Number 79. Report of Lieutenant Colonel George C. Rogers, Fifteenth Illinois Infantry, of engagement at Hatchie Bridge.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY, October 6, 1862.

In obedience to your orders, yesterday morning I moved the Fifteenth Regiment Illinois Infantry to the support of the Fourteenth Illinois Infantry, which position I held for some time, when I received orders from Captain Fox to move the regiment by the left flank, only covering the left flank of the Fourteenth with three or four companies of our right flank. In this position we charged through the open field to the creek on double-quick. During this time Company B, under command of order of Colonel Hall, and by my order moved forward some distance to our left and assisted in capturing many prisoners, after which by your orders we crossed the creek immediately in rear of the Fourteenth Illinois. While crossing the creek there was much confusion, and I at one time feared that the regiment would be scattered; but by the gallant assistance rendered by Captain Swift, of Company H, and Lieutenant Luke, of Company E, we gained the open field on the left of the road, and immediately charged across the field into the woods, where I formed the regiment on the left of the Fourteenth Illinois, after which we moved, in conjunction with the Fourteenth, through the woods, across the open field, and gained the hill, where we remained, assisting in supporting batteries, until the battle was over.

Too much cannot be said in praise of the gallant conduct of all the officers and men of my command, the men all remaining at their posts, regretting only that they could not aid more in achieving the victory gained over the enemy.

The report of the wounded, missing, &c., has been sent to your headquarters.*

Your obedient servant,
GEO. C. ROGERS,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Fifteenth Illinois Infantry.

Brigadier General J. C. VEATCH,

Commanding Second Brigade, Fourth Division.

Number 80. Report of Lieutenant Colonel John J. Jones, Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry, of engagement at Hatchie Bridge.

HDQRS. FORTY-SIXTH REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS,
In the Field, October 6, 1862.

SIR: At 8 o'clock on the morning of the 5th instant, under orders from Brigadier General James C. Veatch, the Forty-sixth took position on the right of the Second Brigade, in the advance, to support Bolton's battery, 2 miles west of the Big Hatchie. After several shots the battery took position half a mile in advance, where they opened a galling fir upon

---------------

*Embodied in revised statement, p.304.

---------------