the enemy charged with great impetuosity down the road, but was twice repulsed by the deadly fire of the infantry. Finding this part of the field impregnable, the foe next turned on the left, where had previously been posted the four companies of the 24 Ill. cavalry, under Col. Hogg. Col. Leggett soon discovered that a full regiment of rebel cavalry was preparing to swoop down upon and gobble up his small force, and sent him word to fall back if he had any doubt as to his ability to resist the intended charge, "For God's sake don't order me back," were the memorable words of the daring cavalryman. "Then meet them," replied Leggett, "and may God bless your effort." Immediately giving the command "Forward" to his men, and putting spurs to his steed, with a daring that heeded not the dangers to which he exposed himself, dashed forward in advance of his force. Thus isolated, he became a conspicuous mark for rebel sharpshooters, and fell pierced by nine bullets. The next moment the two lines came together with a crash, from the effects of which both recoiled. In the meantime reinforcements of infantry came, and a battery opening upon the hostile force, drove them from the field. The victory was complete, but dearly bought at the sacrifice of the heroic Colonel. Chivalrous, generous and daring, in his death Illinois lost one of her noblest sons, liberty an admiring votary and the profession of arms a hero of more than ordinary courage. Says Col. Leggett in his official report: "The 2d Ill. cavalry was on the field so short a time, I can only particularize their commander, the lamented Col. Hogg. A braver, truer man never lifted his sword in defense of his country. He was brave to a fault, and fell while leading one of the most gallant cavalry charges of the war.'

Battle of Britton's Lane.-Armstrong next attacked a force of 800 men under command of Col. Dennis, while on his way from Estinaula, Aug. 30, 1862, to Jackson, Tenn. Having been ordered to the latter place with his force, consisting of the 20th and 30th Illinois, two pieces of artillery and two companies of cavalry, on the 1st of September his vanguard encountered at Britton's Lane a rebel cavalry force of 5,000 men. A battle immediately commenced, in which he lost his trains, yet after fighting heroically for four hours he remained master of the field, and inflicted a loss on the enemy of 400, while that of his own was only 5. The great disparity in numbers engaged in this contest and the results which followed fully refutes the rebel idea that one Southron was equal to five Northern men.*

Battle of Iuka.-After the reduction of Corinth, Grant's line of communication with Buell was threatened by the rebels under Price, who, after their destruction, proposed to cross the Tennessee and co-operate with Bragg in his invasion of Kentucky. With these designs in view he had already taken possession of Iuka, a small town on the Memphis and Charleston railroad, about 20 miles southeast of Corinth. To dislodge him from this position Grant directed Gen. Ord, with 18,000 men, to move forward by way of Brownville, and to make a direct attack, while Gen. Rosecrans with another force was to proceed by way

Ross' Report.

of Jacinto, to operate on the flank of the enemy and cut off his retreat in case he should make his escape southward. At 10 o'clock on the morning of the 19th of September, 1862, Hamilton's division of Rosecrans' force encountered the rebel pickets, and drove them back a distance of six miles. The pursuit was then discontinued, and Rosecrans waited, according to previous understanding, to hear the sound of Ord's artillery as a signal to move forward. About noon a dispatch was received from Grant reversing the previous order of battle, and Rosecrans now becoming the attacking party, pushed forward till he discovered the enemy posted on a commanding ridge about two miles from the village. Skirmishers were immediately thrown out, under cover of which Hamilton's division moved up and commenced an attack. engagement soon became general; the rebels in overwhelming numbers fighting with great determination till night put an end to the contest. The 11th Missouri, composed of Illinois soldiers, distinguished itself in the battle by the terrible blows which it inflicted on the enemy. At the time the brave men of this regiment offered their services to the government, the quota of Illinois was complete, and they went to Missouri where they sought and obtained admission into the service.

The

During the night the troops lay on their arms expecting to renew the fight the next morning, but when the time arrived they found the enemy had fled. Rosecrans immediately sent his cavalry and the 47th Illinois after them, but not being sufficiently strong to effect any important result, after a pursuit of 25 miles, the force returned. Owing to some unfortunate mistake, the force under Ord did not arrive at Iuka till the next day, and the enemy thus doubtless escaped an overwhelming defeat.

Battle of Corinth.-Gen. Grant with a portion of the forces retired to Jackson, Gen. Ord to Bolivar, and on the 20th Rosecrans fell back to Corinth, where he soon learned that the enemy was collecting his forces to again offer him battle. Price, VanDorn and Lovell were concentrating their forces, amounting in the aggregate to over 40,000 men, for the purpose of crushing the comparatively small Union force before it could be reinforced. Rosecrans, in in his preparations for an attack, so arranged his defenses that if he could draw the rebel forces under them, they might be defeated, notwithstanding their superior numbers. For this purpose as they approached, Davis' division, containing the 7th, 9th, 12th, 50th, 52d and 57th Illinois, was thrown out to meet them, and after some heavy skirmishing and considerable loss, retired in the desired direction, followed by the enemy. The next day Price moved his forces up, as contemplated by the strategy, directly toward the point covered by the heavy artillery. When within range they were met by a destructive fire, but despite the frightful rents which were opened in their ranks, they steadily moved on till they reached the crest of the hill where Davis' division was now posted. Under the heavy pressure the division gave way and the assailing force, seeing the advantage gained, rushed forward with redoubled speed, Rosecran's headquarters being entirely engulfed by the iuflowing tide. Hamilton's division, containing the 56th Illinois, was next compelled to retire, and instantly the rebels made for Fort Stevenson, the key of the position. Here their first onset was

repulsed, but quickly rallying, they again came forward with increased determination and commenced leaping over the bulwarks into the fort. At this juncture the 56th Illinois, which had been concealed in a ravine, rushed forth as if rising from the earth, and, charging into the fort, drove the astonished rebels out as rapidly as they had entered. This onslaught was immediately seconded by Hamilton's whole division which swept forward with such resistless might that the rebel host broke wildly for the woods throwing away their arms as a useless encumbrance in their flight.

While Price was thus foiled on the right, Van Dorn's men came up on the left in front of Stanley's division, and, facing the heavy guns of batterries Willaims and Robinette, Col. Rogers leading the charge with a body of Mississippi and Texas troops with a heroism worthy of a better cause, colors in hand, leaped to the top of the breastworks, when he was pierced with bullets and fell back lifeless into the ditch. A concealed Ohio regiment next rose up and pouring into the ranks of his followers a continuous mus. ketry fire at short range, put them to flight.

A supporting brigade, maddened by the terrible fate of Rogers, with wild shouts dashed upon the 11th Missouri, composed of Illinois men, and some Ohio regiments, and instantly, friend and foe were locked in a hand to hand death struggle. When bayonets, pistols and sabres failed, the fist was used as a substitute, while the yells and imprecations which were uttered, sounded as if wrung from the throats of demons. Northern brawn proved too much for the impetuosity of the Southrons and the latter gave way. As they fled the batteries double-shotted, played upon and decimated their ranks; arms were thrown away to expedite their flight, which soon become a rout, and terminated the battle. The federal loss was estimated at 315 killed, 1,812 wounded; and that of the enemy 1,423 killed, and from 5,000 to 6,000 wounded. Among the wounded Union officers were Gens. Oglesby and McArthur, both of whom exhibited undaunted bravery and great skill in the management of their commands. Yates' sharp-shooters went into the fight on the morning of the 4th, and came out with a loss of 73 men killed, showing that ragardless of consequences they had braved the battle's fiercest storm, adding new laurels to the military renown which the troops of the State had previously acquired. The magnificent charge of the 56th has already been mentioned. The 7th, 50th and 57th, for a long time sustained the pressure of a greatly superior force of the enemy, drove them back and recaptured several guns previously taken by the enemy. The rebels left closely pursued by a fresh brigade under the command of McPherson, who captured a large number of prisoners and valuable materials of war. To ensure the safety of the fugitive army it was necessary for it to detail a force to occupy the Hatchie river bridge over which it must pass to prevent its falling into the hands of the federals. This movement was, however, too late. Gens. Hurlbut and Ord, aware of this necessity, had sent a force in advance, and when the rebels came up and made a stand on the north bank of the river, they were immediately charged by the Union troops and driven across the river, losing 2 batteries and several hundred prisoners. In this onset the 28th, 32d, 41st, and 53d Illinois, bore a conspicuous part and Gen. Lau

man, who commanded the brigade, in his official report highly compliments his subordinate Illinois officers for their great skill and bravery in leading the men in the charge.

Stone River or Murfreesboro.-As previously stated Rosecrans superceded Buell, and on the 27th of October commenced reorganizing the army. His command was the remnant of the brave men who, under Anderson, Mitchell, and Buell had repelled the inva sion of Kentucky and carried the national banners almost to the centre of the confederacy through Middle Tennessee. A new military district styled the Department of the Cumberland was crea ted in which it was to operate, comprising Middle and East Tennessee and such portions of Northern Alabama and Georgia, as might be wrested from the power of the rebels. With his army augmented and strengthened by new recruits he left Louisville, his base of supplies, and proceeding by way of Bowling Green, reached Nashville on the 10th of November and took a position near the city. From this time till Christmas he improved in disciplining the army and furnishing it with clothing and other indispensible supplies.

The rebels on the other hand, were not idle, and before the close of November had massed at Murfreesboro' an army of about 50,000 men under Bragg. The rebel commander, under the impression that Rosecrans was going into winter quarters, sent a large cavalry force into Kentucky under Morgan and another under Forrest, into West Tennessee, for the purpose of destroying the railroads and cutting off the communications of the advanced Union forces from their respective bases of supplies. Bragg's army being weakened by these detachments, Rosecrans judged it an opportune time to give him battle, and accordingly on Christmas eve, 1862, a consultation was held to concert measures for an aggressive movement. Arrangements being perfected the next morning, in torrents of rain the army started for Murfreesboro', Thomas' corps moving in the centre, McCook's on the right and Crittenden's on the left. As the day wore away the tedium of the march was relieved by the occasional rattle of musketry or the explosions of cannon, heralding encounters with advanced squads of rebel pickets. Heavy rains prevailed and the army was compelled to feel its way over the muddy roads through a foggy atmosphere in opposition to skirmishing parties of the enemy. Sunday December 28th the army rested, Rosecrans being averse to active operations on the Sabbath unless the exigency of his situation urgently demanded it. In the afternoon of Monday, Gen. Palmer leading the advance of Crittenden's corps moved up in sight of Murfreesboro' and sent a dispatch back that the enemy was retreating, Crittenden, thereupon was ordered to occupy the town but advancing and finding the rebels still in possession, he fell back having exposed himself to great danger in conse quence of the misapprehension.

A stormy night supervened which so saturated the ground that the following day the artillery carriages in passing over the fields sank up to their axels in mud. Rosecrans rose at an early hour and carefully pushed his columns forward over the miry ground through cedar brakes in front of the enemy. noon the army was in position, stretching from Stone River across

By

the country in a southerly direction as far as the Franklin pike, a distance of 3 miles, Crittenden on the left with 3 divisions, Vancleve, Wood, and Palmer, Thomas in the centre with two divisions, Negley and Rousseau, and McCook on the right with 3 divisions, Sheridan, Davis' and Johnson's. Outstretched between the Union army and Murfreesboro' and parallel with the former was the rebel line. Breckenridge's division lay across the river on the extreme right, under Polk in the centre were 2 divisions, Wither's and Cheatham's, and under Hardee on the extreme left were 2 divisions, Cleburne and McCown. The rebel centre was masked in dense cedar forests, while the river was in the rear, which being fordable, could in case of necessity readily be crossed and made available as a means of defense. During the night the rebels massed their forces on the right of Rosecrans, who inferring their intention, met with his corps commanders and planned the battle of Murfreesboro. It was decided to hold the right stationary, while the left under Wood and Vancleve crossing Stone river, were to drive Breckenridge from his position, occupy Murfreesboro and finally get in the rear of the enemy. Bragg had also decided to act on the offensive, his plan being similar to that of his adversary. Both intended to strike with the left of their respective lines, and had accordingly massed their forces to suit their plan of operations.

At early dawn on the last day of the year, while Rosecrans' left was crossing the river, McCown's division emerging from the fog which had settled on the battle-field and striking our right under Johnson, hurled it back at a single blow and captured two of the batteries before a gun could be fired. The next division under Davis in which were the 35th, 59th, 73d and 75th Illinois, after a determined resistance, met with a similar fate. It was only when the exultant foe came in contact with Sheridan's, containing the 36th, 44th, 51st and 88th Illinois that its terrific onset was stayed. Directly in front of a battery vomiting forth death, and exposed to a cross fire from two others, the hostile columns moved till within close range when a musketry fire poured into the faces of the men sent them staggering back. Rallying again and strengthened by the victorious divisions which had crumbled Johnson's and Davis' command to fragments, they again bore down on Sheridan with the determination to overwhelm him. Hastily attaching his right to the rear of Negly's division, and placing his artillery in the angle formed by the two lines, lanes were plowed through the advancing masses. Repulsed they three times renewed the assault but with such appaling slaughter that Vaughn's brigade of Polk's division lost one third of its men and all the horses of its brigade and staff officers except one were killed. Sheridan was seriously damaged, having all his brigade commanders killed and losing 1,630 men. With his ammunition exhausted he also was compelled to retire, losing 9 guns, owing to the difficulty of getting them through the dense cedar thickets which covered his rear. Negly, exposed by the movement, was soon outflanked and compelled to cut his way out of overwhelming numbers. A magnificent charge by the 19th Illinois, 11th Michigan and 21st Ohio, forced the enemy back in confusion and the environed divisions passed out, removing their guns in safety. The force of the rebel