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: 736
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736 WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS. [CHAP. XXIX
2 miles up the river, where, in compliance with an order from the
general, we formed in line in rear of the Twenty-third Wisconsin and
remained till near sunset, when we fell in with the brigade and ad-
vanced about 2 miles farther through a swamp, broke off from the right
of the brigade and formed near the river, so well in range with the
gunboats that two shells from the fort directed at them burst very near
us. Here we bivouacked for the night.
Soon after sunrise we fell in rear of Blount's battery (Seventeenth
Ohio) and advanced within 200 yards of the edge of the woods, and
formed on the left of the Sixteenth Indiana, facing the enemy's works.
I threw out a company of skirmishers to the edge of the woods, who im-
mediately opened fire on the enemy's skirmishers and kept it up more
or less briskly until they were withdrawn, and drawing upon us an
occasional shot or shell from the enemy's batteries.
About noon a written order was brought me that we should advance
when the Sixteenth Indiana advanced, adapting our movements to
theirs. An hour or two afterward Captain Keigwin, aide to General
Burbridge, ordered me to move the regiment to the left of the siege
gun, some 200 yards to the rear of our position. I immediately marched
the regiment to the rear in line of battle toward the designated"posi-
tion, when Lieutenant Whilldin, another aide to General Burbridge, or-
dered me to resume my former position immediately, which I did. Soon
after Captain Keigwin renewed the former order to move back, in order
to uncover the siege battery as it was about to open upon the enemy's
works,. and to draw in my skirmishers. I immediately complied with
the order. In a few minutes after the regiment had taken the new posi-
tion I was ordered to move it to the old position on the left of the Six-
teenth Indiana, and when that regiment advanced to advance with it.
I commenced to advance at once, at the same time sending a sergeant
with orders to the commander of the skirmishers to advance them to
their former position. Before the captain received the order the regi-
ment met and passed the skirmishers, who afterward came up and took
their place in line. The regiment had just resumed the old position
when the Sixteenth Indiana commenced to advance, and in compliance
with my orders we advanced with them. In passing out of the woods
and climbing a fence at its edge our line of battle was somewhat disar-
ranged. The regiment on our right did not stop to dress their line, but
advanced upon a run, shouting. My regiment did the same, advancing
with it. We were immediately assailed both by the enemy's infantry
and artillery, but continued to advance until about 300 yards from the
woods, when we halted, availing ourselves of whatever protection the
nature of the ground afforded, and poured in our fire with good effect
upon the enemy, who were partially protected by piles of brush, clumps
of trees, and stumps. We had occupied this position but a short time
when a heavy fire of musketry was poured in upon our right flank. My
attention was then called to the fact that the troops on our right had
fallen back. I looked and saw them near the woods, retreating. We
were on the extreme left and no other Federal troops were in sight. I
immediately ordered the regiment to fall back to our old line, where
the other troops were forming, and reformed upon that line. We were
then ordered to advance upon the enemy, which we immediately did,
not halting until we had reached a position in advance of that we had
reached before, and never yielding a step, but advancing little by little,
till the enemy surrendered, when we were within point-blank musket
range of the fort.
About the middle of the action we were re-enforced by the Seventy-
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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/m1/747/?q=%221862%22: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.