Numbers 13.

Report of Colonel Joseph A. Mower, Eleventh Missouri Infantry, commanding Second Brigade.

CORINTH, MISS., October 15, 1862.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report the part taken by my command in the engagement of the 3rd and 4th instant at this place, as follows:

At about noon of the 3rd my brigade, with the exception of the Fifth Minnesota Volunteers, which had been previously attached and continued so during that and the day following, together with the First Brigade of the division, were resting at the outer line of earthworks near the north Kossuth road. We remained there about one hour, when, pursuant to orders from General Stanley, I moved my command rapidly around to the right, and formed line of battle in the woods, about three-fourths of a mile from the town of Corinth, in front of Battery Robinett, the right resting on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and the left near the Chewalla road. On arriving there I found my front partially covered by another line already engaged with the enemy, and for the first half hour only scattering shots were fired by my command; but at the end of about that time I ordered my line forward an relieved the other line. The firing immediately became general and fierce. At this time I brought up the Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteers, which arriving upon the field later than the other regiments, had no yet reached the front. Extending my line to the left, at the same time moving the other regiments obliquely to the left, the Forty-seventh was exposed to a galling fire, and the lamented Thrush and the senior captain fell, together with many brave men. Soon after I received an order to fall back.

It was upon the falling back of the infantry that Captain Spoor with his battery rendered invaluable service. Owing to the nature of the ground where the line had been formed he had been assigned a position on a hill in our rear near the road. As soon as he had an opportunity he opened upon the enemy with spherical-case and canister. One column charging upon his left, he drove the enemy back to the cover of the woods an for a considerable time held them all in check. His supports being gone, and being deceived by the appearance of a body advancing on the road, where he expected more of our own forces, till they were close upon him, he barely escaped in season to save his pieces from their grasp.

Upon the retirement of the troops the height ceased for the day, and the infantry regiments were massed between Batteries Robinett and Williams and the battery of Captain Spoor sent to the town.

The contest of that afternoon lasted about two hours, and, if unsuccessful, I am satisfied it was not through the fault of the men under my command. None ever went under fire more willingly or contested ground with an outnumbering enemy more obstinately.

While I must refer you to the reports of regimental commanders for information as to meritorious conduct of line officers, of the others I will say that Lieutenant-Colonel Robbins and Major Jefferson, of the Eighth Wisconsin, were wounded early in the action while doing their duty gallantly. Later the heroic Colonel Thrush, of the Forty-seventh Illinois, fell to rise no more while leading his men to a charge upon the enemy, and Captain Andrews, his successor in command, soon suc-