CHAPTER XXIX.

Van Dorn’s movements—­battle of Corinth—­command of the department of the Tennessee.

On the 19th of September General Geo. H. Thomas was ordered east to reinforce Buell.  This threw the army at my command still more on the defensive.  The Memphis and Charleston railroad was abandoned, except at Corinth, and small forces were left at Chewalla and Grand Junction.  Soon afterwards the latter of these two places was given up and Bolivar became our most advanced position on the Mississippi Central railroad.  Our cavalry was kept well to the front and frequent expeditions were sent out to watch the movements of the enemy.  We were in a country where nearly all the people, except the negroes, were hostile to us and friendly to the cause we were trying to suppress.  It was easy, therefore, for the enemy to get early information of our every move.  We, on the contrary, had to go after our information in force, and then often returned without it.

On the 22d Bolivar was threatened by a large force from south of Grand Junction, supposed to be twenty regiments of infantry with cavalry and artillery.  I reinforced Bolivar, and went to Jackson in person to superintend the movement of troops to whatever point the attack might be made upon.  The troops from Corinth were brought up in time to repel the threatened movement without a battle.  Our cavalry followed the enemy south of Davis’ mills in Mississippi.

On the 30th I found that Van Dorn was apparently endeavoring to strike the Mississippi River above Memphis.  At the same time other points within my command were so threatened that it was impossible to concentrate a force to drive him away.  There was at this juncture a large Union force at Helena, Arkansas, which, had it been within my command, I could have ordered across the river to attack and break up the Mississippi Central railroad far to the south.  This would not only have called Van Dorn back, but would have compelled the retention of a large rebel force far to the south to prevent a repetition of such raids on the enemy’s line of supplies.  Geographical lines between the commands during the rebellion were not always well chosen, or they were too rigidly adhered to.

Van Dorn did not attempt to get upon the line above Memphis, as had apparently been his intention.  He was simply covering a deeper design; one much more important to his cause.  By the 1st of October it was fully apparent that Corinth was to be attacked with great force and determination, and that Van Dorn, Lovell, Price, Villepigue and Rust had joined their strength for this purpose.  There was some skirmishing outside of Corinth with the advance of the enemy on the 3d.  The rebels massed in the north-west angle of the Memphis and Charleston and the Mobile and Ohio railroads, and were thus between the troops at Corinth and all possible reinforcements.  Any fresh troops for us must come by a circuitous route.