Today in History:

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

Page 443 Chapter XXIX. CORINTH.

saw him making maps and accompanied him in reconnaissances. He made many reconnaissances which upon my other duties did not permit me to accompany him.

Question. Did the troops of your command carry the interior works of Corinth and enter the town of Corinth on October 4 last?

Answer. General Moote took his brigade right into the main part of the town of Corinth, capturing a battery of light artillery near where he crossed the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, taking possession of the Tishomingo Hotel and the buildings about the railroad depot, and a part of his brigade, including the Second Texas Regiment, led by Colonel Rogers, entered the innermost works of Corinth, in which Colonel Rogers and many other officers of the division were left killed or wounded. Phifer's and Cabell's brigades entered the town farther to the left than Moore's did and passed into the innermost works of Corinth, capturing them and driving the enemy from their guns. Many of the officers were left dead and wounded in these works. Colonels Johnson and Daly, of Arkansas, were among them.

Question. You have known General Van Dorn, you have said, since the army was in the city of Monterey, in Mexico, in 1846. Do you know or have you ever heard of anything in the character of General Van dorn to warrant the supposition or belief that he would be cruel or inhuman in his treatment to the soldiers under his command?

Answer. On the country, I do not believe from all I have heard of General Van Dorn or know of him that he could be cable of cruelty or inhumanity or intentional injustice to any one.

Major EDWARD DILLON, chief commissary of the Army West Tennessee, commanded by General Van Dorn, was duly sworn.

By DEFENDANT:

Question. What supplies were carried by the troops from Davis' Mill, near Grand Junction, when they marched to Ripley en route to Corinth?

Answer. Fifteen day's supplies were taken from Davis' Mill.

Question. What dispositions were made at Ripley to supply the army with rations after the fifteen days' rations should be exhausted?

Answer. On September 28, I think the day before we left Ripley, General Van Dorn directed to me order 400,000 rations of breadstuffs and salt and 92,000 rations of salt meat to be forward from Holly Springs immediately, there being already a sufficient quantity, say 1,000 head of beef cattle, within reach of the army. On the morning that we left Ripley a number of wagons (I hint 74 or 75) were sent to Holly Springs to transport these rations, provided the commissary at Holly Springs did not send them by hired wagons, which he was directed to do when he received the order to forward these rations, and those other wagons were sent in order to prevent the possibility of failure.

Question. Can you state when the rations of the two corps of the army should have been exhausted?

Answer. The rations of General Lovell's army corps should have been exhausted on October 9; those of General Price's army corps on October 3 or 4 -the 4th I think-exclusive of the rations that had been sent, for.

Question. When the time arrived was the army resupplied with rations; and, if so, to what period?

Answer. When the army arrived at Tuscumbia Bridge on its retreat from Corinth some of the brigades of General Price's army corps dew from a train which we met there for two day's rations. On October 7 and 8 three days' rations of breadstuffs and of salt and beef were issued to the whole army except General Bowen's command, which was already rationed to include the 9th. He did not call for any. The rations were there. He could have had them if he needed them. This was at Ripley.

Question. If Corinth had carried how long would it have taken to bring up rations from the depot on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad?

Answer. About three days.


Page 443 Chapter XXIX. CORINTH.