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fighting of the Eleventh Missouri, under the gallant Mower.
To all the regiments who participated in the fight, he presents congratulations on their bravery and good conduct.
He deems it an especial duty to signalize the Forty-eighth Indiana, which, posted on the left, held its ground until the brave Eddy fell, and a whole brigade of Texans came in through a ravine on the little band, and even then only yielded a hundred yards until relieved.
The Sixteenth Iowa, amid the roar of battle, the rush of wounded artillery-horses, the charge of a rebel brigade and a storm of grape, canister, and musketry, stood like a rock, holding the centre, while the glorious Fifth Iowa, under the brave and distinguished Matthias, sustained by Boomer with part of his noble little Twenty-sixth Missouri, bore the thrice-repeated charges and cross-fires of the rebel left and centre with a valor and determination seldom equalled, never excelled by the most veteran soldiery.
The Tenth Iowa, under Col. Perczel, deserves honorable mention for covering our left flank from the assault of the Texan Legion. Sands's Elevventh Ohio battery, under Lieutenant Sears, was served with unequalled bravery, under circumstances of danger and exposure such as rarely, perhaps never, have fallen to the lot of a single battery during the war.
The Thirty ninth Ohio and Forty-seventh Illinois, who went into position at the close of the fight, and held it during the night, deserve honorable mention for the spirit they displayed in the performance of their duty.
The General Commanding regrets that he must mention the conduct of the Seventeenth Iowa, whose disgraceful stampeding forms a melancholy exception to the general good courage of the troops.
He doubts not that there are a good many officers and men in that regiment whose cheeks burn with shame and indignation at the part the regiment acted, and he looks to them and to all its members on the first opportunity, by conspicuous gallantry, to wipe out the stain on their fair fame.
To the brave and gallant Hamilton, who formed and maintained his division under the galling fire from the rebel front, having his horse shot under him in the action — to the veteran and heroic Sullivan, young in years but old in fight; Col. Sanborn, commanding the leading brigade in his maiden battle; Brig.-Gen. D. S. Stanley, indefatigable soldier, ably aiding the advance division; to their staff-officers as well as to the regiments which have been mentioned in this order, the General Commanding tenders individually his heartfelt thanks and congratulations.
Their gallantry and good conduct commands his respect, and has added a page to the claims they have on the gratitude of a great people now struggling to maintain national freedom and integrity against an unhallowed war in favor of caste and despotism.
To Col. Miezner, Chief of the cavalry division, and to the officers and men of his command, the General Commanding here publicly tenders his acknowledgments.
For courage, efficiency, and for incessant and successful combats, he does not believe they have any superiors.
In our advance on Iuka, and during the action, they ably performed their duty.
Col. Hatch fought and whipped the rebels at Peyton's Mills on the nineteenth, pursued the retreating rebel column on the twentieth, harassed their rear, and captured a large number of arms.
During the action five privates of the Third Michigan cavalry, beyond our extreme right, opened fire, captured a rebel stand of colors, a captain and lieutenant, sent in the colors that night, alone held their prisoners during the night and brought them in next morning.
The unexpected accident which alone prevented us from cutting off the retreat and capturing Price and his army, only shows how much success depends on Him in whose hands are the accidents as well as the laws of life.
Brave companions in arms!
Be always prepared for action, firm, united, and disciplined.
The day of peace from the hands of God, will soon dawn, when we shall return to our happy homes, thanking Him who gives both courage and victory.
By command of
Captain Brown's narrative.
army of the Mississippi, camp of the Twenty-Sixth regiment Missouri Vols., near Jacinto, Miss., September 26, 1862.
I am a Cincinnatian, although I was appointed and commissioned as Captain in the United States volunteer service from Missouri, over a year ago, when the State was on the verge of secession.
Allow me to relate a little of my experience on the late battle-field at Iuka.
It had been known as early as the tenth day of September, that Sterling Price was marching with a greatly superior force upon our little army encamped near Jacinto.
We received orders to strike tents, load the wagons with all company and private, property, with the exception of a light marching outfit, and the trains were ordered to Corinth.
Since that date our army has been living entirely in the open air, ready to march at a moment's notice.
On the seventeenth day of September a general order came to all the regiments along the line to move on the following morning at four o'clock A. M., toward Iuka, where Price had concentrated his forces.
At the appointed time the regiments of the Third division, army of the Mississippi, were marching through a drenching rain and an exceedingly muddy road, toward the point designated.
Our command halted at noon, on the road about fourteen miles north-east of Iuka, threw out pickets, and remained on the ground all night, in order to give Gen. Ord time to approach the town on the road leading north, at the same time our little army under command of General Rosecrans, made the advance on the road running south.
On the nineteenth instant our army was early 