the west, and we so remained during the day. The line of our skirmishers, when the engagement became general, being covered by the cross-fire of the battery in our rear, which was working against the columns of the enemy approaching the town, Major McDowell withdrew them and ordered them to rejoin the regiment. The skirmishers did good service, keeping a rapid and well-directed fire upon the columns of the enemy, massed within easy range of their lines. The rebels, being repulsed with terrible loss on all sides, fell back. During the night companies G and D of this regiment, with others of the brigade, under Major McDowell, were sent out to discover the position of the enemy, who was found to have made a precipitate retreat, leaving his dead and wounded upon the field.

Early in the morning of the 5th we commence the pursuit. Bivouacked that night on State Line road, near Chewalla.

On the 6th marched to Crum's Mill, on the Hatchie, and on the 7th to a point northeast of Ripley, and 5 miles distant, where we lay upon our arms during the night, the enemy eying reported near.

On the 8th, with the Twenty-seventh and Forty-third Ohio, made reconnaissance to a ridge 4 miles east of Ripley, where the enemy had boasted that he would make a stand, but we found no hostile force.*

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDW. F. NOYES,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Captain W. H. LATHROP,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 9.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Wager Swayne, Forty-third Ohio Infantry.

HDQRS. FORTY-THIRD OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
Near Ripley, Miss., October 9, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by this command in the recent battle of Corinth:

The regiment, in command of Colonel J. L. Kirby Smith, moved from Kossuth on the morning of the 3rd instant, and, rejoining the brigade at the crossing of the Tuscumbia, reached Corinth at sundown. The same evening we took position in line, facing northwest, along the crest of a ridge, connecting a large battery half a mile north of Corinth, and known to us as Battery Williams, with a smaller one, distant about the length of our line, and known to us as Battery Robinett. We remained in line during the night and throughout the action of the next day. At 4 a. m. a field battery of the enemy took position a few hundred yards to our right and slightly in our rear, and opened fire, which was chiefly directed at the two earthworks between which we lay. The fire continued until daylight, during which time we lost 2 men killed and 10 wounded. Between daylight and 10 a. m. our wounded were increased to 18 by the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters, posted in trees near the position which his battery had occupied at an earlier hour. At the time of the general attack, toward noon, the enemy advanced in great force, nearly in the direction of our line, upon the lesser earthwork on our right. Our front was immediately changed forward on first com-

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*Nominal list of casualties here omitted is embodied in revised statement, p. 173.

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