Today in History:

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

Page 221 Chapter XXIX. CORINTH.

the intense heat over dusty roads and by great scarcity of water, having marched more than 24 miles.

The next morning I received an order from General hamilton to take command of the Fourth Minnesota Infantry, the Fifth Iowa, and one section of the Eleventh Ohio Battery, and proceed at once to the Hatchie River and seize and hold the bridge. After issuing rations to the men (it being about 1 p. m.) I marched with this command, reaching the Hatchie River at 5 o'clock, a distance of 12 miles, and found the bridge destroyed, and Colonel Hatch, with the Second Iowa Cavalry, who had partially repaired it, preparing to cross. I crossed my command that night, fording the river, and took on the west side of the swamp, which place I held until the morning of the 10th, when, receiving orders from General Hamilton, I recrossed the river, joined the brigade, and marched that day back to Rienzi.

We were on the march early the following morning, and reached our present encampment, 10 miles southeast of Corinth, about 1 p. m., the men worm-out with fatigue and many of them destitute of shoes and comfortable clothing.

It gives me pleasure to report that not a single casualty occurred in my regiment during the battle of Corinth nor during the pursuit of the enemy.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. L. MATTHIES,

Colonel Fifth Iowa Infantry.

Captain J. P. FOLEY,

Asst. Adjt. General, First Brigadier, Third Div., Army of the Miss.


Numbers 26.

Report of Colonel John B. Sanborn, Fourth Minnesota Infantry, including operations October 3-12.


HEADQUARTERS FOURTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEERS,
Camp near Corinth, Miss., October 12, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report that I moved my command, in connection with the other regiments comprising the First Brigade, from this camp to a position on the north side of Corinth on the morning of the 3rd instant at 4 a. m., and there formed in order of battle on the right of the brigade and the Third Division. Company K was deployed as skirmishers, which took them to a point outside of the defenses of the town. At 10 a. m. the skirmishers were drawn in by order, and the regiment was marched about 2 miles and formed in order of battle behind the rifle-pits constructed by the Confederate Army last spring, still fronting toward the north and still holding the right of the brigade and division, which brought my regiment about one-third of a mile to the right of the Purdy road. this position was held until 4 p. m. without opposition. At that hour I moved my command, as ordered, about one-third of a mile to the west of where its left rested in its last position, and formed them in order of battle at right angles with my former position. There I remained about one-half hour, the Twenty-sixth Missouri at this time having formed on my right and at right angles with my line by your orders across the field in my front toward a heavy growth of timber, where our skirmishers had encountered the enemy in some force. Company K was again deployed forward as skirmishers,


Page 221 Chapter XXIX. CORINTH.