C. Goddard to Umar. Xxix.) Correspondence, Etc.union. 267, October 5, 1862

Corinth, October 5, 1862.

Major-General VAN DORN, Commanding Confederate Forces :

Major-General Rosecrans’ compliments to Major-General Van Dorn, commanding officer Confederate forces, and states that provision has been made for the burial of the dead, and a soldier’s tribute will be paid those who fell fighting bravely, as did many in Maury’s division.

W. S. ROSECRANS, Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS, Hpars. ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, THIRD Div., Dist. WEsT TENN., No. 252. Corinth, October 5, 1862.

I. During the pursuit of Price, Colonel Burke will remain in command of Corinth. The Yates Sharpshooters, Captain Williams’ battalion First Infantry, a regiment to be furnished by General Davies, a battalion of cavalry to be furnished by Colonel Mizner, together with his own regiment, the camp of the convalescents and guards of the baggage train will constitute the garrison. Colonel Burke is charged with the defense of the place, the protection of public property, the arrest of all stragglers, the mustering of all prisoners, the supervision of all hospitals, collection of the arms, equipments, and quartermaster stores from the field of battle, and the counting and burial of the dead.

The chief surgeons of hospitals will without delay make and furnish Colonel Burke exact lists of the wounded under their care.

Il. The order of the pursuit will be as follows:

Brigadier-General McArthur, with all McKean’s division excep. Crocker’s brigade, with a good battery and a battalion of cavalry, will advance on the enemy by the route south of the railroad toward Pocahontas. General McKean will follow on this route with the rest of his division and Ingersoll’s cavalry.

General Hamilton will follow McKean with his entire force. McPherson’s brigade, with a good battery, will follow the route north of the railroad. Stanley’s and Davies’ divisions will support him.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lothrop will furnish chiefs of divisions with rockets for signals. Three rockets at intervals of one minute will indicate the head of the advance columns; two at intervals of one minute will indicate the head of the columns supporting the advance, and one will indicate the rear of the entire column on each line. Should the signals of one not be answered by the other they may be repeated every fifteen minutes until answered.

Colonel Mizner, chief of cavalry, will detail a battalion of cavalry to accompany the advance of each column, one battalion to report to Colonel Burke for camp and garrison guard duty; with the remainder of the cavalry, he will join the pursuit, and dispose it according to circumstances, covering the flanks of our columns, and feeling those of the enemy.

The attention of leaders of columns in pursuit is called to the wellknown principle of war that it is safe to pursue a flying enemy with a greatly inferior force, and they will take care, while conducting their advance with caution to guard against ambuscade, to push the enemy with vigor and firmness. They are especially instructed on reaching defiles to deploy a very heavy and extended line of skirmishers, with orders to push in, learn the ground, and outflank any opposing force, dispose the artillery so as to sweep the defile and its flanks, and open with rifled shot and shell, endeavoring to strike the retreating column some distance ahead of the defile. The cavalry should deploy right and left beyond the infantry flankers and endeavor to find paths by which the defile may be turned.

The pursuing divisions will provide for prompt communication between each other and these headquarters. As our troops have no great experience, commanders are especially charged to use the precaution of having proper advance guards and flankers, to prevent their columns from falling into ambuscade.

Care will be taken, in carrying rations, to inspect the men and see that they have actually on their persons the required three days’ supply. As there will be some men without haversacks it will be necessary for each regiment to have a wagon to supply the deficiencies. These wagons, the spare ammunition wagons, and the ambulances will follow the column in order.

III. Surgeon Holston will take charge of the hospitals at Corinth, establishing a separate one for the enemy’s wounded, separating them as far as practicable from ourown. He will provide the medical care absolutely necessary for the wounded, sending all regimental surgeons at once to rejoin their commands, as their services will be needed onthe march.

The old hospital ground will be reoccupied. Colonel Burke, post commander, will furnish Surgeon Holston with such assistance as may be in his power to render.

By command of Major-General Rosecrans:

. F C. GODDARD
First Lieut, Twelfth Infty. Ohio Vols., Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen
Umar. XXIX.) CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.—UNION. 267
; BETHEL, October 6, 1862.
Major-General GRANT:
Seven prisoners from Price’s army, General Moore’s brigade, are just
brought in by scouts, and they report that the whole Lrigade, five regiments, Forty-second Alabama, Thirty fifth Mississippi, Second Arkan.
sas Regiments, and one Texas regiment threw away their arms at Davis’