Today in History:

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

Page 248 WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. Chapter XXIX.

one gun on the right of Battery Robinett, which bore on that part of the town), and continued our fire until the enemy were repulsed and had regained the woods.

During the time the enemy were being repulsed from the town my attention was drawn to the left side of the battery by the firing from Battery Robinett, where I saw a column advancing to storm it. After advancing a short distance they were repulsed, but immediately reformed, and, storming the work, gained the ditch, but were repulsed. During this charge 8 of the enemy, having placed a handkerchief on a bayonet and calling to the men in the battery not to shoot them, surrendered, and were allowed to come into the fort. They then reformed, and, restoring, carried the ditch and outside of the work, the supports having fallen a short distance to the rear in slight disorder.

The men of the First U. S. Infantry, after having been driven from their guns (they manned the siege guns), restored to their muskets, and were firing from the inside of the embrasures at the enemy on the outside, a distance of about 10 feet intervening; but the rebels, having gained the top of the work, our men feel back into the angle of the fort, as they had been directed to do in such an emergency. Two shells were thrown from Battery Williams into Battery Robinatt, one bursting on top of it and the other near the right edge. In the mean while the Eleventh Missouri Volunteers (in reserve) changed front, and, aided by the Forty-third and Sixty-third Ohio Volunteers, with the Twenty-seventh Ohio Volunteers on their right, gallantly stormed up to the right and left of the battery, driving the enemy before them. The battery could not open on the retreating enemy, for its commander, Lieutenant Robinett, was wounded, and 13 of the 26 men that manned it were either killed or wounded.

This closed the action in front of Battery Robinett, except the occasional firing of sharpshooters; but the enemy were then reforming in the woods, where they had before formed when they stormed the town, and advanced to the attack; but were repulsed before they reached the town. During this attack the right guns of my battery were engaged, having an enfilading fire on the enemy's line.

Battery Robinett was commanded by Lieutenant Robinett, with one officer (Lieutenant Cullen) and 24 men of Company C, First U. S. Infantry. Battery Williams, under my immediate command, was manned by Companies D and I, First U. S. Infantry. Battery Phillips, commanded by Captain Phillips, and manned by Companies A, B, and H, First U. S. Infantry. While the enemy were advancing on the town, Battery Chapman [Madison], manned by Company B, Second Illinois Artillery, was engaged over the town shelling the enemy out.

About 8 p. m. of the 4th it was discovered that about 200 yards in front of Battery Robinett was a gun and caisson that the rebels had been forced to abandon during the artillery firing of the morning. A portion of the Sixty-third Ohio Volunteers went out for the purpose of bringing it in. They succeeded in bringing in the caisson, but were forced by the enemy's sharpshooters to abandon the piece. Corpls. [Patrick] Meade and [Joseph] Plaskey and Privates [Michael] Ryan and Daniel Murray (afterward killed), of Company C, First U. S. Infantry, volunteered to go out and get it. They succeeded, and, when about half way in, they were met and assisted by Private [James M.] Strange, of Company F, Second U. S. Artillery.

I most respectfully attest to the good conduct of the officers (Lieutenants Bates, Hosmer, and Mace) and soldier of my battery, as well as those of Batteries Phillips and Robinett. It is scarcely proper to


Page 248 WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. Chapter XXIX.