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JOHN MORGAN IN 1864.
Mower’s men charging, and capturing some pris-oners and a battle-flag. About dark we encampedat Harrisburg, a small hamlet , one mile fromTupelo. Smith was now in position to compel anattack from Forrest.
Next morning (14tli), at a very early hour, Grier-son was sent to Tupelo with orders to destroy therailroad north and south, while Smith placed histroops for the impending battle. They occupied aknoll almost clear of trees for a mile or more tothe south, west, and north-west, beyond which wasa growth of timber. The road over which the troopshad marched led to the center of the position.Mower was stationed on the right or north of this(Pontotoc) road, looking west, and Moore on theleft or south. Bouton’s colored brigade was onthe extreme left.
About 6 o’clock Forrest made his attack, thebrunt falling upon Moore’s division and the leftwing of Mower’s. The onset was made with For-rest’s characteristic impetuosity, but it was im-possible for his men to reach our lines. Smith’scommand was in the open, without any protection,excepting part of Moore’s division, in front of whichwas a “ worm fence,” and beyond this a wide gully.Here the attacking force was rallied. Four timesthey attacked, each time without success. Betweenthe assaults Forrest’s artillery was very active, onebattery being handled with great accuracy, throw-ing its shot and shell into the 21st Missouri , 58thIllinois, and 89th Indiana, until an Illinois and anIndiana battery engaged their attention. Thesebatteries so annoyed the enemy that Colonel W. W.Faulkner charged upon them for their capture buthe was met by an enfilading fire from the 119thIllinois , and a direct fire and a charge from the21st Missouri, 58th Illinois, and 89tli Indiana ,the 122d Illinois charging to the right. Faulkner’sline broke and fled, leaving many of their woundedand dead upon the field, among them the leader,Colonel Faulkner.
For an hour and a half the struggle continued,until the enemy were driven from the front ofMoore, leaving the ground covered with their deadand dying. Instead of retiring to the woods (wheretheir horses were held in reserve, for Forrest’sarmy was always “mounted infantry”) theymoved in what at first appeared a confused massto their left, crossed to the north of the Pontotocroad, turned, and, in good line of battle, sweptdown upon Mower, whose men (under orders) re-served their fire until the enemy were quite near,when they opened upon them with musketry and
canister-shot. Human beings could not stand sucha storm, and the attacking line fell back, but only toreturn to some seemingly exposed part of Mower’sline. For two hours and a half the battle ragedon this part of the field, the enemy attacking andour men keeping their positions and repelling allattacks. At last Mower ordered his division toadvance, which they did, capturing many prisonersand driving the enemy into the woods, where theymounted their horses and moved off. It was use-less to pursue them farther.
The afternoon was spent bringing in and caringfor the wounded of both armies, and burying thedead of our own. Our loss was about 650, ofwhich number 82 were killed. That of Forrestcould only be estimated.\ Of his dead alone therewere left on the field about 350.
Smith had defeated Forrest as he had neverbeen defeated before. But our rations and ammu-nition were low, and Grierson’s cavalry having de-stroyed the railroad, Smith could, from a militarypoint of view, do no more, so he decided to returnto Memphis .
About 9 o’clock in the evening Forrest attackedour extreme left, including Bouton’s colored bri-gade, and the 14th, 27th, and 32d Iowa , and 24thMissouri , but it was rather a feeble attempt andwas soon repulsed. At an early hour next morn-ing tho enemy again made their appearance, ad-vancing from the cover of the woods, but as theydid not approach with much energy Mowercharged upon them, when they fled to their horses.In the meantime troops were seen advancing uponthe scene of last night’s attempt, where the coloredbrigade was still in position. Smith hurried to thespot, and for two hours there was artillery firing-Forrest, under cover of bis guns, then advanced,determined to have a parting blow at the coloredtroops. These, by command of General Smith,held their fire until he gave tho word, after whichhe personally led them in a charge, which wasmade with spirit and in excellent order, the enemybreaking and fleeing in confusion.
Believing that this was the last of the foe, Gen-eral Smith moved slowly northward live miles, andwent into camp at “ Old Town Creek.” The menwere just settling themselves for tho rest theyneeded when the sound of artillery was heard mour rear and a few shells fell and burst amongthem. Mower quickly ropolled this attack, madeby a few horsemen and one piece of artillery, and nomore was seen of them. Wo continued our march,and by easy stages reached Memphis July 23d.
\ Forrest’s loss was officially reported as 153 killed, 791 wounded, and 49 missing,— total, 990.— Knrroits.
JOHN MORGAN IN 1804.
BY BASIL W. UDICE, BRIGADIER-GENERAL, C. S. A.
O '! eneral John I-I. Morgan escaped from theT prison at Columbus, Ohio , November 27th,1803, ) and reached the Confederate lines earlyin December. He was not ordered upon active
I Generals Morgan and Duke and sixty-eight otherofficers of Morgan’s command, captured in Ohio , at,the close of July, 1863 [see Vol. III., p. 034], were