Hurlbut. This demonstrated clearly a design on the part of the enemy to attack Corinth. I accordingly notified General Rosecrans, commanding Corinth, of the probable intention of the rebels to try to get into north of Corinth and cut the road between that and Bethel, and directed him to concentrate all his forces at or near Corinth, instructions having been previously given him to break up Iuka and bring his forces in the neighborhood of Corinth; and at the same time directed General Hurlbut, commanding Bolivar, to watch the movements of the enemy to the east and northeast of Bolivar, to watch the movements of the enemy to the east and northeast of Bolivar, and if a chance occurred to attack him with all the force he could spare, holding his entire force in readiness for action.

To save the bridge 6 miles south of Bolivar I ordered two regiments from here, under Colonel Lawler. It had the desired effect, and compelled the enemy to cut the road nearer Corinth and where the damage could not be made serious. General Rosecrans was immediately informed of this disposition of troops. He saw also directed to send back


Page 157 Chapter XXIX. CORINTH.