Number 70. Report of Colonel John Logan, Thirty-second Illinois Infantry, of engagement at Hatchie Bridge.

HDQRS. THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT ILLINOIS INFANTRY,
Bolivar, Tenn., October 9, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by my command in the battle on Big Hatchie on the 5th instant:

Having been encamped about 3 miles west of the Hatchie the night of the 4th, I was ordered by Brigadier-General Lauman to have my command in line of battle at 4 a.m. of the 5th. This was done promptly at the time. The men were kept in line and officers at their posts for some minutes, when the men were ordered to stack arms and get their breakfast. Here we remained for several hours, the command ready to take arms at any moment. Between 10 and 11 a.m. the order came, "Promptly forward."

In less than two minutes we were moving in the direction of Big Hatchie at double-quick time. When within 2 miles of the bridge I was ordered by General Lauman to file to the right of the road and form a line of battle, facing southeast. Here we remained some twenty or thirty minutes, when I was again ordered forward with the rest of the reserve, except one regiment. We again filed out into the road and moved off at double-quick for 2 miles. This brought us to Hatchie Bridge, which we crossed in the same time in the face of the enemy's batteries and under a terrible shower of grape, shell, and canister.

My regiment was immediately posted on the right on the road, very near the end of the bridge, where the enemy had a raking fire at us, and their balls fell like a storm of hail in midst. Here the fight continued I think about thirty minutes, when the shout was heard, "The rebels run; the day is ours."

Having been in bad health for several days and very weak, as soon as I saw that the rebels were routed, the stimulus of excitement gone, I was compelled to sit down on the ground to rest and try to recuperate, which I did not do during the afternoon, though when the regiment moved on in line of battle I went with it some 200 or 300 yards, when I was compelled to dismount and lie down in the road. From this on the regiment was under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hunter.

The casualties of this engagement were 7 killed, 31 wounded, and 7 missing.* Among the killed is Captain John H. Allen, of Company B; among the wounded are Captain John B. Duncan, Company H, and Lieutenant John P. Campbell, of Company E, and some non-commissioned officers.

I am proud to say in this report that my officers (every one) nobly acted their part, and the men with very few represent. I am sure no colonel ever led a better or braver set of officers and men than I when I led the Thirty-second Regiment to the battle-field on Big Hatchie.

Sir, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN LOGAN,

Colonel Thirty-second Regiment Illinois Infantry.

Captain H. SCOFIELD,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

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*But see revised statement, p.304.

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