Our fire was briskly replied to by the fort, which was in front, and the gunboats, which took position both in front and towards our left flank. They threw rifled shot, shell, and round shot. At about 10 o'clock a. m. a round shot struck one of the guns in battery No. 1, breaking a piece out of it, and killing one man and wounding six. In the afternoon the gunboats withdrew from our front, and, taking position beyond the reach of our guns, kept up a steady fire, with occasional intermissions, until sundown. On the morning of the 14th I was preparing to open fire again, when I received an order from General Hamilton not to fire, as a flag of truce was approaching. Shortly after General Hamilton arrived at the batteries, and desired me to take twenty men of my company, and ascertain whether or not the fort had been abandoned. Having no colors belonging to the first infantry, I was furnished with the regimental colors, of a regiment of volunteers, to raise upon the fort. I proceeded to the fort, and found that the enemy had deserted it. I raised the flag upon the ramparts and took possession of the works. I found that two of the enemy's guns had been dismounted and another_struck and badly injured by our fire. I am unable to say what damage was done to the gunboats. Lieutenant Fletcher and Reeder displayed great zeal and activity, during the whole engagement, although they, as well as the whole command, were nearly exhausted by fatigue and exposure. I regret to have to state that Lieutenant Reeder, after having exhibited so much zeal in the performance of his duty, was unfortunately wounded by the accidental discharge of his revolver, and was consequently deprived of the opportunity of entering the enemy's works with his company. Sergeants Connelly and Downey, of company A, Corporal Youngman and Privates Morgan and Burke, of company H, performed their duty at the guns with great coolness and skill; First Sergeant Lobby, of company H, was very attentive to his duties, and deserves much credit, as do all of the men of the two companies. Seri I enclose herewith a list of the killed, wounded, and missing : Killed-Private Mulligan, company A. Mortally wounded-Private McGann, company A; Private Johnson, company A; Private Peacock, company A. ously wounded-Private Clark company A; Private Lancy, company A. Slightly wounded-Private Jacks, company A. Missing-Private Barbour, company A. Total killed, wounded, and missing-8. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS ARTILLERY, CAMP NEAR NEW MADRID, MISSOURI, March 16, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the artillery under my command, during the investment and evacuation of New Madrid. Having been ordered by the general commanding to make a reconnoissance of the enemy's works, and select a position to plant a siege battery, I went down on the 11th instant with Captain S. H. Marshall, first infantry, and a squadron of dragoons, within about a half mile of the enemy's works. From this position (northwest from the town) I could see distinctly their gunboats and lower fort. I determined at once, from my observation, where to plant the battery, and on the 12th instant went to the same point again, in company with Colonel Bissell, of the engineers, and Captain Marshall, to satisfy myself that I was not mistaken in the selection of the ground. Colonel Bissell and Captain Marshall thought the position to be a good one. The same evening, at dusk, Colonel Bissell and myself, with Colonel Morgan's brigade, the tenth and sixteenth Illinois regiments, went down within about five hundred yards in rear of the position where the battery was to be established. At this point one regiment was deployed as skirmishers, and the other furnished with spades and shovels. The skirmishers advanced about fifty yards in front of the men in rear with spades and shovels, until the latter arrived on the ground where the battery was to be established. In a few moments the work was laid out and the men put to work. At daylight the work was completed, and three 24-pounder siege-guns and one 8-inch howitzer put in position. This work was undoubt edly completed before the enemy had any knowledge of it. At daylight, in the morning, the enemy's forts and gunboats opened upon our battery, and kept up a constant cannonading until about 12 o'clock m. After this they continued to fire at intervals until sundown. Captain Mower, of the first infantry, and Lieutenant Reeder, with companies A and H, served the guns, and all conducted themselves in the most gallant and creditable manner. Captain Mower remained in the battery until the town was evacuated by the enemy, and then placed our siege guns in the enemy's fort. During the investment of New Madrid, Captain A. M. Powell, first Missouri light artillery, Captain Henry Hiscock, same regiment, Captain N. Y. Spoor, second Iowa light artillery, Captain Sands, eleventh Ohio light artillery, and Lieutenant Darling's battery, company F, second artillery, United States army, were frequently under the enemy's fire, and all behaved in a very creditable manner. Captain Powell, a few days after our arrival in front of New Madrid, was detached from the command and went to Point Pleasant with Colonel Plumer. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. L. LATHROP, OPERATIONS AGAINST CORINTH; ACTION OF THIRD OF MAY; OCCUPATION OF MONTEREY; BATTLE OF FARMINGTON; GENERAL ELLIOTT'S CAVALRY RAID; EVACUATION OF CORINTH; PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY; CORRESPONDENCE WITH GENERAL HALLECK CONCERNING REPORTED CAPTURE OF TEN THOUSAND PRISONERS. The moment Island No. 10 and the forces defending it were in our possession I telegraphed for transports to embark my force for operations against the enemy's defences at Fort Pillow. The whole force was so speedily embarked that we arrived in front of Fort Pillow on the 14th of April, just seven days after the capture of Island No. 10. The same problem, though not so difficult of solution, was presented to us at Fort Pillow as at Island No. 10; but the progress of the operations at the latter place had made it very manifest that the gunboats were not able to reduce the land batteries of the enemy, and that the line of the Mississippi was the enemy's strongest line of defence. I have been greatly surprised during the war that the rebels did not make greater efforts to strengthen this line, and did not devote a much more considerable force to its defence. Every position occupied on the river required for its reduction one of the most hazardous operations of war, in the crossing of a great river in frail transports in the face of an active and vigilant enemy. The operation of crossing a wide, deep, and swift river, with a considerable army, by such means, is in itself very dangerous; but when it has to be done in the face of an enemy fully supplied with artillery, it becomes a task of exceeding peril, which I think should. never be undertaken except from the pressure of absolute necessity. It cannot be claimed for the rebels that they made anything like a vigorous defence of the line of the Mississippi river; but feeble as was their resistance, the reduction of every place they did occupy on its banks was recognized as a labor of exceeding hazard. It was very apparent that the moment we arrived in front of Fort Pillow the whole labor of reduction would again fall upon the land forces. The gunboats took up the same relative position as at Island No. 10, two miles above the place, and began to fire upon the works with as little result as before. As I foresaw a long delay and much difficulty of the same character as at Island No. 10, and as I did not know the necessities of the situation elsewhere, I informed General Halleck of the circumstances by telegraph, and received from him an order to leave a small force with the gunboat fleet and proceed immediately up the Tennessee river with the bulk of my command, and report to him at Pittsburg Landing. I left with the fleet two Indiana regiments under command of Colonel Fitch, and with the remainder of my forces reported to General Halleck, at Pittsburg Landing, on the 21st of April. I was instructed to land my command at Hamburg, three miles above, and form the left wing of the combined armies designed for the reduction of Corinth. It would be tedious to recount in detail the slow approaches towards Corinth. It is enough to say that we were occupied from the 23d of April until the 29th of May in reaching that place. Many small skirmishes occurred from day to day, but no battle, and in fact no affair of any considerable magnitude. On the 3d of May my advance, under General Paine, closely supported by the main body, occupied the village of Farmington, four miles from Corinth, after a sharp skirmish on the heights immediately north of the village. The advanced forces were, however, withdrawn the same night behind Seven-mile creek, as I was informed that the rest of General Halleck's army was not ready to move, and that he did not wish to bring on a general engagement. A brief report of this skirmish is appended: HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Near Farmington, May 3, 1862. Major General HALLECK: The reconnoissance sent toward Farmington found the enemy four thousand five hundred strong, with four pieces of artillery and some cavalry, occupying strong position in front of the town. Our forces advanced at once to the assault, and after a sharp skirmish carried the position in handsome style. The enemy left thirty dead upon the field, and their tents and baggage, the cavalry in pursuit towards Corinth. Another portion of the cavalry, when I last heard, was in pursuit of their train of wagons towards the railroad. A considerable force under General Paine has pushed south to the railroad, and by this time destroyed it. The whole affair was very handsome, one regiment charging the battery and their infantry line at double-quick. The enemy fled in wild confusion, the regiment of cavalry which I sent through also to Booneville took possession of the town, tore up the railroad track and destroyed two bridges. The troops are all returning, and will bivouack to-night two miles this side of Farmington in rear of a small difficult creek. I propose to move forward my whole force four and a half miles to-morrow to this creek, which will place me within five miles of Corinth in as trong position, with a deep miry creek in front. If you do not approve please telegraph me immediately, as my arrangements are all made to move in the morning. I will telegraph you again as soon as I hear the result of the cavalry pursuit. We have a good many prisoners; can't tell yet how many. Our loss two killed and twelve wounded. JNO. POPE, Major General Commanding. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Near Farmington, May 4, 1862. Major General HALLRCK: My command has advanced and occupies strong position one mile and a half this side of Farmington, with bad creek in front and an impenetrable jungle and swamp on our left. Enemy has massed considerable force on railroad south of Farmington, evidently fearful of our crossing Memphis and Charleston, and intercepting Mobile and Ohio road. He has some sort of work there; will see what it is to-morrow, and probably dislodge him. I hope Buell's forces will keep pace on our right. I have a good many prisoners; what had I best do with them? JNO. POPE, On the 8th of May I again occupied Farmington with my whole force, and pushed forward on a reconnoissance with two divisions, on two separate roads, to the enemy's intrenchments, around Corinth, without meeting any considerable resistance. My command was, however, again drawn back behind Seven-mile creek, as I was again informed that the rest of the army was not ready to advance; I left, however, one brigade of four regiments under General J. M. Palmer, as a grand guard on the south side of the creek, about one mile north of Farmington. It is proper to say that the small streams in the vicinity of Corinth are bordered on both sides by wide swamps, which are passed by rough corduroy roads. On the morning of the 9th of May, the enemy, in heavy force, sallied from Corinth, with the purpose of beating or checking my command, which they understood to be considerably in advance of and separated from the main army. It so happened that the attack on Palmer's brigade was made just as it was being relieved by Plummer's brigade; so that there were eight regiments on the south side of the creek. As these troops were full of spirit, and anxious to meet the enemy, they accepted the proffered battle against a force five times their strength. The action raged fiercely all day, the two brigades holding their own until at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, finding that the enemy had turned both flanks, I withdrew them to the north side of the creek. My whole force was under arms within one and a half mile, but I was forbidden by General Halleck to advance, and instructed, if the enemy pressed the small force under Palmer too heavily, to withdraw it. I did so, as above stated, greatly to the dissatisfaction of Palmer's command, and of my whole corps. A brief report of this affair is appended: HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, Major General HALLECK: The enemy, twenty thousand strong, drove in our pickets beyond Farmington, and advanced against the brigades occupying the farther side of the creek in front of my camp. The brigades held on for five hours, until finding them heavily pressed in front and on the flanks, and that I could not sustain them without passing the creek with my whole command, which was contrary to your orders and which would have drawn on a general engagement, I withdrew them to this side in good order. The conduct of the troops was excellent and the withdrawal was made by them very reluctantly. The enemy made a demonstration to cross, but have abandoned the movement, as we cannot be dislodged unless our right is turned, of which there is constant danger while the interval between Buell and myself is so great. The line I suggested this morning is the proper one, I think, for Buell and myself, and whenever you decide to have it occupied, I am ready and able to force my way to Farmington and the railroad. Our loss was considerable, though I cannot yet tell how great. The enemy, being much exposed, suffered very severely, one of his batteries being completely disabled and his infantry line driven back several times. My command is eager for the advance. About 4 p. m. General Nelson arrived within a mile with his division, but has returned to his camp. My force is in line of battle, and will be withdrawn at sunset. JNO. POPE, The two brigades behaved with conspicuous firmness and gallantry and retired slowly and reluctantly from the field. At length, on the 28th of May, we made another short advance from Farmington, which I had again occupied a few days before, and after a sharp skirmish, in which Stanley's division was alone engaged, we occupied a position in almost immediate contract with the outer intrenchments of the enemy and, according to custom during these operations, proceeded to fortify. It seems proper for me to state here that the day previous I sent out the first of the cavalry raids which I believe was made during the war. Colonel (now Brevet Major General) W. L. Elliott was instructed to proceed with his own regiment (the 2d Iowa cavalry) and the 2d Michigan cavalry, commanded by Colonel (now Major General) P. H. Sheridan, by way of Burnsville and Jacinto, and make a descent upon the Mobile and Ohio railroad, if possible, as far as forty miles south of Corinth. This raid was conducted with great vigor and complete success by General Elliott. struck the railroad at Booneville, thirty miles south of Corinth, tore up the track and the telegraph lines and captured a train of cars loaded with ammunitionand small-arms, which he destroyed. He also captured, and for want of means to bring them off paroled, two thousand of the enemy, mostly convalescents. He returned to my headquarters and reported the command on the 31st of May, the day that Early completed the evacuation of Corinth. I append his report. He HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF KANSAS, Fort Leavenworth, October 21, 1865. COLONEL: In compliance with instructions from the major general commanding the department, I have the honor to submit the following report of a cavalry expedition, made from the army of the Mississippi, near Corinth, upon the communications of the enemy south of Corinth. A detailed report was made on my return to the army, and forwarded through Brigadier General (now major general) Gordon Granger, United States volunteers, commanding cavalry division, and |