Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 7.djvu/524

Rh Mayson; Ninth, Lieut.-Col. William A. Rankin; Tenth, Col. Robert A. Smith.

Third corps: Sixth infantry, Col. John A. Thornton, in Cleburne's brigade; Hardcastle's battalion in S. A. M. Wood's brigade; Capt. Wm. L. Harper's battery in Wood's brigade; Capt. Charles Swett's battery in Hindman's brigade.

Breckinridge’s corps: Fifteenth and Twenty-second regiments in Col. W. S. Statham's brigade; Second Confederate, Col. John D. Martin, and Capt. Alfred Hudson’s battery in Gen. J. S. Bowen's brigade.

Corinth and Pittsburg Landing, about eighteen miles apart as the crow flies, are connected by a good ridge road. Another road from Corinth follows a line south of the other, runs through Monterey and into the ridge road between Owl and Lick creeks, where the Federal line was posted. From Monterey a road ran north to Purdy, intersecting the ridge road, and another ran northward toward Savannah, also intersecting the ridge road at Mickey's house. Beyond Mickey's, toward Pittsburg, the ridge road merges in the bark road. On April 3d the order of march and battle was issued by General Johnston, according to which Hardee was to advance on the ridge road and form line of battle in front of the enemy, to be reinforced by a brigade or division from the Second corps; Bragg's corps was to assemble at Monterey, advance up the two intersecting roads and then follow Hardee, forming a second line of battle. The First corps, except the division detached at Bethel, would follow the Third corps. The Reserve corps and the forces at Bethel and Purdy would concentrate on Monterey and go into action as practicable.

On the 4th Hardee marched to Mickey's, and it was the skirmish on his front which led Grant to say that he had "scarcely the faintest idea of a general attack." That night it rained in torrents. But as soon as possible Hardee advanced, and at 10 o'clock was in line of battle,