Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Chapter XXII: Operations in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Mississippi, North Alabama, and Southwest Virginia. March 4-June 10, 1862.
Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Ed.

No. 6, May 16, 1862, I resumed the command of the Seventy-second Regiment Ohio Volunteers, which since the battle of Shiloh had been under the command of Capt. C. G. Eaton, of Company A. I take this opportunity to express my entire approbation of the conduct of Captain Eaton as commander of the regiment; also to return my thanks to the commanders of other regiments of the brigade, their officers and soldiers for their uniform courteous bearing toward me while I had the honor of commanding the brigade and for the cheerful and prompt manner in which they executed every order. The duties and labor on the march from Shiloh, both for officers and men, were very arduous, but were always performed with the greatest promptness and alacrity, notwithstanding the great amount of sickness in all the regiments. Scarcely any one could be said to be in good health.

Having completed the intrenchments of Camp No. 6 on Saturday, the 17th of May, at 3 o'clock p. m., the Seventy-second and Forty-eighth Regiments and the Morton battery marched in reconnaissance on the road to the right of Russell's under your command General Smith with his brigade taking the direct road to Russell's. On reaching our line of pickets Company A, under command of Lieutenant Russell, was deployed as skirmishers, and Company C, Captain Snyder, and F, Captain Moore, were ordered forward to support the skirmishers. We moved forward cautiously. The skirmishers soon encountered the enemy's pickets and skirmishers. Our skirmishers pressed forward, jumping from tree to tree in admirable style until we reached a point in advance of Russell's house, where our skirmishers united with those of General Smith's brigade, and where we halted. Our skirmishers were in advance of those of General Smith, and we had some difficulty in preventing General Smith's skirmishers firing upon ours. The enemy, driven by our skirmishers, left some guns and some blood behind them at different places.

About sundown you ordered us to fall back about 40 rods and encamp for the night, when you returned to camp, leaving me in command. On reaching the point indicated I found it not a very good point to establish the battery on account of the density of the forest, and upon consultation with the commandant of the battery concluded to fall back still farther, to the hill where the battery on the right of Camp No. 7 was afterwards located. Here we encamped, and slept on our arms during the night, the battery in the center, the Seventysecond on the right, and the Forty-eighth on the left. It had become [752] quite dark before we got into position at this point. I threw out guards as well as could be done under the circumstances. At 3 o'clock next morning I ordered every man into line, and ordered one company from the Seventy-second forward on a road leading to the right and a company from the Forty-eighth on the road to the front. We expected an attack at daylight, and we prepared to give the enemy a warm reception. About 6 o'clock we were ordered by General Smith to fall back still farther, which we did, and formed in line of battle. About 7 o'clock we were ordered back to camp. The conduct of officers and men of both regiments and battery was most admirable. We fully expected an attack by a superior force.

On the 21st of May the Third Brigade moved forward and encamped at the point where we encamped Saturday night and intrenched. In a few hours our whole front was well intrenched, the men working with wonderful energy and spirit. On the 28th we moved forward to this camp. The order of march was to move at 8 o'clock a. m. by the left flank of the brigade. On reaching the ridge back of the open field you ordered the Seventy-second into line on the right of the Seventieth, and in this order we moved forward through this woods and across the open field, following in sight and not far in the rear of the skirmishers, all expecting an attack on entering the field; but our men passed eagerly forward in perfect order, whilst the skirmishers in front kept up a constant fire. The Seventy-second was encamped in the edge of the woods near the open field in front of our present camp. At evening it was determined to intrench during the night, and tools were sent for, but did not arrive until about 12 o'clock, when I immediately went through my regiment, waked up the men, sleeping soundly, and soon had the work commenced, giving charge of the working party to Captain Snyder, who, with his usual energy, kept up the work by regular details during the night and the next day until the work was completed, the men jumping from their slumbers to the work with the same alacrity and spirit as at previous camps.

On Friday, the 30th ultimo, early in the morning, the explosions at Corinth were heard, and soon clouds of smoke were seen rising. Various were the conjectures as to what it meant. About 7 a. m. I received an order to proceed with the Seventy-second and Forty-eighth Regiments to reconnoiter toward the enemy's lines. We were soon under way. We marched across the field in front of our breastworks and formed in line of battle in the edge of the wood beyond our picket line, throwing forward three companies of the Seventy-second and one of the Forty-eighth, under command of Captain Snyder, as skirmishers. In this order we marched through the wood, so dense with underbrush that we could see scarcely a rod in front, and came out on the other side in full view of the enemy's works. We halted a few moments and ordered parties forward, to be assured that the enemy had surely fled. The fact was soon apparent, and we went forward, you leading the way. We marched in line of battle up to the intrenchments, halted, and gave three hearty cheers for the Stars and Stripes. Each regiment then marched by its right flank, ent: ring the intrenchments at different points, the Seventy-second somewhat in advance. We marched through the enemy's works to Corinth, halted a while in line of battle, and then, by your order, marched through Corinth beyond College Hill. There we remained until 2.30 o'clock, when we returned through Corinth and the enemy's works by a different route to our camp.

The Seventy-second has met with no serious casualties, except that Francis Smith, of Company E, was badly, and probably mortally, [753] wounded through the shoulder on picket Thursday evening, the 29th ultimo, and Douglass Tucker, of Company B, was shot in the foot on the 29th ultimo, whilst after water, near the picket line.

It gives me great pleasure to say that all the officers and men of the Seventy-second Regiment have performed their duties so well that I have no occasion to discriminate. I feel quite justified in assuring you that the Seventy-second Regiment can be relied upon to do its whole duty in any emergency.

Your obedient servant,