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No. 27.-report of Lieut. Col. Edward Hatch, Second Iowa Cavalry, of operations from April 29 to June 9.
headquarters Second Iowa Cavalry, Camp, near Corinth, Miss., June 18, 1862.
Sir: I have the honor to report, complying with order to report, actions, scouts, and skirmishes the Second Iowa Cavalry has been engaged mi subsequent to its arrival at Hamburg, Tenn. The first within my knowledge is the attack upon Monterey, Tenn.
The regiment left camp at daylight on the morning of April 29, joining Colonel Elliott's command in a reconnaissance by General Stanley.
Pushing forward through heavy roads, attacked the enemy's camp at Monterey, Tenn., at 10 o'clock in the morning.
The enemy fled in confusion.
Detaching Major Love, with the Third Battalion, composed of Companies I, B, F, and D, to the left, Major Love followed the enemy rapidly; approached a stream south of Monterey, Tenn., when the enemy opened upon him with a masked battery as soon as his advance guard had passed a bridge only wide enough to pass by twos.
Finding the battery supported, he presently withdrew under a heavy fire, losing 1 man killed and 3 wounded. Proceeding rapidly with eight companies in advance, Company K captured 11 prisoners.
The following are the names of the killed and wounded: Private William Paxton, Company B, killed: Privates William Bremner, James Boutrager, and Corp. James B. With, of Company I, wounded.
On the morning of May 3 received at 9 o'clock an order to proceed with the entire regiment immediately to the Memphis and Charleston Railroad between Burnsville and Glendale, and there to destroy a trestle work and otherwise render useless for the time being the railroad at that point.
Left camp in the neighborhood of Widow Wolf's farm, on the Corinth and Hamburg road; proceeded southeast to a small stream, fording it upon a hard bottom, water up to the saddleskirts of horses; on the south side of the stream came upon half a mile of very low, swampy ground, almost impassable for horses.
Leaving two companies (K and L, commanded by Captain Crocker) to hold the ford proceeded in a southerly direction 6 miles to the main Alabama road over a very broken and hilly country, well watered by small streams and springs; the hills generally clay, intermixed with gravel and iron ore. After leaving the ford 2 miles we found the enemy's pickets in small force; drove them rapidly to the crossing of the main Alabama road, where we found the enemy in some force.
Leaving four companies at this point to check any advance from the enemy's camps at Farmington and Burnsville, Miss., pushed rapidly forward 6 miles southwest, the road running upon pine ridges until we reached the railroad, where we burned the trestle work, tearing up the track, heating and spoiling the rails, destroying the switches.
On my return captured 3 wagons, 10 mules, and 4 prisoners. On reaching the junction of this road and the Alabama road found Companies H and F, who had been left there, commanded by Captain Sanford, were ably holding in check all attempts of the enemy to cut off our retreat, losing no man killed or wounded.
From there we proceeded to camp, reaching it at 8 o'clock in the evening.
Complying with Colonel Elliott's order of May 8, moved forward with this brigade on the main Corinth road beyond Farmington.
By
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Colonel Elliott's order-detaching Major Love's battalion, consisting of Companies I, F, B, and D, to ascertain whether the enemy were well in force upon our left-Major Love moved forward about 2 miles, coming upon the enemy's cavalry in force, who attacked him with spirit, killing 1 man and wounding 4; names of killed and wounded annexed.1
Captain Bishop and Lieutenant Washburn--the former of Company I, the latter Company D-behaved with great gallantry in securing the retreat of the command, Lieutenant Washburn having his horse shot.
During the absence of Major Love, proceeded with the remainder of regiment under Colonel Elliott toward railroad.
When within a quarter of a mile and in sight of the track the enemy's skirmishers opened fire, wounding some of our horses, with no casualties to the men; the brigade retired and we returned to camp.
Complying with order of Colonel Elliott, commanding Second Brigade, cavalry division, to report with Second Regiment Iowa Cavalry to General Granger, did so, receiving instruction from General Pope to report to general commanding the advance at Farmington, Miss.
Reported at 12 o'clock to General Palmer, who ordered me to throw out two companies on the left of the main Farmington road and hold balance of the regiment in reserve under the hill where the crossing of the swamp approaches Farmington.
Our infantry, who had held the field above us, being driven into brow of hill, General Paine ordered the regiment to charge the enemy's batteries.
Moving column to top of hill, I ordered Major Coon, with Companies H, G0 C, and part of A, of the Second Battalion, and Major Love's (Third) battalion [to charge] the battery on our right, and Major Hepburn, with First Battalion, the battery on our left, en echelon of squadrons, deploying the columns to the right and left.
When we had passed our infantry lines we attacked the skirmishers and supports of the enemy, driving them in, and killed and wounded some.
[No effect was produced on] the battery on our left, near the Farmington road, on account of the ground being impracticable, the battery and supports [being] protected by a fence.
The fire from this was very severe, and though our men could not reach the guns, the enemy's gunners, evidently alarmed at the charge, ceased working their guns.
Major Coon's battalion, led by him, gallantly attacked the battery near the building known as the cotton mill (the center battery). Lieutenant Reily, commanding Company F, of the Third Battalion, attacked and carried two guns in battery on our extreme right.
The center battery was fairly tarried, the gunners driven from their guns, the enemy limbering up his guns without taking them off the field.
Finding our horses badly blown from a long charge over rough ground and the infantry of the enemy in great force, I, under a heavy fire, ordered all companies on my right to retreat to the right and rear, forming on the Swamp road, and those on my left to join the regiment in this road.
I ordered Major Hepburn to move to the rear, retaining Major Coon, with two companies, to pick up the wounded and scattered.
My orders were carried out better than I could have expected.
My chief bugler's bugle was rendered useless in the charge; four of my orderlies having had their horses killed and two being shot out of the saddle when transmitting orders.
The conduct of officers and men was in every way commendable.
Captains Lundy and Henry Egbert--Lieutenant Owen wounded near the enemy's guns-Lieutenants Horton, Moore, and Schnitzer, all had
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horses killed under them.
Capt. D. J. Crocker and Lieutenant Moore, of Company K; Captain McConnell and Lieutenant Foster, of Com pany M; Captain Kendrick, of Company E; Captain Eaton and Lieutenant Belden, of Company L, all of the First Battalion, led in the finest manner by Major Hepburn, rode through the hottest fire, and were rallied by Major Hepburn on the right, when retiring in fine style, and formed in good order in the rear of swamp to wait orders.
Major Coon, Capt. H. Egbert, Capt. William Lundy, Lieutenant Owen, and Lieutenant Horton, of the Second Battalion, led the charge on the right in the finest manner, riding boldly in advance of their commands.
The daring of Lieutenant Queal, commanding Company B, was conspicuous, cheering his men to the very muzzles of the enemy's guns, Captain Bishop, of Company I, and Captain Graves, of Company D, obeying my orders promptly under heavy fire.
Lieutenant Schnitzer, acting regimental adjutant, and Lieutenant Metcalf, battalion adjutant, did their duties to my entire satisfaction.
Before and at time of charge Captain Freeman and Lieutenant Eystra, with detachments of Companies A, G, and H, as skirmishers dismounted, did excellent service in the swamp on our left, holding the enemy's skirmishers in check.
There were about 400 men in the charge.
Our loss will scarcely exceed 50 killed and wounded. Annexed receive returns as far as in my power to give.
We have had 50 horses killed and 50 rendered unserviceable from wounds.
Complying with orders from General Granger, May 26 proceeded with eight companies of Second Iowa Cavalry and four companies of Second Michigan to destroy a force of the enemy reported between Indian and Yellow Creeks-streams which rise in the neighborhood of Burnsville and flow to the Tennessee River — a few miles south of Hamburg, Tenn. Left, camp near Farmington, Miss., at 6 p. m.; proceeded to the main Alabama road; pushed on that night to Burnsville, the road leading over a broken country; roads firm and hilly.
Proceeding in southeasterly direction 10 miles, came to an extensive swamp 4 miles this side of Burnsville and stream — a branch of Yellow Creek, running northeast, over which the enemy had destroyed the bridge.
The bed of the creek for a long distance above and below is quicksand and nearly impassable, and with great difficulty I passed over six companies.
The road from there to Burnsville is through the swamp impracticable for heavy loads, and at that time obstructed by timber which the enemy had felled.
Moving my command northeast, between Yellow and Indian Creeks, I discovered the enemy (in force reported) did not exceed 80 men, and that they had already recrossed the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.
On both Indian and Yellow Creeks are good fords, with good bottoms.
The country in the neighborhood raises good crops and is now furnishing fair crops of cereals.
Returning with my command to Burnsville, I pushed two companies toward Jacinto.
The main road is a good one.
Found the enemy's pickets 4 miles from Jacinto, Miss., in considerable force.
Learning unquestionably there was no force of the enemy in the vicinity where I had been sent to attack them, returned to camp at 10 o'clock next morning, the command having marched 35 miles.
Complying with orders of Colonel Elliott, May 27 left camp at Farm.
ington at 1 a. m.; marched over a very broken country to the main ford of Yellow Creek; crossed that evening the railroad above Iuka about 2 miles, keeping a southerly course.
Bivouacked at 2 a. m. at a good stream 6 miles south of Iuka, a place known as Thompson's, pushed forward at daylight, marching southwest over a very rough
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country, intersected by the swamps of the Tombigbee, and reached Booneville at daylight in the morning, and I was immediately ordered to move on the town, filled with sick and convalescent.
Following Col. W. L. Elliott's instructions, destroyed the contents of 26 cars and depot, 13,000 stand of arms, equipments for 10,000 men, and an immense amount of stores and ammunition.
Some of our men, going too far from us in their zeal to destroy, were attacked-killed, wounded, or taken prisoners.
The regiment was not out of the saddle in four days and nights but twenty-three hours. The entire country is greatly broken and difficult to travel from the swamps intersecting it.
On June 4 left camp with Colonel Elliott's brigade; moved forward to Booneville, Miss., and with four pieces of artillery moved towards Blackland; the country, as usual, broken and swampy.
On passing a narrow bridge 8 miles from Booneville, and over the Twenty Mile Creek, the advance came upon the enemy in force.
After a sharp skirmish the guns withdrew.
Our men in good order retired slowly, losing 3 men killed and 9 wounded. The regiment fell back to the rear and bivouacked at Booneville, Miss.
On June 6, by order of General Granger, with six companies, made reconnaissance to left of Baldwin.
The road after leaving Booneville runs south generally on the ridge of high hills; is usually good.
Found the enemy in force on Twenty Mile Creek.
Returned to camp; losing no men in the skirmish.
June 9 reported to Col. P. H. Sheridan at 7 o'clock in the evening with the Second Iowa Cavalry.
Proceeded from Booneville nearly all the way up the railroad, a great part ot the way traversing swamps; many places the railroad bridges were burned, but all easily repaired.
Reached Baldwin at daylight.
In the morning was ordered t6 approach the town from the south.
Did so; found the enemy and nearly all the inhabitants had abandoned the town.
By Colonel Sheridan's orders was moved to Guntown; came up with rear guard of the enemy 2j miles from Guntown.
The country more open than I have seen it. Two miles north of Guntown there is a -- , on which are two bridges.
The enemy had removed the planks, which I replaced.
On driving in their pickets found the enemy in much greater force than myself, and being ordered not to attack, retired.
The country in that neighborhood has fine crops, more or less grain on hand, and a fair number of cattle.
I would state the companies have done a great deal of picket duty, and have lost men while on that duty.
Very respectfully, yours,
Edward Hatch, Lieutenant-Colonel Second Iowa Cavalry, Commanding. George Lee, 2d Mich. Cav., A. A. A. G., 2d Brig., Car. Div.
