712

BRAGG'S RETREAT TO MURFRESBORO,

and on the morning of the 7th, after driving in their pickets, engaged them with great vigor, and after an action of about thirty minutes, routed them, having killed and wounded about eighty, and taken one hundred and seventy-five prisoners.

This attack was soon followed by the appearance of a large force of Confederates before the city, who opened a cannonade from a hastily constructed battery, but they were easily driven off, the whole movement having been probably a feint to cover other operations. At the same time, an attempt was made by Morgan's guerrillas to destroy the railroad bridge at Nashville, but it was frustrated, the rebels being repulsed with some loss.

No farther operations by large forces of the enemy took place about Nashville during the remainder of the year, but the guerrillas were very active cutting off supplies and commuAnd as Gen. Negley's supnications, and robbing Union men. plies were obtained by foraging parties, through the same section which guerrilla bands had pillaged, provisions soon became very scarce, and at the time of Gen. Rosecrans' arrival at Nashville, early in November, the troops had been, for some time, on half rations. Gen. Rosecrans made Nashville his head-quarters, and by prompt and efficient measures protected the lives and property of loyal men, and, at the same time, in the language of his order of the 9th November, reminded the troops that peaceable inhabitants, whether loyal or not, were entitled to immunity from violence and plunder, subject only to needful surveillance, and that out-spoken rebels could claim no other protection than that afforded by the laws of war and humanity.

On the 13th of December, Governor Johnson issued a proclamation, calling attention to the destitute condition of the widows, wives and children of Confederate soldiers, many of whom were in and about Nashville, suffering for the necessities of life, and ordering an assessment of sixty thousand dollars for their benefit, "from those who continued directly or indirectly to bring about this unfortunate state of affairs."

Bragg's army, demoralized and reduced by desertion, retreated to Murfresboro, Tenn., where it remained for some time. Morgan, with his two thousand five hundred or three thousand freebooters, remained for a month or more after the battle of Perryville, in Kentucky, and amused himself by occasional dashes into larger towns and villages, his recklessness and effrontery enabling him to make good his escape, and giving him a reputation somewhat akin to that of the English out-law Robin Hood.

44

CHAPTER XXVII.

IUKA AND CORINTH-THE CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI-ATTACK ON VICKSBURG-AFFAIRS IN LOUISIANA-BUTLER'S ADMINIS

TRATION BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE

EXPEDITION TO PONCHATOULA.

Withdrawal of Union Troops From Tuscumbia-Capture of Iuka by the Rebels-Gen. Grant's Plan to Capture Sterling Price's Corps-The Attack of Rosecrans' Corps on the Rebels Near Iuka-Price Retreats in the Night -Failure of Gen. Grant to Pursue-Coalition of Price, Van Dorn, Lovell, &c.— Bolivar, Jackson and Corinth, Threatened—Disposition of the Union Forces-Movements of the Enemy-Gen. Rosecrans' Plan-The Fortifications of Corinth-Skirmishing for Several Days-The Enemy Drawn Into a Trap-The Battle of Corinth-The Plan of the Rebel Attack - Price's Column-Fort Richardson Captured, but not Held-Rout of Price's Troops -Van Dorn's Forlorn Hope-Its Approach to Forts Williams and Robinett The Action of the Ohio Brigade- Fearful Slaughter-Rosecrans' Farewell Address-His Promotion-Subsequent Movements in the Department of West Tennessee-The Intended Co-operation with Sherman Foiled -The Department of the Gulf-Flag Officer Farragut's Attack on Vicksburg -The Iron Clad Ram Arkansas-She Runs the Gauntlet Through Farra gut's and Davis' Squadrons in Safety-The Attack on Baton Rouge - Gen. Breckenridge's Movements - The Battle-Intended Attack of the Arkansas Upon the Gunboats - Her Misfortunes - Fight with the Essex - She is Blown Up-The Expedition of Major Strong to Ponchatoula.

When Gen. Halleck left the west, to take the position of General-in-chief of the armies the United States, the bounds of the Department over which he had presided were changed, and Gen. Grant placed in command of the Department of the Tennessee, comprising the Mississippi river from Cairo to Vicksburg, West Tennessee, and those portions of Mississippi and Alabama occupied by Union troops.

It was a part of the comprehensive plan of the rebel Presi

dent, that while Bragg, with the three corps of Polk, Hardee, and E. Kirby Smith, should enter Kentucky, and threaten Cincinnati and Louisville, and, if possible, capture one or both of these cities, Van Dorn, with the aid of Sterling Price's and Mansfield Lovell's, and perhaps Holmes' corps, should cripple or destroy Grant's force, in the neighborhood of Corinth, and then press northward and re-enforce Bragg, carrying the war into the north, as the Union Generals had recently done into the south.

How that plan was foiled, we shall endeavor to show. When Gen. Buell left Northern Alabama in pursuit of Gen. Bragg, the principal points from Memphis, east, to the vicinity of Huntsville, Ala., had been garrisoned by detachments from Gen. Grant's army; but after his departure, Gen. Grant became satisfied that movements were contemplated by the rebel commanders, which would require a concentration of his forces. Accordingly, Tuscumbia, Ala., the farthest point east, was evacuated on the 9th of September, and the garrison -the 2d brigade of Gen. Stanley's division-commanded by Col. Murphy, of the 8th Wisconsin, ordered to go to Iuka, farther west, and perform garrison duty there, while the Ohio brigade, then at Iuka, was directed to fall back to Corinth. They accordingly entered Iuka on the 10th, and on the 12th the Ohio brigade marched out, and reached Clear Creek, eighteen miles distant, the same evening, and the next morning proceeded nearly to Corinth, and encamped. That evening, Gen. Rosecrans, who was in command at Corinth, received information, that just after the Ohio brigade left Iuka, a considerable force of rebel cavalry dashed into the place, and after a slight skirmish, put Col. Murphy and his brigade to flight, capturing a considerable amount of commissary and medical stores, among which were six hundred and eighty barrels of flour, which Col. Murphy, through culpable neglect, failed to destroy before evacuating. Having ascertained the truth of

716

CHANGE OF POSITION.

this report, Gen. Rosecrans placed Col. Murphy under arrest, and ordered the brigade back to Iuka, under command of Col. Mower, of the 11th Missouri. When they had reached Burnsville, however, they were directed to proceed to a point near Jacinto, and await orders. While these changes of position were taking place, the rebel Gen. Price had occupied Iuka in force, and was thought by Gen. Rosecrans to be intending to cross the Tennessee, and hasten northward to re-enforce Bragg. It was arranged, that an effort should be made to capture his entire force. Gen. Grant and Gen. Ord, who commanded an army corps in the army of the Tennessee, were to move with a force of eighteen thousand men, on the line of the Memphis and Charleston rail-road, by Burnsville, toward Iuka, and General Rosecrans, moving in two columns, should, with one, attack his flank from Jacinto, and, with the other, be prepared to intercept his retreat toward the South, along the Fulton road, should he attempt it.

Accordingly, on the morning of the 18th September, Gen. Rosecrans, with Hamilton and Stanley's divisions, left the vicinity of Corinth, and after a fatiguing march, in a heavy rain, reached Jacinto in the evening. At early dawn, on the 19th, the troops were again on the march, and at about 10 o'clock A. M., his advance encountered the enemy's pickets, and after a sharp skirmish, drove them six miles toward Iuka. The main column had by this time reached Burnett's Corner, and waited for two hours for Gen. Grant to commence the attack, when a messenger arrived from him, with the intelligence that he was then seven miles from Iuka, and waiting for Gen. Rosecrans to commence the battle. How this mistake occurred is not known, but Gen. Rosecrans, upon receiving the message, delayed no longer, but hurried forward with his troops, Hamilton's division being in advance. When they were within two miles of Iuka, they discovered the enemy posted on a broad ridge which commanded the country for some distance in all