CHAPTER X.

BATTLE OF CORINTH, AND MARINE HOSPITAL.

Middle of May - Mockingbird and Thrush - Onward and Upward — Halleck's Orders - Hoot-owls, and Minié Rifles - Poetic Sense of Life"Sacred to the Memory of" - General Grant's Tenacity— Rapidity of Action - Grant and Illinois-Colonel Dickey - A Succession of Battles - From April 30th, to May 30th - A Soldierly Pursuit-Grant Thanks the Army - President Lincoln Congratulates Grant Shelling the Tent - Search among the Dead - Resignation.

It was the middle of May, and nature wore her choicest garb. The air was fragrant with the breath of spring, and vocal with the songs of mocking-bird and thrush. Robin-red breast was flitting among the magnolias, and buttercups and pond-lilies sat softly on the stream, whose limpid waters were in lazy repose. But in jarring contrast to the peaceful voice of nature was the life of every man and woman, north and south. Those who were not fighting were preparing others for battle; those who had not lost friends expected to daily, and a spirit of melancholy rested upon every face.

Though the wounded urged me to remain with them as proof that my husband would return, yet a few days after his departure I was sent for to join him on the field. As I made my adieus the gratitude of the boys was overwhelming. One insisted that I had saved his arm; another his life, and a third that he owed me his conversion. How richly repaid

I felt for all my trouble and care as I saw the grateful hearts around me. The roses that had crept on my stand, at my desk, or on my tea-table, so incessantly, were now handed in with rich profusion, and my path seemed literally strewn with them, as I tearfully tore myself away from the place of our earnest and united labors. Many of the drooping convalescents, as well as the citizens, accompanied me to the river; and with real sorrow I turned from the friends and scenes of the past, to the broad, uncertain future. But the mandates of war admit of no resistance; I stepped upon the boat, which put out into the widening waters; reminding me that life with us now was forward, and onward, and upward, casting no remorseful glance behind. Several days' journey landed me in a small tent beside my husband on the fields of Corinth. The chief battle had not as yet occurred, but successful routing of the enemy had long continued, and our soldiers courted a final engagement. General Halleck, in command, was immovable in body and mind, and held the boys in check.

For weeks together the poor fellows had lain upon their extemporized beds-three rails being thought a soft one, and worthy a patent- and amid their own humorous jokes, the barytone of the hoot-owl, and the crack of the enemy's minié rifle, they were nightly lulled to repose. In the day, these marshy cradles were compensated for by the pleasure of longing black eyes constantly upon your track-now of reptiles gently curving beneath your feet, and

again of pet lizards peeping in over your shoulder, as the tent-fly was turned back. A rare, poetic sense of existence it gave one to be thus incessantly admired. Then, the heat, the bats, the owls, and the innumerable variety of insects, propagated from Southern swamps, were enough to unhinge the nerves of a saint. No wonder the dogs and donkeys of the camp kept up a perpetual howl.

Alas, for the romance of General Halleck's Corinth campaign. The enemy, at whom the cannons were so long pointed, and who finally retired ere that salute was fired, ("sacred to the memory of,") proved to be the smallest of the many enemies upon the Federal track. But battle, that the boys so long prayed for, came at last, and my husband's regiment was in the thickest of the fight.

The importance of this campaign was such as to merit a brief sketch from its beginning. "General Grant, with his accustomed tenacity of purpose and rapidity of action, did not rest upon the success achieved at Shiloh"-in which Illinois and Grant made a glorious record-"a chapter of victories that can never be obliterated." On the 8th of April, General Sherman, with his cavalry and two brigades of infantry, made a reconnoisance on the Corinth road. The rebel cavalry were soon overtaken, and a fight at once ensued." After much manoeuvering and alternately broken lines, Colonel Dickey's gallant regiment led off in a spirited charge with their carbines and put the rebels to flight, and a victory was gained.

On the 30th of April another reconnoisance was made by order of General Grant towards Purdy, a small town twenty miles from Corinth. The dark. ness of the night and the intense storm prevented immediate attack; but with the dawn, a "forward" move was made, and the cavalry under Colonel Dickey pressed forward and completed its work of victory, and, best of all, without the loss of one man by rebel balls. But many a brave Illinois soldier fell that night in the storm and swamps. The third reconnoissance developed the battle of Farmington, in which Illinois generals and soldiers again shone conspicuously.

On the third of May a reconnoissance in force was ordered. The choice of the army were selected, Illinois being largely represented, and they pursued the enemy, having many brisk skirmishes, closing with a heavy and decisive fire that caused the enemy to break and flee toward Corinth. On the 9th the enemy, twenty thousand strong, made a desperate attack, but were disheartened by the repulse, and fled. Still General Halleck's peremptory orders were against a general engagement. On the 21st of May another reconnoissance was made, resulting in the route of the enemy and an advanced position of our forces. On the same day, Colonel Sedgwick learned the strength and position of the enemy's lines. Meantime Halleck was slowly but surely advancing with his powerful army toward Corinth. On the 28th the rebels boldly contested an advance from our strong columns, but were driven at each

point. On the 29th, General Pope opened the batteries the entrenchments of the enemy and upon routed him. On the same day General Sherman established a new battery within a few rods of the rebel works. The enemy became desperately alarmed, and on the 29th made a complete evacuation of the town. On Friday, the 30th, the Union forces entered Corinth. Desolation and destruction were

on every hand.

Burned buildings, and piles of smouldering commissary stores were on every street. The escape was complete. Pursuit of the retreating rebels was now vigorously kept up. The enemy were rallied and routed daily until, on the 10th of June, the occupation of Baldwin and Guntown by our men ended the chase. "During the months of June and July important changes were made in the army of Corinth." On the 10th General Buel hastened with his army to counteract the designs of Bragg. On the 27th, General Pope was assigned command of the Army of the Potomac. On the 23rd, General Halleck became General-in-chief of all the armies of the field. In August the enemy again made an attack, and were vigorously repulsed. Generals Grant and Rosecrans acted in concert to check the movements of Price, and achieved the battle of Iuka. It was a desperate engagement, and the lines of both wavered, and rallied, and the ground was taken and re-taken three times before the rebels fled, leaving the Union forces in possession. On the 4th, another bloody conflict took place, and closed with a furious hand-to-hand combat where bayonets,