October 12, 1862, The New York Herald
Our Jackson Correspondence.
JACKSON, Tenn., Oct. 6, 1862.
A few moments after the mail left today a despatch was received by Gen. Grant, from Gen. Rosecrans, announcing the most complete and overwhelming defeat of the rebels at the Hatchie, he, Rosecrans, having come up and attacked them in rear, and Gen. Ord just having defeated them at Davies’ Bridge. The poor rebels were in bad quarters, and had no chance for escape whatever, as an army. The despatch gives no particulars of the battle, merely stating that whole regiments threw down their arms, some not attempting to escape at all, and the remainder scattering through woods in every direction, every man for himself. The country is full of fugitives, and our troops are picking them up faster than they can dispose of them. I suppose they will be paroled, or kept by General Grant to exchange for our men taken on the Potomac. We have no account of the loss of Rosecrans’ force in this affair, but it must have been small, as the enemy were completely panic stricken. The loss at Davies’ Bridge, on our side was severe, as reported by General Ord. From that report it will be seen that General Grant’s order to Hurlbut to leave Bolivar and march towards Corinth by way of Pocahontas and Davies’ Bridge, was just in time, and was the means of preventing the escape of the enemy. Rosecrans was also, as soon as the rebels were driven out of Corinth, ordered in pursuit, and the result has been almost equal to the most sanguine expectations. The rebel generals will have to organize another army before they can do anything in West Tennessee or Mississippi, and it must have entirely destroyed their idea of penetrating into Kentucky and joining Gen. Bragg, which, it appears, […..] and only prevented by the watchfulness and precautions of General Grant. The fight at Corinth was very severe; the enemy advanced steadily from Bethel on to Chewalla, driving in our videttes and pickets as they advanced, and finally, after driving in McKean and Davis’ commands, a large mass actually penetrated to the heart, but they were not allowed time to do any damage. I will give you a copy of General Rosecrans’ despatch, describing their repulse: –
CORINTH, Miss., Oct. 4, 1862.
To Major General U. S. GRANT: –
This morning Price made a fierce and determined attack on our right, Van Dorn and Lovell on our left. The contest lasted until half-past eleven o’clock, and was very deadly to the enemy. They drove in our centre. Some of them penetrated to the Corinth House. Hamilton, whose left was on their main line of attack, maintained his ground in all but one spot, and made an advance – secured the centre – with two first rate regiments. Colonel Sullivan gave us time to bring batteries into action and saved the day on that side. Van Dorn and Lovell made a most determined attack on the extreme right, on the Chewalla road. They were led to the attack through the abatis; two of their columns reached the ditch, the other two stopped not fifty paces from it. All that grape and canister could do was tried; but when it reached this point a charge was ordered, when it became a race between the Twenty- seventh Ohio and the Eleventh Missouri.
This was too much for the staggered columns; many fell down and held up their hands for mercy. They were badly beaten on both fonts, left their dead and wounded on the field, and are in full retreat.
Our loss, though serious, especially in officers, is nothing like that of the enemy. Brigadier General Hackleman fell bravely fighting at the head of his brigade yesterday, shot through the jugular vein. Colonels Kirby Smith, Gilbert and Mower, wounded, not mortally, and General Oglesby, dangerously. The number killed I cannot tell. Their killed and wounded are strewn along the road for five miles out, where they had a hospital.
We have between seven hundred and one thousand prisoners, not counting wounded.
McPherson has reached here with his force.
We move at daylight in the morning.
W. S. ROSECRANS, Major General.
The rebels in this last enterprise certainly made a most desperate effort to render it successful. What chances of success they could have imagine themselves to have had I cannot conceive. They must have existed in their imagination and overweening conceit and confidence in Southern pluck, or in extreme ignorance. It seems that experience is to them no teacher, and they must have forgotten that the army they were attacking was the army that has never been whipped – the men of Belmont, Donelson, Shiloh, &c., to whom defeat is unknown. They have learned a lesson this time they will not forget in a hurry, and their loss in the whole affair is immense. I have heard some estimate it as high as ten thousand men – killed, wounded and prisoners – with a very large quantity of arms and all their baggage, which was abandoned. I consider the estimate of their loss in men too high; but the destruction of their force was unquestionably very great.
I am sorry to say that fears are entertained that Gen. Oglesby’s wound will terminate fatally. It is in the breast. If fatal the army will suffer a serious loss in his death. He is a brave and gallant soldier, beloved by every officer and soldier in his command, and by all who are honored with his acquaintance. General Ord has gone North. He was shot through the leg by Minie ball – a painful but not dangerous wound. I understand that General Grant has to-day sent orders to Rosecrans to stop the pursuit of the enemy fearing, possibly, to leave Corinth too much exposed; so we may expect very soon a correct account of the loss of the enemy and the full extent of our victory. General Hurlbut’s loss must have been serious, as he was unable to pursue the enemy after its complete overthrow on the Hatchie.