Numbers 45.

Report of Brigadier General Thomas A. Davies, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division, Army of West Tennessee, including operations October 3-12, with resulting correspondence.

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, ARMY OF WEST TENNESSEE, October 18, 1862.

SIR: In obedience to General Orders, Numbers 134, I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this division on October 3 and 4, at the battle of Corinth, and also in the pursuit after the enemy:

At 1.45 a. m., October 3, I received the following order by telegraph

CORINTH, MISS., October 3, 1862-1.30 a. m.

General DAVIES:

There being indications of a possible attack on Corinth immediately, the following disposition of troops will be made: General McKean, with his division, will occupy his present position; General Davies will occupy the line between the Memphis and Columbus Railroads; General Hamilton will, with his division, take position between the rebel works on the Purdy and on the Hamburg roads, and General Stanley will hold his division in reserve at or near the old headquarters of Major-General Grant. The respective division will be formed in two lines, the second line being either in line of battle or close column by division, as circumstances may require.

By command of Major-General Rosecrans:

TEMPLE CLARK,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

A previous order has been received to hold the command in readiness to move at a moment's notice. Accordingly the arms were stacked on the color-line at 2 a. m. By some mistake in the telegraph the order to move at 3 o'clock was not received. Learning that Hamilton's division had moved, I telegraphed for instructions and the division moved about daylight with three days' rations in haversacks, and blankets. Being late and the morning intensely hot the command was very much warned by the travel of the 6 miles which they had to make to arrive at their position. On passing through Corinth I reported to General Rosecrans for more particular instructions as to the position I was to occupy. He told me to proceed out on the Columbus Railroad 1 1\2 miles from Corinth and form in line of battle. I took into action three brigades and fourteen pieces of artillery. The First Brigade, under General Hackleman, including officers, numbered 1,097 men; the Second Brigade, under General Oglesby, in like manner, numbered 720; the Third Brigade, under Colonel Baldwin, acting brigadier-general, numbered 1,117 men; the artillery, under command of Major Stone, chief of artillery, numbered 264 officers and men. Total number of infantry, 2,924 officers and men. Total artillerists, 264 officers and men. An investigation has been had of all absentees. There are a few absent in some regiments without leave and a few who left the field without permission. These will be branded in general orders from these headquarters as cowards and poltroons, who will never gain a military standing among their brave comrades in war till they shall have wiped out the disgrace in some battle and by orders from division headquarters. The division was very wake, owing to the large number detailed from it for duty in and about Corinth. All the cavalry was detailed to report to Colonel Mizner. The Fourteenth Missouri and Twenty-second Ohio were doing duty in Corinth. The Union Brigade, consisting of remnants of the Eighth, Twelfth, and Fourteenth Iowa and Fifty-eighth Illinois, was on duty at the Tuscumbia. Four companies of the Twelfth