Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Our loss was only three hundred and fifteen killed, one thousand eight hundred and twelve wounded, and two hundred and thirty-two prisoners and missing.

It is said the enemy was so demoralized and alarmed at our advance, they set fire to the stores at Tupello, but finding we were not close upon them, extinguished the fire and removed the public stores, except two car-loads of bacon, which they destroyed.

To signalize in this report all those officers and men whose action in the battle deserves mention, would unnecessarily lengthen this report. I must, therefore, refer to the sub-reports and special mentions, and to a special paper herewith, wherein the most conspicuous, to the number of one hundred and nine officers and men, are mentioned.

Army of Third Division of District of West-Tennessee.

The preliminary announcement of the results of the great battle of Corinth was given to you on the battle-field by myself in person. I then proclaimed to you that “they were badly beaten at all points and had fled, leaving their dead and wounded on the field.” When I told you to replenish your cartridge-boxes and haversacks, snatch a sleep after your two days fighting and two nights of watching and movements, and be ready by the morning's dawn to follow the retreating foe, my heart beat high with pride and pleasure to the round and joyful response from your toil-worn and battle-stained ranks. Such a response was worthy such soldiers, and of the country and cause for which they fought.

I have now received the reports of the various commanders. I have now to tell you that the magnitude of the stake, the battle, and the results, become more than ever apparent. Upon the issue of the fight depended the possession of West-Tennessee, and perhaps even the fate of operations in Kentucky. The entire available force of the rebels in Mississippi, save a few garrisons and a small reserve, attacked you. They were commanded by Van Dorn, Price, Villipigue, Rust, Armstrong, Maury, and others, in person. They numbered, according to their own authorities, nearly forty thousand men — almost double your own numbers. You fought them into the position we desired on the third, punishing them terribly; and on the fourth, in three hours after the infantry entered into action they were completely beaten. You killed and buried one thousand four hundred and twenty-three officers and men, some of their most distinguished officers falling, among whom was the gallant Col. Rogers, of the Second Texas, who bore their colors at the head of his storming column to the edge of the ditch of “Battery Robinette,” where he fell. Their wounded, at the usual rate, must exceed five thousand. You took two thousand two hundred and sixty-eight prisoners, among whom are one hundred and thirty-seven field-officers, captains, and subalterns, representing fifty-three regiments of infantry, sixteen regiments of cavalry, thirteen batteries of artillery, and seven battalions, making sixty-nine regiments, thirteen batteries, seven battalions, besides several companies. You captured three thousand three hundred and fifty stands of small arms, fourteen stands of colors, two pieces of artillery, and a large quantity of equipments. You pursued his retreating columns forty miles in force with infantry, and sixty miles with cavalry, and were ready to follow him to Mobile, if necessary, had you received orders.

I congratulate you on these decisive results; in the name of the Government and the people I thank you. I beg you to unite with me in giving humble thanks to the great Master of all for our victory.

It would be to me a great pleasure to signalize in this General Order those whose gallant deeds are recorded in the various reports, but their number forbids. I will only say that to Gens. Hamilton, Stanley, McArthur, and Davies, to Gen. Oglesby and Col. Miezner, and the brigade and regimental commanders under them, I offer my thanks for the gallant and able manner in which they have performed their several duties. To the regimental commanders and chiefs of batteries and cavalry, and especially to Cols. Lee and Hatch, I present my thanks for their gallantry on the battle-field and in the pursuit. I desire especially to offer my thanks to Gen. Davies and his division, whose magnificent fighting on the third more than atones for all that was lacking on the fourth. To all the officers and soldiers of this army, who bravely fought, I offer my heartfelt thanks for their noble behavior, and pray that God and their country may add to the rewards which flow from the consciousness of duty performed, and that the time may speedily come when, under the flag of a nation one and indivisible, benign peace may again smile on us amid the endearments of home and family.

But our victory has cost us the lives of three hundred and fifteen brave officers and soldiers, besides the wounded. Words of praise cannot reach those who died for their country in this battle, but they console and encourage the living. The memory of the brave Hackelman, the chivalrous Kirby Smith, the true and noble Colonels Thrush, Baker, and Miles, and Captain Guy C. Ward, with many others, live with us and in the memory of a free people, while history will in scribe their names among its heroes.