750
THE BATTLE OF CORINTH.
43D OHIO. 630 OHIO. 39TH OHIO.
THE DEFENSE OF BATTERY ROBINETT. FROM A WAR-TIME SKETCH.
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Captain George A. Williams, let U. S. Infantry, wliocommanded the siege artillery, says in his report:
“About 9:30 or 10 a. m. the enemy were observed intlie woods north of the town forming in line, and theysoon made their appearance, charging toward the town.As soon as our troops were out of the line of fire of mybattery, we opened upon them with two 30-pounder Par-rott guns and one 8-incli howitzer, which enfiladed theirliue (aided by Maurice’s battery and one gun on the rightof Battery Kobinett, which bore on that part of thetown), and continued our fire until the enemy wererepulsed and had regained the wood.
“ During the time the enemy were being repulsed fromthe town my attention was drawn to the left sideof the battery by the firing from Battery Kobinett,where I saw a column advancing to storm it. Afteradvancing a short distance they were repulsed, butimmediately re-formed, and, storming the work, gainedthe ditch, but were repulsed. During this charge eightof the enemy, having placed a handkerchief on a bayonet
and calling to tlie men in the battery not to shoot them,surrendered, and were allowed to ccpnc into the fort.
“They then re-formed, and, re-storming, carried theditch and the outside of the work, the supports havingfallen a short distance to the rear in slight disorder.The men of the 1st U. S. Infantry, after having beendriven from their guns (they manned the siege guns),resorted to their muskets, and were firing from the in-side of the embrasures at the enemy on the outside, adistance of about ten feet intervening; but the rebelshaving gained the top of the work, our men fell backinto the angle of the fort, as they had been directed todo in such an emergency. Two shells were thrown fromBattery Williams into Battery Kobinett, one bursting onthe top of it and the other near the right edge. In themeanwhile the 11th Missouri Volunteers (in reserve)changed front, and, aided by the 43d and 63d Ohio Vol-unteers with the 27th Ohio Volunteers on their right, gal-lantly stormed up to the right and left of the battery,driving the enemy before them.”— Editors.
Confederates. I ordered Lieutenant Lorenzo D. Immell, with two field-pieces,to give them grape and canister. After one round, only the dead and dyingwere left on the porch. Reaching Hamilton’s division I ordered him to sendSullivan’s brigade forward. It moved in line of battle in open ground alittle to the left of Battery Powell. Before its splendid advance the scatteredenemy, who were endeavoring to form a line of battle, about 1 p. m. gaveway and went back into the woods, from which they never again advanced.
Meanwhile there had been terrific fighting at Battery Robinett. The roarof artillery and musketry for two or three hours was incessant. Clouds of