Today in History:

297 Series I Volume XXXIX-I Serial 77 - Allatoona Part I

Page 297 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION TO TUPELO, MISS.

ond Illinois Battery from two different positions with great accuracy and rapidity. As the fire from the Second Illinois Battery was very galling, the rebels seemed determined to drive our forced from our well-selected position. Failing in this a force undertook to surprise and drove us away by a night attack. The brigade of colored infantry, and the Second Brigade, of the THIRD DIVISION, had left their positions in the evening, and a considerable force came in on our left, driving in the pickets of those brigades, and were rapidly moving down on our position, evidently with the design of driving us from our eminence, the key to the whole battle-field. By Colonel Wolfe's order I moved the One hundred and seventeenth rapidly up to meet them. We soon became hotly engaged. The enemy's fire for fifteen or twenty minutes was very determined, but we were more determined. and they soon gave way.

Owing to the nature of the ground the regiment sustained no loss. Quite a number of the men were struck by pieces of shells, but only three sustained injuries to disable them for any length of time. Captain John R. Thomas, Company I, Severely bruised on right arm by shell; Private J. G. Sandbach, Company D, wounded in mouth and left hand by shell; L. B. Gwyn, Company B, wounded in neck by ball; Private A. E. Geer, Company C, missing since July 13; Private John G. Morler, Company G, missing since July 12. Both of the above missing are supposed to be captured.

I would here say that all my officers and every man, with but very few exceptions, discharged their whole duties.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. M. MOORE,

Colonel, Commanding.

Lieutenant S. H. DENEEN,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, THIRD Brigade, THIRD DIVISION.


Numbers 31. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Zalmon S. Main, FIFTY- second Indiana Infantry.


HDQRS. FIFTY-SECOND Regiment VETERAN VOLS., THIRD Brigadier, THIRD DIV., 16TH ARMY CORPS,
Camp near La Grange, Tenn., July 21, 1864.

ADJUTANT: In obedience to instructions from brigade headquarters I have the honor to report the part taken by the FIFTY-second Indiana Volunteers in the late engagement with Forrest's command near Tupelo, Miss., on the 14th instant.

The regiment arrived and encamped at the above-named place on the evening of the 13th instant, after having marched a distance of some twenty-miles, and formed in line of batt; e early on the following morning, occupying the right center of the brigade across a large uncultivated field, facing westward, with a dense strip of woods some 600 yards in front. Some thirty minutes after the regiment had been formed in line a rebel brigade was see making a charge though an open field some distance to the right of the regiment and about 500 yards off, when the colonel commanding the brigade gave the command to fire. After firing a few rounds, the enemy gave away, when an advance was made, the regiment keeping well in line. After advancing some 600 yards the command was halted and marched to its former position, where the regiment remained in line of battle until about 10


Page 297 Chapter LI. EXPEDITION TO TUPELO, MISS.