THE BATTLE OF IUKA.



conflict, the other 2 brigades which had been or-
dered uip had arrived on the field, making the whole
strength of Little's division, 18 regiments, ready
for action before a gun had been fired.
  On the halting of my troops, the battalion of
skirmishers was pushed rapidly forward in the
direction of luka. Al advance of four hundred
yards brought them in the immediate presence of
the enemy. I was immediately in rear of the skir-
mishers, and taking in the situation at a glance
dashed back to the head of the column. If this
should become enveloped by the enemy, a rout was
inevitable, and our force would be doubled back on
itself. I threw the leading regiment, the 5th Iowa,
across the road, moving it a short distance to the
right, and ordered up the nearest battery, which
was placed in position on the road, and to the left
of the first regiment in position. Colonel Sanborn
was active in bringing up other regiments, and get-
ting them into line. Just as the first regiment was
placed, the enemy opened one of his batteries with
canister. The charge passed over our heads, doing
no damage beyond bringing down a shower of twigs
and leaves. The Confederates were in line ready for
action. Why they did not move forward and at-
tack us at once is not understood. Their delay,
which enabled us to form the nearest three regi-
ments in line of battle before the attack began,
was our salvation. An earlier attack would have
enveloped the head of the column, and brought a
disastrous rout.
  Meantime not a moment was lost. A second
regiment, and a third, with all the rapidity that
man could exercise, were added to our little line;
and while the Confederates were moving to the
front, we had managed to get a battle line of
three regiments into position. It was then the
storm of battle opened. The opposing infantry
lines were within close musketry shot. Our bat-
tery was handled with energy, and dealt death to
the enemy. The Confederate batteries had ceased
firing, their line of fire having been covered by the
advance of their infantry. Our own infantry held
their ground nobly against the overwhelming force
moving against them, and we were enabled to add
another regiment to the line of battle. At the first
musketry fire of the enemy, most of the horses of
our battery were killed, and the pieces could not
be removed from the field. The fight became an
infantry duel. I never saw a hotter or more de-
structive engagement. General Price says in his
official report, " The fight began, and was waged
with a severity I have never seen surpassed."
  The regiments of Sanborn's brigade were in the
front line. Sullivan's brigade was divided-a
regiment thrown to the right flank, and one to the
left-the remaining two being placed in rear
of Sanborn's center as a reinforcement. Thus
was every regiment of my command doing duty on
the field. Stanley's division seemed long in com-
ing up. The Confederate lines had moved for-
ward, concentrating their lire on our little front,



and stretching out their wings to the right and
left, as though we were to be taken in at once.
Our men stood their ground bravely, yielding
nothing for a long time; but the pressure began
to grow severe, and I feared we might be driven
from our ground. Thinking General Rosecrans
was in the rear, where he could hurry up the troops
of Stanley's division, I dispatched an aide with the
request that General Rosecrans would come for-
ward far enough to confer with me. All the while
the battle waxed hotter and more furious. The
dead lay in lines along the regiments, while some
of our troops gave signs of yielding. I dispatched
another officer, the only one in reach, for General
Rosecrans. He happened to be one of General
Rosecrans's staff, and at my request he started to
bear the message to his general. Our troops, as
yet, had not given way. The battery under Sears
was doing noble service, but had lost nearly half
its men. Sanborn's brigade was held by him to
their work like Roman veterans, but without help
we could not much longer hold out. I dispatched
my adjutant-general, Captain Sawyer, and a short
time later another aide, Lieutenant Wheeler, with
messages for General Rosecrans, saying that I con-
sidered it imperative he should come forward to
see me, and should hurry forward fresh troops. J
  Stanley's division had now reached the vicinity
of the battle-field, and General Stanley came
instantly to the front, directing the division to
follow as rapidly as possible. It was time, for our
line had begun to give way slowly. It had been
formed on the crest of the hill (up which we had
come, and which sloped to our rear), and in falling
back had been arrested just below the brow of
the bill, where It maintained the fight. Other
regiments were yielding ground slowly, but were
readily stopped by the united exertions of Stanley,
Sanborn, and myself. The falling back of the
troops had exposed the battery, into which the
Confederates had entered. A short time later,
however, a desperate rally was made, and they were
driven back from the battery; but returning with
renewed strength, our troops were again forced
below the brow of the hill. Here three of Stanley's
regiments reached the field, and were pushed to
the right of the line, where they made good the
places of troops that had fallen to the rear. They
fought bravely under Colonels Mower, Boomer, and
Holman, but the fire was too deadly, and they in
turn were forced back. It was growing dark. The
smoke of battle added to the coming night, and it
was soon too dark to distinguish the gray from the
blue uniform. The storm of battle gradually lulled
to entire quiet.
Oar troops bivouacked on the slope of the hill.
The Confederates, for several hours, were occu-
pied with burying their dead and removing their
wounded.
  A consultation between General Rosecrans and
his division commanders resulted in a rearrange-
ment of the troops early in the night, and every-



Rosecrans in his ofiial report says: About thts time  the first brigade of Stanley's dsion. . This shosrY that
[referring to a time sebeequent to the capture and recov- Stanleyhad reached thevicWinttyof the battle-fleld.but for
ry of Sears's batteryl it wasdeemedprudent to order up  some reasonno one had ordered him to thefront.. - . H.



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