Ruggles           Corinth            1862

 

On Sunday morning at day break on the 6^th of April my Division comprising three Brigades occupied the position in line of battle in double column at half distance which had been assigned to it on the previous day under the orders of the previous day indicated extending from the Bark road on the right to Owl Creek on the left a distance of about some two miles. A portion of Major General Hardee's line Corps occupied the advance as a first line extending from the Bark road a short distance towards the my left.

 

            The movement in advance was commenced about sunrise, and immediately afterwards orders were received to throw the first Brigade Colonel Gibson's by the right flank across the Bark road, and before this movement was completed an order was received to throw two Regiments across the road and to take them as the basis of alignment in advancing. Ascertaining that it was intended that our entire Brigade should cross the road that movement was executed and dispositions rapidly made to ensure conformity on the part of the remaining two Brigades of the Division.

 

The Commander of the 3^d Brigade, Colonel Preston Pond, had already been directed to throw one Regiment of Infantry and a Section of two guns of Ketchum's guns on up into position / on the Owl Creek road and there to hold the enemy in check so as to prevent his turning our left flank.

 

            The Division soon encountered the enemy at several points along its line, but mainly toward its centre and right and where the conflict became spirited and continued so for about an hour.

 

Finding that a position of the first line had been driven back in our attempt to charge the enemy lines and batteries the Washington Artillery were put in position to reply to the enemys Artillery and also to sweep his line of Infantry. A moment afterwards the Second Brigade under General Anderson which he ordered forward was advanced to charge, and and gallantly charged the enemys positions, [?] as a portion of the troops led by the right flank turned the enemys position

 

            A Cavalry force under Captain Jenkins amounting to some four hundred men was divided into nearly two equal parts and trained upon the flanks of the D[?] foe such appropriate service as they could render.

 

on his left, when the whole line gave way and our advance soon took possession of the camp and battery [?] while the charge was made.

 

At this time Colonel Gibson's 1^st Brigade was united with Brig. Genl. Hindmans troops making repeated charges against the enemys line, now taken on the back near / [?] of our open field while he swept with his batteries.

 

[overleaf]

 

Corinth Miss

Daniel Ruggles

            Brig. General

 

Memorandum

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