Today in History:

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

Page 234 WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. Chapter XXIX.

of courage and ability. Captain Hall, under arrest, was released for meritorious conduct on the field. Captain Files, also under arrest, remained with his company during the greater part of the fight, urging them to do their duty. the non-commissioned officers and privates all emulated each other in coolness and courage. i lost 7 killed and 32 wounded. One since died.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GREEN B. RAUM,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Fifty-sixth Illinois.

Captain T. H. HARRIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 33.

Report of Major Nathaniel McCalla, Tenth Iowa Infantry.


HDQRS. TENTH REGIMENT IOWA VOLUNTEERS,
Camp near Corinth, Miss., October 12, 1862.

SIR: On the morning of the 3rd instant at this camp I received orders to be in readiness to march at 3 a. m. tents and baggage loaded, and at the appointed hour I formed the regiment in line and reached in the direction of Corinth, which place I passed through, and proceeding to a distance of about one-half mile north formed in line of battle, my regiment constituting the right of the brigade, and in pursuance of your order I ordered Companies A and F to be deployed as skirmishers in front of the brigade at a distance as far as the old entrenchments.

About 8 a. m. I moved the regiment from this position a distance of about one-half mile to the left, and took a position immediately on the left of the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery. At about 9 a. m. I received orders to change position, and marched in a northwesterly direction about 1 1/2 miles, and formed a line of battle on the left and in support of the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery, where I remained about one hour, when I was ordered farther to the left and rear, and formed line near an old farm house northeast from a battery of the enemy, and within easy range of its shells, several of which fell both in the rear and front of the line. I then ordered the regiment to the rear about 200 yards, which was marched in line of battle and took a position on the road. Remaining here near half an hour, I formed column and was conducted by yourself in person in the direction of the enemy's battery, to the left and front of my late position, through dense woods and brush, passing the line of our skirmishers. On arriving near the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad came upon the line of the enemy's skirmishers, and passing through it took about 20 of them prisoners and ordered them to the rear. I ordered a line to be formed on the railroad. During the execution of the order the enemy opened upon us at a distance of about 150 yards a most destructive fire of grape and canister, in which several of my men were wounded; but notwithstanding this severe fire the line formed on the railroad in excellent order. While in this position the fire from their batteries was kept up, raking the ground, and would have done immense damage but for the fact that at this point where the line was formed on the track there had been a


Page 234 WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. Chapter XXIX.