Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/294

 Campaign Against Grant in North Mississippi. 293

the unexpected delays in fitting out the " Donelson prisoners" for the field; so that when on the 3oth of September we marched from Ripley against Corinth, our combined forces were but little over half of what Van Dorn had justly calculated upon when he first proposed the enterprise. The disastrous results which ensued brought censure upon Van Dorn, and have left a cloud upon his military reputation which I hope the publication of this narrative will aid to,dispel.

There are few of those who criticised his conduct who knew the great objects he sought to accomplish, or the means with which he proposed to march to a certain and brilliant victory by which the State of Mississippi would have been freed from invasion and the war would have been transferred beyond the Ohio. Such results justified unusual hazard of battle; and after Van Dorn's forces were reduced by near one-half, he still felt he ought to strike a bold and manly blow for his native State, and did not hesitate to attack the enemy with all the energy and force he could bring to bear upon him. We marched from Baldwin to join Van Dorn at Ripley on the morning of the 2yth, and our whole effective force was made up of

Maury's division 4,800 muskets.

Hebert's division 5,ooo muskets.

Armstrong's cavalry 2,000 men.

Light artillery 42 guns.

We reached Ripley on the evening of the 29th. General Van Dorn with his staff was already there. He had sent his cavalry forward to cover our front, and his infantry and artillery, under General Lovell, were close at hand and inarched into Ripley in fine order the day after our arrival. On the morning of October ist our combined forces moved from Ripley to attack the enemy in Corinth. We marched with a total force of nearly 19,000 effectives, viz.

Maury's division about 4,800 men.

Hebert's division 5

Lovell's division 6,000

Armstrong's cavalry, including Jackson's brigade, 2,800 "

Van Dorn threw his cavalry forward so as to mask his movements ( and marched directly with his infantry by way of Davis's bridge upon the enemy in Corinth. On the evening of October ad we bivouacked at Chewella on the railroad, eight miles west of Corinth. At dawn . on the 3d of October we moved from Chewella to attack the enemy in Corinth.