Headquarters,
NW 15th Arkansas Infantry
October 3, 2005

Colonel Sanders

I have the honor of reporting on the company's recent engagements in the vicinity of Corinth, Mississippi during the period 29th September to the 2nd instant. Said engagements numbered three and included reenactments of the fights by the 3rd Louisiana Infantry at Iuka (September 19, 1862), the 16th Arkansas Infantry at Battery Powell (October 4, 1862), and the NW 15th Arkansas Infantry at Battery Robinett and the Crossroads (October 4, 1862).

Company A closed on the army's camp site north of Corinth at about 12_ A.M. September 30th and slept on arms until the dawn when we reunited with the 1st Arkansas Battalion and prepared for operations against the gallant foe. I spent the morning reconnoitering the area of operations and found that rolling hills, pastures, and densely wooded areas were its primary features. The pastures were bounded by the woods or by lines of trees and undergrowth. Trails and lanes interspersed the woods.

IUKA: We reorganized as Company D, 3rd Louisiana Infantry, Hebert's (Huckabee's) Brigade and moved from Iuka with the regiment at about 3_ P.M. to block a reported movement by federals southeast of Iuka. Marching around a large pond and walnut orchard we soon turned onto the Jacinto Road, it being a narrow track through thick woods. The closeness of the thick woods forced us to move in column of fours until the brigade skirmishers encounter a narrowed section of lane to our front with enemy on the far side. General Huckabee ordered a rolling thunder maneuver with Company A (Tishomingo Avengers, Captain Tucker commanding) firing and falling back. Our turn at the front soon came and we faced at least two company's of federals (later determined to be the 5th Iowa skirmishers). The track was very narrow, allowing limited room for a column of fours to pass through. Just as we commenced firing and falling back, General Huckabee ordered Company A to charge through us, which Captain Tucker did. We followed Tucker and entered into a period of extreme chaos with General Huckabee, Lieutenant Colonel Griggs, and Lieutenant Strong all giving us simultaneous, but conflicting orders. Tucker and I moved to the right in line of battle with Company A on the right and us on the left facing the federals through a line of trees and undergrowth. Company B burst through the defile and moved against the federal left flank as A and D Companies charged its front. These simultaneous attacks forced the Iowans into rapid retreat with Tucker, us, and the Company B fast on their heels.

Thus, we chased the Iowans uphill and across a pasture inflicting heavy casualties as we went. The 40th Mississippi and the left wing of the 3rd Louisiana moved off to our left to charge through an opening in the tree and undergrowth line to the brigade's front. Companies A, B, and D under Lieutenant Colonel Griggs and Major Alexander converged on another opening about 150 yards from the rest of the brigade. Lieutenant Colonel Griggs ordered us through the opening and to rejoin the regiment. Upon moving through said opening we found ourselves confronted by a battalion of Iowans who hastily fired upon us. Performing a left flank from line of battle we followed Major Alexander at a run toward the colors, a move which showed our flank to the Iowans. Miraculously, we completed this run unscathed and succeeded in rejoining the regiment. The regiment started forward, then halted; however, the color company continued forward until it realized it was alone and began to fall back to the regiment. At that point, a Lieutenant Frye rushed forward, grabbed the colors, and rushed alone into the waiting arms of the enemy. Thus were lost the 3rd Louisiana colors.

The regiment moved forward and forced the Iowans further uphill toward a ridge line. They stiffened and the entire regiment knelt and fired several volleys. Most of the federal fire seemed to go over heads; however, on our next charge it began to tell on us and many fell. We continued to move forward against withering musket fire and canister until the hail of lead brought us to a halt. At about sunset, we retired from the field and moved into a thickly wooded area adjacent to the scene of our struggle and whereupon the brigade established a grand guard for the rest of the division. I lost 1 killed, 3 wounded, and 1 missing in this action.

Colonel Sanders took Company B (4 La, Captain Herriot commanding) and Company D out for picket duty with Company B as pickets and us as the support. He left us to support Company B whilst he lead said company on a probe to find the federal pickets. I took three sentinels, followed Company B, and reconnoitered the immediate area between Companies B and D. By this time full darkness had fallen and the woods became pitch black. I discovered a narrow track on my left that ran to Captain Herriot's left flank. In the darkness, which was black as the Earl of Hell's waistcoat, said track was the only way that I could rapidly reinforce Company B so I moved the sentinels' line to this lane with directions to act as pickets for the left flank and as sentinels for Captain Herriot. I coordinated with Captain Herriot, advising him of my actions and the means to contact me for support then returned to the supports to ensure the rest of Company D was fed and watered. As soon as another section finished its mess, I replaced the sentinels. The new sentinels showed outstanding initiative as they discovered an opening in the trees that led to our lane. Private B.Pennebaker, assisted by Private S.Bailey, constructed a road block across this opening, thus saving the brigade from dire consequences. About this time, the 40th Mississippi (4th Missouri) began pushing a picket line along our left flank and perpendicular to Company B's line. I am certain that they were not aware of Captain Herriot's location and activity. We then had elements of four companies from two regiments attempting to cover the same ground in the blackness. Federal cavalry made an attempt to break into the brigade area via the lane so recently blocked by Pennebaker and Bailey. This road block brought them to a standstill whereupon my sentinels and the 40th Mississippi pickets engaged them in a sharp fight and drove them off with heavy casualties. I moved forward to discover that the Mississippians had left a gap between their right-most section and Captain Herriot's left. I moved to Company B's most recent position to discover that they had moved forward, Colonel Sanders had been captured by federal pickets, and that a section of Mississippians led by a captain had moved to Company B's left, and another track led into the woods between Companies B and D. This lane lay in the gap on the 40th's right, so I posted fresh pickets in this gap, briefed both ends of the 40th line, and sought Captain Herriot to cooperate with him. Just as I found him in the dark, Captain Herriot determined to move against the federal pickets which none of us could see in the darkened woods. I reported to General Huckabee as to the status of the picket line and Colonel Sanders. During my report, a Captain Silas Tackitt from the division staff arrived to direct General Huckabee to cease offensive activities and pull our pickets back. General Huckabee sent me to so direct Captain Herriot; however, I could no longer find this gallant or anyone from his company. I relieved my sentinels and reported back to General Huckabee. By this time, Colonel Sanders had escaped and made his way back to the brigade headquarters. This officer took myself and Private N.Lowe in another futile search for Company B. On our return, Colonel Sanders directed me to stand down Company D, which I did and retired for the night. Company D had one slightly wounded in this action.

BATTERY POWELL: At about 2 P.M. on 1st instant we reorganized with the remnants of the 46th Mississippi to form Company E, 16th Arkansas Infantry, Gates' (Sanders') Brigade and assumed position as last in the regiment's line of march. The brigade marched south through woods and fields, turning east across the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, Elam Creek and Purdy Road, then turned southeast toward Corinth. Lieutenant Colonel Griggs deployed us into line of battle at the edge of thick woods fronting an open field and moved us in behind the 3rd and 5th Missouri Infantry regiments where we waited. As our waiting became protracted, the regiment moved back into the wood line where we came to understand that we were to assault an artillery battery entrenched in a lunette on the hill to our front. Our assault was to be timed on a demonstration by McLain's (Rambo) Brigade to our left. The Missourians retired to our rear. General Green (Moore) apparently became impatient for Rambo's demonstration and ordered us forward where we were in plain view and range of the federals in the lunette. Thus, any pretense at surprise was embarrassed by the wait for Rambo's move on our left. When Rambo finally moved, he moved slowly as evidenced by the movements of his colors, which we could see over the top of the ridge that lay between us. His slow movement and quick retirement apparently fooled no one as the federals' full attention and fire remained on us. We proned, we knelt, we fell back, we moved forward under constant musket and canister fire until Lieutenant Colonel Griggs ordered us forward for the final assault on the lunette. He directed those of us on the left wing to wrap around the left side of the lunette so that is where Company E directed itself during the assault. Canister wrought havoc with the assault and severely decimated Companies D and E as they approached the lunette. The troops bravely pushed forward through the storm of lead and reached a parapet on the left of the lunette. As we over ran said parapet, General Sanders rode up and ordered us to charge into the lunette, which we did, but with most of the company writhing and dying on the ground behind us. The interior of the lunette was a scene of bloody carnage that stunned the imaginations of the most stout. Before we could consolidate and reorganize in the lunette, the foe mounted a massive counter attack of at least two regiments that drove our remnants from the lunette before we could turn or spike the cannon just captured. Thus the same pieces that had already cost us so dearly were once again used against us to devastating effect. I suspect that the fresh troops came from those that Rambo failed to occupy. Company E left 4 dead, 6 wounded, and 2 missing on that bloody field.

BATTERY ROBINETT: At 11_ A.M. on the 2nd instant we united with the remnants of the 13th Louisiana and reorganized as Company F, NW 15th Arkansas Infantry, Moore's (Huckabee's) Brigade and took our position as the last company in the line of march. The regiment marched through dense woods, across the Memphis Road, then swung across an open field toward a line of trees and undergrowth. Marching through the tree line in company column Colonel Sanders ordered by company into line, which we did. About 250 yards off to our right we could see massed infantry and a large redoubt which seemed to bristle with artillery. Colonel Sanders then ordered by right of companies right turn into line, which we did albeit not as perfectly as on the parade ground. I turned Company F too soon and so had to double quick by our left flank to quickly right flank into line. Not pretty, but effective. We then commenced a fatal and forward movement toward the foe in line of battle, stopping to fire a volley, reload, and move again. The federals quickly found our range and hammered us with shot and shell. Men began to fall all around in screaming agony, but still we advanced. Lieutenant Colonel Griggs led us in a running charge with our colors centered on the redoubt. This placed Company F left of the redoubt and directly in front of at least two federal companies which leveled a telling volley into our ranks as canister from the redoubt shattered my right platoon. The entire regiment slowed then ground to a halt in the face of that withering fire leaving us no choice but to fall back, which we did in good order. Company F rallied on the colors, reformed with the remnants of the regiment, and again attempted to storm the redoubt. Again we found ourselves repulsed by galling fire from infantry and artillery. Rallying for a third charge, the regiment no longer resembled a recognizable military organization. The third charge was made by a screaming, unruly mob that dashed itself on the very foot of the redoubt like a massive wave crashes on the rocks then quietly ebbs back to sea. The pitifully few remnants slowly dragged ourselves away from the parapet leaving over fifty percent of our comrades behind. The federals showed mercy and withheld their fire as those of us who could moved back to the tree line leaving them in command of the field. Company F lost 18 men (11 dead, 6 wounded, and 1 missing) in this disastrous attack.

I am your ob't servant

James C. Morris
Captain Commanding