At last we received marching orders, and all was bustle until we were on the move again. We marched from Clear Creek to Burnville, and from Burnville, we went to Iuka, where there are several fine springs of water, and was, in times of peace, a great resort for the aristocracy of the South, to spend their summer. From there we went to Tuscumbia, where we remained for some time. Tuscumbia was a flourishing town a short distance from the Tennessee River. Our gunboats threw a few shell into it and raised quite an excitement in town. There was no business carried on, only by a few sutlers. There was a fine spring and we had plenty of water, apples and peaches in great abundance; also sweet potatoes and corn. The negroes brought into camp watermelons, and we had a good supply of them for some time.
From here we were ordered back to Iuka, having received information that a force of rebel cavalry was in Russelville. We took up our line of march with two pieces of artillery, to go into the mountains in search of these marauders. We traveled all over the hills of Tuscumbia, but did not encounter an enemy, as the 3d Michigan cavalry met them and defeated them before we could get to their assistance, near Russelville. We passed through Russelville and Frankfort, and here rebel cavalry cut off some of our stragglers, and two were taken prisoners. At length we arrived at Iuka. After remaining there a short time we moved out about eight miles from there and throwed up breastworks. Several of the boys were out about one mile from the camp gathering watermelons, and six of them were taken prisoners. Our men went out in pursuit but they fled before them.
One evening six companies of the 11th Missouri went out to reconnoitre, and went out ten miles when we got intimation that the rebels were in strong force in our front, and came to a halt, and were ordered to lay down and rest our weary limbs. We remained here until about two o'clock, when we were ordered back to camp, where we arrived at day-light and found everything ready to move. When we returned we encamped at Burnville one night, and next day we returned to Camp Clear Creek, and we did not get rested before we were ordered back again to Burnville. We marched all night and at length we arrived again at Burnville, where we encamped for the night. Next day the 8th Wisconsin, 11th Missouri, 16th Iowa, and a battery of artillery and a battalion of cavalry, Berges' sharpshooters, acted as skirmishers, going in advance. We arrived to within about two miles of Iuka, we formed our line of battle and the command was given forward, guide centre, and the 11th moved forward, Colonel Mower at their head. He was in command of the expedition. We advanced to within a mile of Iuka. They disputed our advance, but we steadily moved on. Several shots were fired at the rebel cavalry, but they did not offer us battle, they did not know our numbers. After maneuvering around for several hours we started back, as we supposed, to Burnville, and got about two miles when we were ordered back again, to attack the pursuing rebels who intended to cut us off, but in this they were foiled by the Generalship of Col. Joseph A. Mower, and we drove the rebels into their stronghold. We could hear their bugle sound quite distinctly, and their intention was to send a force of cavalry and cut us off from Burnville. They burned a train of cars, killed several of our cavalry and tore up the road, but did not venture into Burnville. After going quite close to Iuka we retraced our steps, and after kindling numerous fires to deceive the enemy, we left, and they supposed that we were encamped close to them, and great must have been their chagrine and mortification when they surrounded the fires in the morning, to find the bird had flown. After building the fires we returned to camp at Boonville without molestation, where we stayed all of one day and next day until in the afternoon, when we were ordered to march again, and that night we encamped a short distance from Jacinto. It was here that we first saw Rosecrans. He had taken command of our division.
We were on the move again early next morning, and came to a halt at our old camping ground, about eight miles from Iuka, where we got our dinner. Skirmishing commenced with the enemy's pickets here, and two of our cavalry were killed at a white house a mile from our camp. The property was owned by a widow woman, and was burned by the infantry. We skirmished with the rebels to within two miles of Iuka, where we came to a halt, and what was it broke the stillness of this pleasant afternoon, the 19th of September, 1862? It was the heavy roar of cannon and musketry. The rebels occupied a strong position in front of Iuka, the 5th Iowa infantry was attacked by the rebels, as they were a support to the 11th Ohio battery; the rebels charged upon them and in spite of the heavy fire of artillery and musketry they drove our men from their guns and took possession of them. The 5th contested the ground bravely, as their thinned ranks could testify. Their loss was about two hundred killed and wounded. About this time our brigade came up and our regiment was ordered to the front. We formed in four columns. After loading our guns we marched to the regiment in double-quick; distant from a piece of timber about half a mile, and here we right-flanked and marched in line of battle until we gained the cover of the timber, and a heavy growth of underbrush. The rebels were advancing to meet us, and said they were our friends and begged us not to fire on them, and we labored under this mistake for some time, but company C, commanded by Capt. Warner, being in advance of the regiment, saw the rebels coming and charged bayonets, and took eleven prisoners, including a Lieutenant. They were sent to the rear. The rebels approached so close that they used their revolvers, as the smoke of powder made it quite dark where we were, they did no damage but scorched some of the boys' faces with the powder. When we discovered the rebels in such close proximity to us we were ordered to fire, which order was obeyed with alacrity, and volley after volley was poured into their advancing columns. They throwed column after column against our lines to break them and cut their way out, but were unable to break our ranks. They tried three times and were as often driven back, as our fire was undiminished until our ammunition was expended, when we were ordered to fall back. After enduring the fire of the enemy for an hour and a half we fell back, by order of commander, and the 10th Missouri took our place. During this time our men charged the rebels and retook our battery and two more guns. We lay on our arms all night; after getting ammunition and filling our cartridge-boxes we laid down to get some rest for our weary limbs; having no blankets, and as the air became quite cold, we had to keep ourselves in motion to keep from freezing. Our shirts were wet from the sweat, and when we laid down we expected every moment to renew the attack. A heavy volley was fired and every man sprung to his gun, but as there was no more firing we lay down again and tried to get some sleep, but that was out of the question, the air was too cold for that. That night General Price left. The attack was to have been made next morning, and an order to that effect was sent to General Rosecrans from Grant, but it was intercepted.—We were sent by the way of Jacinto, and General Grant had to go straight to Iuka, which was not half as far as we had to go, and if it were not for that accident General Price, with all of his force, would have been captured; as it was, they discovered we were too strong for them, and thought it the best policy to get away as soon as possible; so that night they left and next morning we started in pursuit. General Grant threw out his skirmishers and made his advance into the town, but they soon found the rebels had fled, and they went into town with their colors flying. When we passed through the town almost every house was filled with sick or wounded soldiers, which they left behind in their haste to get away. We followed them all day but they had too much the start of us, and at night we encamped, and in the morning were on our way back again. After marching night and day we arrived at Jacinto, where we rested for a short time; but we did not remain here long. We were soon ordered to move again, as there was not much rest for us. From Jacinto we went to Rienzi, and there encamped for some time, and got pretty well rested.
One evening when we were thinking of laying down and having a good night's sleep, we were ordered to prepare for marching, so, early in the evening we got started, and after marching until the night was far advanced, the command was ordered to halt, and here we remained until next morning. There we made our coffee and got plenty of good apples. After getting our breakfast we started again and came to a halt at the Hatchie River, where we remained until nearly night, when we were ordered to fall in and were soon on our way back. After following this road for some time we turned to the left, in the direction of Corinth. We marched all night until we came to a place called Cossouth, near which place we encamped one night, and next morning started again, and went within a mile of Corinth, and were ordered to meet the advancing enemy, who were said to be driving our men before them. We came to a halt, stacked our arms and supposed we were to have a rest, when the order in stern command came along our lines to fall in. We suffered greatly for want of water. We marched in quick time and could hear the heavy roar of cannon as we advanced. All at once we came to a halt, and formed our line of battle. What was it that made it so still? all at once everything seemed quiet. It was a calm before an approaching storm, for the rebels were advancing in solid column, and poured a heavy volley of musketry into our ranks, and one hundred of the 8th Wisconsin was either killed or wounded. Our loss was slight, one noble young man in company B, was killed. He was shot in the head and died without a struggle; and we had to leave him on the field. They shot at us at long range, but some of their skirmishers advanced quite close to us, and some of the 11th went out to meet them, and the firing was quite brisk for some time. The rebels did not advance any farther at this time. They got a cross fire on the 8th Wisconsin, and they suffered most in the brigade. The rebels had the advantage of position and numbers. Their intention was to outflank us but they were unable to do so, as we could fall back under the heavy siege guns, commanded by McWilliams. After holding the rebels in check for some time we fell back, the 11th went inside of Fort Robinette and there lay down, and made ourselves as comfortable as possible.
About two o'clock in the morning, the boys having built a number of fires along the line, the rebels advanced a battery to within five hundred yards of us and commenced shelling with grape and canister. The order was given to put out the fires, as the rebels were getting the range of us pretty well, and we had to lay close to the ground for fear of being hit. Several guns were injured as they stood in the stacks, and one of company A, was slightly injured. One man in the 27th Ohio was killed by the bursting of a shell, as the whole Ohio brigade lay right in front of us and we were behind them as support. They shelled us and most every shot went over us, and went crashing through the town, a building being a poor protection from balls. Some of them wasted their strength against the trees in the timber, whilst others exploded above us, and we could hear the grape shot as it fell all around us. It was singular that no more were injured as two brigades lay inside the works of Fort Robinette. Our gunners replied at intervals, until at length day began to dawn, when our artillerists could see where to direct their fire, and they soon stopped the rebels' guns.—They killed most all the rebels' horses and one gun was taken as a prize, and the Captain taken prisoner. There was eight brass field pieces, and it was almost impossible to get away with their battery. After the rebels' battery was silenced everything became silent except the occasional shot from the rebel sharpshooters. Their bullets would whistle over us and sometimes strike an officer or private and wound him, but not dangerously, as they were at too great a range to do us much damage, the strength of the balls being spent before they reached us. Sleep did not visit General Rosecrans that night. He was busy planning and placing batteries in position to give the rebels a warm reception if they made their appearance, as it was their intention to make a desperate effort to recover Corinth and drive Rosecrans out, and he was planning how he could best draw them on so he could bring all his guns to bear upon them. We were laying down in the rear of the Ohio brigade as a support to them, and the rebels could use no artillery upon us as they could not get a suitable position to use it. The timber was all cut down in front of us for a quarter of a mile, and the rebels had taken possession of a heavy piece of timber in our front, but on the right of us was an open space of ground where we had a battery planted.—Some of the rebel sharpshooters stationed themselves in trees, the better to see our skirmishers and pick them off. Our men soon discovered where they were, and many a rebel paid the penalty of climbing a tree, being picked off by our sharpshooters. Several were shot out of the tops of trees by the cannon. Our batteries were so fixed that they could rake any part of the field, our artillerists kept up a continual fire from their heavy siege pieces shelling the woods where the rebels in strong force were supposed to be preparing to attack us. At length we saw the long lines of the rebels advancing upon us. Col. Mowers selected two companies of the 11th Missouri to act as skirmishers. Mowers was riding a very fretful horse when he started out, he having his beloved Rock shot under him the day before, a horse that had carried him many a mile and never appeared tired, and that horse would go without flinching wherever his master required him, but he was killed at last, and he had to take another horse.—When we saw him riding at the head of the skirmishers we thought he would be killed or taken prisoner. He galloped on regardless of the many bullets aimed at him, until he was wounded and taken prisoner, but he gave warning to his men and they went back inside the fort, and the rebels came on in solid column. As they emerged from the woods their colors were thrown to the breeze and proudly waved o'er these sons of the South. They steadily advanced to take a battery on our right, and our men were waiting in line of battle to receive them. There was nothing to cover them, and volley after volley of musketry was poured into their advancing columns. As one man fell another took his place, and still they went on, tiring as they went, reached the battery, drove our men from their guns and turned them on our men. But they did not enjoy their triumph long, for a shell from a 64-pounder exploded right amongst them, spread death and destruction all around when they were thrown into confusion, our men rallied and drove them from the guns at the point of the bayonet. Some of the rebels went into town and began to plunder everything they could lay their hands upon. Three were killed in the Provost Marshal's office. It was here that the 5th Minnesota did good service. Many a rebel was made to bite the dust from the deadly aim of the 5th Minnesota rifles, and they were at length compelled to yield and fly before the impetuous valor of our men. All this passed much quicker than I can write.
How was it with the rebels? They were creeping upon us like snakes in the grass, firing as they came, led on by the brave Col. Rogers, of the 2d Texas cavalry. The 63d Ohio, also the 27th, was doing its best to keep them back, but still they came on and planted their colors on the fort, when the 11th was ordered to charge. They rose and fired a volley into their ranks and charged bayonets, but the rebels could not stand the cold steel. They broke and fled in all directions. Col. Rogers was ordered to surrender as prisoner of war, but he would not, but kept shooting with his revolver and giving command to his men, when one of the regulars shot him in the side with a revolver, and one of company B shot him through the breast. He reeled from his horse and fell to the ground within a short distance of the outer edge of the ditch. Several other officers were killed and lay close to him. A horse was laying dead and a man by his side; another laid a little in the rear; he had been struck by a shell in the head, and lay with his hand grasping some hair and brains; his head was nothing but a shell, the brains were scattered all over the ground. But few ever reached the woods that made the charge, and their loss must have been terrible. A good many came in and gave themselves up, as it was dangerous business to attempt reaching the timber. They would start up every little while from where they lay concealed, but few could escape our bullets. Many would rise up and cry for quarters; these would come in and be sent to the rear as prisoners. You can judge for yourself how bloody now was the conflict here and along the whole line. Twenty-five dead lay in the ditch, and we had to remove them in order to take their place, so that if the rebels returned we would be prepared for them, as we had gathered up the rebels' guns, we were well supplied. Two of the boys had fifteen guns, and most of them had two.
The battle was over by 12 o'clock. Our loss was slight compared to the enemy's. Their loss was about 4,000 killed, wounded and prisoners. Whole ranks were cut down by the cannon shot, every gun that could be brought to bare was used; the rebels could not stand such a decimating fire, they broke and fled in confusion. We laid in the ditches all night waiting the rebels' return, but they never made their appearance.