The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 17, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports. Page: 722
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WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS.
was pierced for ten guns and shielded a long line of rifle-pits. Had.
the enemy been well established in position, and had we been unaided
by the gunboats, the enemy's position would have been strong; but
the gunboats had an enfilading and reverse fire upon that line, and
hence it was untenable.
I have said that Post Arkansas is on the left bank of the river. By
land it is 5 and by water 12 miles from Fletcher's Landing, on the,
right bank. At the fort the river turns abruptly to the left and runs.
up for a distance of 3 miles to the southeast, nearly parallel to its own
channel below the fort; so that from Fletcher's, on the right bank, to
Smith's, on the right bank, across the bend, is only a distance of 3
miles, and it is 3 miles from Smith's to the fort.
I was directed by General McClernand to send two regiments with
a section of artillery across the bend, to prevent re-enforcements being
sent to the fort by the river and cut off a retreat by that route. Hav-
ing obtained permission to do so I ordered Lindsey's brigade, composed
of the Third Kentucky, Forty-ninth Indiana, and One hundred and
fourteenth Ohio, with a section of 10-pounder Parrotts commanded by
Lieutenant Wilson of. the Chicago Mercantile Battery, and Captain
Kirkbride's cavalry company, to land at Fletcher's and push across to
Smith's. I instructed Colonel Lindsey to throw out vedettes toward
the point opposite the fort, and act as circumstances required. On the
10th instant I sent him two 20-pounder Parrotts, under Captain Foster
of the First Wisconsin Battery, permission of Major-General McCler-
nand having first been obtained.
While at the mouth of White River I respectfully suggested that we
should occupy the right bank of the river, opposite the fort, in order
to secure a cross-fire with the gunboats on the fort. This suggestion
met with the approval of the commanding general, but was abandoned
in-consequence of objection made by General Sherman that a battery
established at that point would endanger his troops when they turned
the enemy's left. It will hereafter appear that during the battle of the
11th instant Colonel Lindsey did advance his brigade to that position,
and by the fire of his artillery caused serious damage to the enemy, as
Captain Blackburn of General Churchill's staff and other prisoners sub-
sequently admitted. The opportune appearance of this brigade contrib-
uted materially to the result of the day.
Detained at Fletcher's on the night of the 9th instant I did not reach
the place of debarkation below the fort till 9 a. m. on the morning of
the 10th instant. The corps of Major-General Sherman, which had ar-
rived on the night previous, was already forming; but, thanks to the
energy of my division commanders and their subordinates, my corps
marched at noon to take up position on Sherman's left.
At Notrib's I met the head of Steele's division returning from the
supposed direction of the Little Rock road. The rear of his column did
not get back until after daylight on the morning of the 11th instant.
At Notrib's a staff officer from General McClernand met me and con-
ducted my command through the woods to the position then occupied
by General Sherman, east of the fort. General McClernand soon rode
up and directed General Sherman's corps to push rapidly toward the
enemy's left, while I attacked the fort on the south and east, and ex-
tended my line to the left, within supporting distance of Sherman.
I at once went forward and made a reconnaissance of the ground to
be occupied by me as. soon as General Sherman advanced. The day
and night also passed away and daylight found us occupying the same
relative positions as on the afternoon before.722
[CHAP. XZ .
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The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Additions and Corrections to Series 1, Volume 17. (Pamphlet)
Errata sheets for the Records of the War of the Rebellion include additions and corrections to the text and the index for Series 1, Volume 17.
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 17, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., book, 1886; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154626/m1/733/?q=%221862%22&rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.