General:
It is with great pride and honor that I report to you the deeds
and accomplishments of the 1st Ark and the 1st MO battalions at
Perryville KY. on the 7,8 of October 1862.
Being fatigued through a year of fighting we managed only to get
about 70 members of both battalions on the field it seems the
march was arduous and many men were absent. But those that made
the march were proud they did and I sir was proud to numbered
among them. "We few we happy few we band of brothers"
as the soldier from Missouri quoted on the last day of battle.
On the 7th instant we heard the long roll at about 4:00 am and
were in line by 5:00 am to march out and meet the foe. As the
moon shown on our battalion we could see we mustered about 120
and knew we would be hard pressed this day. About 6:30am we marched
out and we could hear the fray below but could not even see the
flashes of the guns. The fog was so thick a man could not see
his sight at the end of his rifle. We were ordered forward. I
put the first company out as skirmishers (Captain Tucker) with
Major Alexander with them. They moved forward into the fog. We
then sent out the second company as reserve under (Captain Morris).
Lt. Col Griggs and Col Amend brought the rest of the column down
the hill to the sound of the guns. Soon we were at the bottom
of the hill and could only hear a great battle raging. You sent
us to find the right flank of the army, which we did and took
up line of battle there. Soon after our Battalion was in line
the rest of the brigade and a second brigade moved in on our left,
still we could not see the enemy. Then suddenly a great sheet
of flame belched out at us and we quickly began to return fire.
Just then a courier arrived telling me that we were firing on
our own cavalry but I knew this information was not correct because
we could see their flag. I sent the courier back to inform you
that it was definitely the enemy as when they surged forward they
could clearly be seen. Then the fight took on the very essence
of hell fury, fire, smoke and confusion. We were pressed hard
but stood our ground as only veterans would. Not a man shirked
his duty this day. Soon the enemy came on our flank in heavy columns,
I refused my line leaving the Missourians firing to the west as
we pulled the Arkansans with a few Louisianians and Mississippians
back to fire to the north. The enemy quickly halted and began
to extend past our right we were in dire need of support, finally
another battalion came up and supported our right and the day
began to be ours. With this we drove the enemy from the field.
This victory was a grand start to the campaign and we had our
dander up for the coming engagements.
On the afternoon, we were called to the right again, this time
the enemy had a high hill with cannon and infantry support. You
asked us to take those guns and drive the enemy from the hill.
We were told the rest of the army would support us on the left
but this did not happen. As we marched out to drive the enemy,
we encountered cavalry but brushed them aside as our wave rolled
on towards the guns and men on the hill. As we crested the next
rise they opened on us with canister from a battery on our right
but we quickly moved forward under their guns which did little
damage to our line. We continued up the hill amidst a hail of
shot and shell and crashed ourselves against their wall of steel
and shot. They brought up support and drove us out. As we fell
back we could see that no part of the army except the battalion
on our left came to assist us. As we reformed on the hill we could
see our men driving in from the south ."Where were they when
we attacked" came the cry from the men. Just then General
Moore rode past us and I cried out "Why were we sacrificed
this day?" he had no answer, shook his head and said you
must go again This we did, but very disgruntled at he losses we
had taken. However, as we moved forward we were the weight the
army needed and we crushed their flank took a battery and stopped
to plunder the battery that had done so much damage to us just
minutes before. As we marched out, the men saw many of the local
ladies and asked if we may march by them. This we did and by the
time we camped after passing these ladies the men were in great
spirit.
Now the 8th instant dawned clear and cool we stayed in camp most
of the morning do to the fact that many of the men found that
Kentucky was a Eden of liquid spirits. We were ordered to march
at the rear of the column. As we passed a group of ladies in a
small town, they presented us with a flag they had made, a beautiful
flag, which really made our men proud and honored to carry it
to the front of battle. Soon we got the chance to do just that.
Again we found ourselves on the Right of the army and again fronted
by heavy artillery. As we marched out by the right of companies
toward the enemy our own artillery gave us a rousing cheer. We
pressed forward at the left oblique and came square on the enemy's
flank just as the rest of the army struck them in the front. We
charged their flank and rolled them up causing them to retire.
We were pulled behind another battalion to refit and rest and
then were ordered forward again this time we moved ahead and wheeled
to the left towards a corn field in need of weeding out the corn
and weeds were taller than the men. As we moved forward I could
see the enemy's flank exposed to us. We wheeled left in the corn
and popped out directly on them. They broke like scared rabbits
and the men were jovial. We were about to chase after them when
our own flank was seen by another line of the enemy. Just as we
turned to give him battle you came up on our right with the rest
of our brigade and another brigade and struck that line. We almost
cut off their retreat but they slipped by under a galling fire.
Now with our blood up, we went across the road to a rail fence
at the bottom of a hill crowned by cannon. We took up a line on
the fence and delivered a destructive fire on their cannoneers,
we were ordered forward which we did with style as we moved up
the hill bowed over as walking into a storm. We were being ripped
apart by shot and canister we could not drive them from the hill.
Our men deserve the highest praise that can be afforded them.
Col. Amend and Major Alberts as well as Lt. Col Griggs and Major
Alexander performed their duties with skill and alacrity and Sgt
Mjr Gately's bravery and courage was unequaled on the field. I
cannot start to tell of all the heroic deeds I witnessed during
this campaign but as you know, our little band of men were at
the gates of hell and entered into that hell several times with
honor, style, and alacrity. They did all that could be asked of
men and more.
This concludes my report.
Your Obedient Servant
Rob Sanders
Col. 1st Arkansas Infantry
