SUDDEN ORDERS TO MARCH--A DAY'S MARCH TOWARD
CORINTH--BIVOUAC ON THE BIG MUDDY--FIGHT OF THE
CAVALRY--ARRIVAL OF GENERAL ORD--REVEILLE--ADVANCE
OF THE 2D BRIGADE--SITUATION AND MOVEMENTS OF
THE ENEMY--BATTLE OF MATAMORA--OUR POSITIONS IN
RESERVE--PROGRESS OF THE BATTLE--CARRYING THE BRIDGE
OF THE HATCHIE--DISASTROUS SITUATION--RESERVES
ORDERED INTO ACTION--SCENE BEYOND THE BRIDGE--HURLBUT
SAVES THE DAY--CARRYING THE HEIGHTS--PRACTICE OF
THE ARTILLERY--RETREAT OF THE ENEMY--BIVOUAC ON THE
FIELD--ON PICKET--RECONNOISSANCE, DETAILS, ETC.--RETURN
TO BOLIVAR--FRUITS OF THE VICTORY--LOSSES.
Our regiment was on battalion drill on the afternoon of October 3d,
when orders came to be ready to march promptly at three o'clock
in the morning, with three days cooked rations in haversacks. The
evening was spent in preparation, and during the night frequent
orders arrived announcing the details of the march. We were to go
in light order, taking, besides the ambulances, but two wagons to
the regiment, one for ammunition and one for tents, of which each
company was to take one. Those not able to march were exempted by the
surgeons, and for this purpose an examination was had.
Reveille roused us at one o'clock; at two we had breakfasted; and at
three the column formed on the open fields to the west of Bolivar. It
consisted of the 4th Division, and the 68th Ohio and 12th Michigan
of Ross' division. General Hurlbut was in command. General Ross was
to remain to guard the place.
The column began to move without delay. We passed through Bolivar
and took the road leading in a southeast direction toward Corinth.
The full moon shone beautifully, but not enough to light the densely
wooded bottom through which for two miles beyond Bolivar the road
defiles. Besides the frequent mudholes, we had to ford a small creek
that flows through a cypress swamp, by which means the ranks were
much broken and the column greatly lengthened. When the head of the
column gained the bluffs to the east of this, it was halted to wait
for the rear to come up. Day had not yet dawned, but the scene was
enchanting. The moon cast a pure pale light over all the landscape,
which for a long distance lay beneath us to the west. There was not
a breath of air in motion; and the profound silence which pervaded
all nature was broken only by the heavy tread of man and horse, and
the clatter of baggage and artillery wheels. Where and why were we
thus marching? The sudden orders, the nature of the preparations, and
the unexpected direction we were taking, assured us that it was an
uncommon movement, and that there was trouble ahead. All was mystery;
but in it every one could see a battle. Little did we think that at
that very hour the enemy was preparing to storm our works at Corinth.
As soon as the rear battalions had crossed the stream the march was
resumed with energy. The roads were not dusty, and when the day
dawned there arose a cool breeze, which enabled us to maintain the
same speed with which we had led out. Fifteen miles brought us by 11
A. M. to a small stream where we halted till 2 P. M., for dinner and
rest.
In the afternoon the roads were somewhat dustier. At Pocahontas
Station we crossed the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and, soon
after, the cavalry, two battalions of the 5th Ohio, came upon a
picket of the enemy which they put to flight, losing one man mortally
wounded. The column went into camp for the night on the Big Muddy,
the 1st Brigade beyond it, the 2d behind it. The Third Iowa occupied
precisely the same ground on which it had camped the night of the
13th of June.
The 1st Brigade had just stacked arms, when word came that our
cavalry had engaged that of the enemy about a mile and a half to
the front, and that they were fighting sharply. Listening, we could
hear the indistinct crack of the carbines. Messengers began and
continued to arrive from the scene of action; but it was some time
before General Lauman seemed much concerned about it. At length we
saw an officer ride up excitedly to him. Then the general climbed
his horse, and galloping down to our regiment, cried out: "Third
Iowa! in line!" We sprang to our stacks and took arms; when he
commanded in the same tone: "At will--load!" While we thus stood
in line, expecting every moment to see the cavalry breaking back
upon us, we saw something in the east, flashing back the rays of
the setting sun. It approached us, dancing through the bushes like
two great wheels of fire, and soon discovered itself, an enormous
pair of spectacles, behind which a cavalry officer came riding
frantically up, and with a strange accent cried to Captain Trumbull:
"Kapn-ve-kot-ateenuntert-kafalrie-kiust-uns-atwo-richiments-
ot-ve-to-peet-a-retreat?" The Colonel very coolly referred him to the
General, when he rode off, saying the General knew all about it.
After about an hour's fighting, the contending parties withdrew as
if by mutual consent, and our cavalry as per orders retired upon the
infantry. We again stacked arms, and nothing occurred during the
night to prevent us from sleeping soundly.
About 3 o'clock in the morning, Major General Ord arrived from
Corinth, whence he had come by way of Jackson and Bolivar, from the
latter place on horseback, escorted by a company of the 2d Illinois
Cavalry. He assumed command of all the forces, and approved the plan
of battle General Hurlbut had already made. He brought intelligence
that the rebels had been defeated at Corinth, and were retreating
towards us. Early in the morning, and about the time we heard of his
arrival, this news circulated through our fires merely in the shape
of a vague rumor of a battle at Corinth.
We were aroused at daylight, and ordered to eat our breakfasts
and get ready to move. The cavalry pickets, stationed at a house,
fell back into the edge of a wood to eat their breakfast without
molestation, and when they attempted to return to their former post,
found the house occupied by rebels, and were unable to dislodge them.
About seven o'clock, the 25th Indiana, of Veatch's Brigade, moved
past us to the front, followed by a battery, and their brigade
train. The wagons were parked with our's on the field on which the
1st Brigade still rested. It was not long before we heard the firing
of skirmishers, and soon after, we were startled by discharges of
artillery rapid and near. It was a section of Bolton's Battery
shelling the enemy out of the house. Soon the remainder of Gen.
Veatch's command moved past us, the 28th Illinois followed, and
Generals Ord and Hurlbut, followed by the body-guard of the former,
rode leisurely to the front. General Hurlbut was in full uniform, but
General Ord wore a yellow linen coat.
About this time, and still further to the east, we could hear
a skirmishing fire, now deepening into heavy volleys, and now
slackening into occasional discharges. Suddenly began the noise of
artillery, deep and loud, and for a long time we stood by our stacks
of arms, and listened with great interest to the mingled sounds of
both arms. Orderlies and staff officers rode to and from the field,
but from them we could gather little news of the progress of the
battle. But it was all in our favor. The enemy was being driven at
all points. Retreating from Corinth and encountering our cavalry the
previous night, which after the skirmish had retreated from him, he
thought we were merely a cavalry force sent out to watch him, or to
harass him in the rear, while attacking Corinth. He did not expect a
heavy force was moving to attack him in the rear. He was not looking
for such generalship on the part of Grant. Nor, when at the block
house, he had seen Bolton's artillery and Morgan's skirmishers, was
he willing to give up the delusion which General Hurlbut had so
skillfully prepared for him; but with great boldness he pushed a
heavy column of his troops across the bridge of the Hatchie, when,
to his amazement, he saw General Veatch's infantry deploying before
him, and his batteries taking possession of Matamora heights. The
enemy quickly got his guns in battery, and his infantry deployed
to the right and left. Then a severe artillery duel, and then the
skirmishers again joined, and the 2d Brigade advanced at a charging
step. The enemy withered before their fire, and finally fled before
their approaching bayonets. The charge was gallantly pressed. Most
of the rebels rushed, panic stricken, over the bridge; many threw
away their guns and plunged through the river; some fled through the
woods to the right, and escaped by crossing on logs above the bridge;
and about four hundred surrendered on the west bank. A fine four gun
battery was also captured.
To second these movements, General Lauman had sent forward the 28th
and 53d Illinois regiments of his brigade; the 41st was detailed
to guard the wagon train, and the 32d and 3d Iowa were in reserve.
As soon as General Veatch's battalion commenced, General Lauman
moved forward with these two reserve regiments about two miles, and
deployed us, the 32d on the right, the 3d Iowa on the left of the
road, about a half mile in the rear of Matamora heights, from which
we saw the 2d Brigade move forward to the attack, and heard the noise
of the battle. It was to us an hour of hope and fear. The appearance
of the three generals, Ord, Hurlbut and Lauman, as they now sat in
the road on their horses in advance of us, and received messengers
and dispatched orders, and calmly conversed with each other, tended
to give us confidence. But we had seen enough of battle to know that
its fortunes defy calculation; we knew nothing of the strength of the
enemy, and could not but think, that gallantly as they had advanced
to the attack, our comrades might be driven back in dismay, and we
compelled to interpose between them and a victorious foe.
The generals soon rode forward and found the enemy driven across the
river. General Ord ordered Veatch to throw his regiments across and
deploy them successively to the right and left of the road. Beyond
the river there was about twelve rods of bottom, and then there
arose a very high and steep bluff. Along the brow of this the enemy,
rallying and reinforced, had formed new lines of battle, and planted
artillery which from different points, enfiladed the road and bridge,
and swept the field on both sides of the stream. Following up the
river, just above the bridge it makes an abrupt elbow and comes down
from the east running parallel to the road on the opposite side. In
this elbow and on not more than half an acre of ground, a part of
General Veatch's brigade, according to the orders of General Ord,
would have to deploy. The 53d Indiana crossed first, and, endeavoring
to form on this ground, became crowded together in the narrow space
between the road and the river, when it met a plunging fire of
musketry and canister, and was driven back to the bridge in disorder
and with great loss. Here they met the 25th Indiana, which crossed
bravely and stayed them in their retreat. The 14th and 15th Illinois
followed handsomely and deployed to the left of the road. Then
crossed the 28th and 53d Illinois of Lauman's brigade, which were
ordered to deploy to the right, where, like the 52d Indiana, they
were crowded together and confused; but they held their ground and
bravely returned the fire of the enemy.
Meanwhile the reserves were ordered to the front. General Lauman took
the lead, and we advanced by the flank rapidly down the road. We
crossed the ridge and came to the village. Beyond us the field was
swept by a converging fire of the enemy's batteries. Into this storm
of shot, shell and canister, we ran. Beyond the river the battle was
at its hight. Its noise was one uninterrupted roar. We knew that
our troops were sustaining it bravely; for we met no stragglers as
at Shiloh. The bridge was swept by a random fire directed through
the tops of the trees. Colonel Trumbull ordered us to fix bayonets.
We crossed the bridge on the run, and fixed bayonets, crossing.
Beyond the bridge sat General Lauman and staff. Beauregard, the old
orderly, was wounded and bleeding freely at the mouth; but he still
was able to respond to our cheers, and to call upon us to "give
the rebels hell." Colonel Trumbull riding in lead, pointed to the
hill and ordered us to charge. The regiment obeyed bravely and had
nearly reached the foot of the hill, when it was ordered to file
to the right. Here in a moment we became massed and mingled with
the regiments which had endeavored to form here before us. Through
the dense smoke we could not see the enemy; but we could hear the
rapid jar of his artillery before and above us, and his canister as
it swept through the air in vollies, making inroads into the masses
that swayed to and fro around us. The situation was disastrous in the
extreme. We were massed and crowded together, and completely at the
mercy of the enemy's fire, while we could scarcely hope to injure
him with our's. Behind us an almost impassable barrier, obstructing
retreat. To attempt to withdraw across the narrow bridge would have
insured our destruction. What then were we to do? We could not
advance, we could not retreat, nor could we effectively return the
enemy's fire. The next moment the enemy's masses might pour down
the hill at a charge. We must hold our ground like men, and, if
necessary, die here. This terrible resolution seemed to have seized
all hearts.
At this juncture General Ord was wounded, and the command devolved
upon General Hurlbut, to whom it of right belonged. The day was now
lost, and it was for him to regain it. It was for him to correct the
fatal dispositions of the former, to make new dispositions of the
troops under that appalling fire, and out of shattered and broken
elements to organize victory. He rode across the bridge and into
the thickest of the fire. He ordered the 46th Illinois, and the
68th Ohio, and 12th Michigan, yet on the west bank, to cross the
bridge, and deploy to the left so as to flank the hill. They executed
the movement finely, and in a few moments the enemy saw, with
astonishment, regiments emerging from the field of his concentrated
fire, where he had held us so long, and advancing in good order
upon his right. His firing suddenly ceased; his colors disappeared
from the crest of the hill. He saw his victory snatched from him by
superior skill and courage, and fled in dismay.
At this juncture, having quickly formed our regiment, Colonel
Trumbull took off his hat and said to us, "Men of the Third Iowa,
will you stand by me this day?" All voices responded, "We will!"
"Then," replied he, "here's a man that never retreats this day!"
Could we have asked for a better leader?
In a few moments the whole force, splendidly aligned, advanced up
the hill, and new lines were formed on its crest. The artillery
followed, Mann's battery in lead, the planting of which General
Hurlbut superintended in person. This battery, which won such honors
at Shiloh, now behaved, if possible, more admirably than before.
Leaving their caissons and limbers under the crest of the hill, the
men ran their guns up by hand and opened a fire upon the enemy's
masked battery, directing their aim at its smoke. The other batteries
took position to its left, one of them so as to command the enemy's
battery with a flanking fire. The practice of our artillery was
splendid. As often as one of the enemy's guns would fire, three or
four of ours would reply. Meantime a party of volunteer skirmishers
from the 15th Illinois, crept up behind the crest of a hill in the
open field, between the left of our line and the enemy, and with the
most amusing impudence, picked off his wheel horses and cannoneers.
In a short time his battery was knocked to pieces and compelled to
leave the field. His rear guard then withdrew, and disappeared from
our front. The firing of our cannon had scarcely ceased, when we
heard those of Rosecrans in the direction of Corinth, thundering in
the enemy's rear. This should have been sufficient to determine the
general to press the pursuit. Why this was not done was an enigma to
us then, and it has remained unexplained ever since. It is true, we
were not prepared for a general pursuit. But the enemy twice beaten
was between two victorious armies, and had but one avenue of escape
to the south, and that over a single bridge, where a portion of his
force might have been cut off. But though the enemy's situation was
not realized then, and though, with the knowledge he had, the general
followed the best counsels in resting on the field, it is not doubted
now that the enemy's retreat might have been pressed till night with
splendid results.
We rested in line of battle till nearly night, when the wagons came
up and we bivouacked on the field. The battle had lasted seven hours,
beginning before eight in the morning, and ending before three in
the afternoon. We were fatigued, not so much from the day's fighting
as from the hard march of yesterday. A victory is for a time a great
equalizer of military caste. It obliterates the distinctions of rank;
the officer does not feel above the soldier, and the soldier feels as
good as the officer; all become comrades in the general rejoicing. It
is hard then for the soldier to disobey the officer; it is likewise
hard for the officer to chide the soldier. And when to-night squads
of the boys went to the nearest farm houses, and came back with back
loads of fresh meat, the officers,--the general himself, could not
utter a word of disapproval.
That night three companies of the Third Iowa, A, F and H, were
detailed for picket. Our position was a half mile in advance of the
bluffs, and near where the enemy had formed his last lines of battle.
Before us lay an open valley which looked strangely beautiful in the
light of the moon. Behind us were scattered through the woods the
enemy's dead. Our own were yet unburied. The moon as it looked down
seemed to be pitying the fate of the brave men that lay staring a
death-stare at her serene countenance. The "dim-lit fields" and the
shadowy woods surrounding them, possessed a weird appearance, as
though the ghosts of the slain heroes were flitting over them. And
as we listened to the distant barking of the wakeful dog, and to the
moanings of the night owl, we heard, or thought we heard, the far off
sounds of the enemy's retreating hosts. And there we watched while
our comrades slept. Terrible battle! glorious victory! moonlight
watching on a field of death!--what scenes for future recollection!
Early in the morning, the 41st Illinois with two howitzers of Mann's
battery, went forward to reconnoiter. They met the army of Rosecrans
in pursuit of the enemy, who had retreated to the south, crossing
the Hatchie six miles above us, and thus made good his escape. The
line of the enemy's retreat was strown with abandoned baggage, wagons
and artillery. A large detail under a commissioned officer went
forward to burn them. Many squads of stragglers came in, exhausted,
sick, disheartened, and telling doleful stories of their sufferings.
The day was spent in burying the dead, caring for the wounded and
collecting the arms scattered over the field, abandoned by the enemy
in his retreat.
Our rations were exhausted, but the country supplied us abundantly.
On the morning of the 7th, wagons arrived with rations from Bolivar,
and we replenished our haversacks and began our return march. We had
not proceeded far before we met another train of wagons coming to
take away such of the wounded as had not yet been removed. It was a
matter of much regret to us, as we turned our backs to our field of
glory, that we had not joined Rosecrans in the pursuit. But we were
retiring victorious, and save the thoughts of our dead and wounded
comrades, little served to diminish our joy. We halted for the night
on the creek where we had taken dinner on Saturday, and the next day
at eleven o'clock we reached our camp.
Before dismissing the battalion, Colonel Trumbull addressed us,
saying that General Lauman had complimented our good conduct in the
battle, and that if our Generals were proud of us, we had equal
reason to be proud of our Generals. He therefore proposed three
cheers successively for Generals Ord, Hurlbut, Lauman, and Veatch,
which were given with a will, and three were then spontaneously given
for Colonel Trumbull.
The next day Colonel Trumbull ordered the officers of the regiment,
who had commanded companies in the battle, to make out official
reports, stating who, if any, had behaved in a manner particularly
meritorious, and who, if any, had been guilty of misconduct. Under
the latter head, a few were reported, whom the Colonel promptly
arrested and confined, and reported to brigade headquarters with the
request that they be court-martialed and punished.
Our loss in the whole force engaged did not fall far short of six
hundred in killed and wounded. Our regiment lost two killed and about
sixty wounded. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded must have been
much less than ours. He did not leave many in the field. According to
the most moderate reports, the captures were two batteries, including
fourteen caissons, four hundred prisoners, one thousand stand of
small arms, and about seventy wagons, burned the next day on the line
of his retreat.