No. 83.-report of Lieut. Col. Warner Spencer Second Kentucky Infantry, of operations May 28.
camp near Bridge Creek, May 29, 1862.
Sir: On the morning of the 28th instant the Second Kentucky Regiment, with the balance of the brigade under your command, was ordered out to attack the enemy's front at Corinth.
Two companies (A, Lieutenant
[852]
Martin commanding, and B, Captain Baldwin) were deployed as skirmishers, the balance of the regiment being held in reserve.
After advancing a few hundred yards our skirmishers met two companies of the enemy's picket skirting the woods about a quarter of a mile in front of Bridge Creek.
With little firing our skirmishers cautiously drove them back into a dense thicket across the creek to their reserve.
Toward noon, the enemy having been re-enforced by three regiments (two Louisiana and one Alabama), the firing became general and of an alarming and serious nature, the enemy seeming determined to gain their last position and to hold the bridge at all hazards.
Previous to this Captain Baldwin made a hasty reconnaissance of the ground he was ordered to occupy, and finding that his right and left was not supported, immediately dispatched to me the fact.
I then sent to his assistance three companies, E, G, and K; E and K being posted as a reserve under cover of the wood and G in position near the bridge.
These arrangements had hardly been made when the enemy commenced a spirited attack, supported by one piece of artillery, which undertook to shell our skirmishers from their position; but our men, being well in position and mostly under cover, maintained their ground.
The firing was incessant and of a severe nature until late in the afternoon, when the enemy again opened their battery, doing us serious injury, until a section of Captain Mendenhall's battery was brought forward and placed to the left of our reserve and for half an hour poured in a brisk and galling fire, when the enemy gave way, leaving us in possession of the creek and bridge, which we held until relieved this morning.
Our loss, though somewhat severe, was not equal to that of the enemy; as we learned from the prisoners taken in the engagement that their loss was from 70 to 80 and carried off the field as they fled.
I most cheerfully recommend to your notice the gallant and active part taken by Captain Baldwin during the engagement, and for the coolness and courage he displayed on this occasion, as to him is mainly due the manner of posting the skirmishers.
Much praise is also due to Captain Cook, Lieutenants Martin, Stuebing, Bontecou, Bell, and Huber for their gallant conduct, and to Dr. Cox for his timely services in relieving the wounded.
Officers and soldiers all did well.
Lieutenant Wolcott, of the Twentieth Kentucky, deserves particular mention in this report as having been of efficient service, marching his company to our relief during the thickest of the engagement.
Below you will find a list of the killed and wounded of this regiment.1 ...
Yours, respectfully,
