No. 1.
Reports of Brig. Gen. U. S.
Grant, U. S. Army, commanding District of Southeast Missouri, and including operations
against Thompson's forces, with orders, &c.
HEADQUARTERS
DISTRICT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI,
Cairo, Ill.,
November 17, 1861.
GENERAL: The
following order was received from headquarters Western Department:
SAINT Louis, November 1, 1861.
You
are hereby directed to hold your whole command ready to march at an hour's
notice, until further orders, and you will take particular care to be amply
supplied with transportation and ammunition. You are also directed to make
demonstrations with your troops along both sides of the river towards
Charleston, Norfolk, and Blandville, and to keep your columns constantly moving
back and forward against these places, without, however, attacking the enemy.
Very respectfully,
CHAUNCEY McKEEVER,
A.A.G.
General
GRANT,
Commanding at Cairo.
At the same time I
was notified that similar instructions had been sent to Brig. Gen. C. F. Smith,
commanding Paducah, Ky., and was directed to communicate with him freely as to
my movements, that his might be co-operative.
On the 2d of the
same month, and before it was possible for any considerable preparation to have
been made for the execution of this order, the following telegraphic dispatch
was received:
SAINT LOUIS, November 2, 1861.
Jeff.
Thompson is at Indian Ford of the Saint Francois River, 25 miles below
Greenville, with about 3,000 men. Colonel Carlin has started with force from
Pilot Knob. Send a force from Cape Girardeau and Bird's Point to assist Carlin
in driving Thompson into Arkansas.
By
order of Major-General Frémont:
C. McKEEVER,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Brigadier-General
GRANT.
The forces I
determined to send from Bird's Point were immediately designated, and Col. R.
J. Oglesby, Eighth Illinois Volunteers, assigned to the command, under the
following detailed instructions:
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI,
Cairo, November 3, 1861.
You
will take command of an expedition, consisting of your regiment, four companies
of the Eleventh Illinois, all of the Eighteenth and Twenty-ninth, three
companies of cavalry from Bird's Point (to be selected and notified by
yourself), and a section of Schwartz' battery, artillery, and proceed by
steamboats to Commerce, Mo. From Commerce you will strike for Sikeston, Mr.
Cropper acting as guide. From there you will go in pursuit of a rebel force,
understood to be 3,000 strong, under Jeff. Thompson, now at Indian Ford, on the
Saint Francois River.
An
expedition has already left Ironton. Mo., to attack this force. Should they
learn that they have left that place it will not be necessary for you to go
there, but pursue the enemy in any direction he may go, always being cautious
not to fall in with an unlooked-for foe too strong for the command under you.
The
object of the expedition is to destroy this force, and the manner of doing it
is left largely at your discretion, believing it better not to trammel you with
instructions. Transportation will be furnished you for fourteen days' rations
and four or five days' forage. All you may require outside of this must be
furnished by the country through which you pass.
In
taking supplies you will be careful to select a proper officer to press them,
and require a receipt to be given, and the articles pressed accounted for in
the same manner as if purchased. You are particularly enjoined to allow no
foraging by your men. It is demoralizing in the extreme, and is apt to make
open enemies where they would not otherwise exist.
Yours, &c.,
U.S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General.
Col.
R. J. OGLESBY,
Commanding, &c., Bird's Point, Mo.
Col. J. B. Plummer,
Eleventh Missouri Volunteers, commanding Cape Girardeau, was directed to send
one regiment in the direction of Bloomfield, with a view to attracting the
attention of the enemy.
The forces under
Colonel Oglesby were all got off on the evening of the 3d.
On the 5th a
telegram was received from headquarters Saint Louis, stating that the enemy was
re-enforcing Price's army from Columbus by way of White River, and directing
that the demonstration that had been ordered against Columbus be immediately
made. Orders were accordingly at once given to the troops under my command that
remained at Cairo, Bird's Point, and Fort Holt. A letter was also sent to
Brig-Gen. C. F. Smith, commanding at Paducah, requesting him to make a
demonstration at the same time against Columbus.
To more effectually
attain the object of the demonstration against the enemy at Belmont and
Columbus, I determined on the morning of the 6th to temporarily change the
direction of Colonel Oglesby's column towards New Madrid, and also to send a
small force under Col. W. H. L. Wallace, Eleventh Illinois Volunteers, to
Charleston, Mo., to ultimately join Colonel Oglesby. In accordance with this
determination I addressed Colonel Oglesby the following communication:
CAIRO, November 6, 1861
On
receipt of this turn your column towards New Madrid. When you arrive at the
nearest point to Columbus from which there is a road to that place, communicate
with me at Belmont.
U.S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General.
Col.
R. J. OGLESBY,
Commanding Expedition.
which was sent to
Colonel Wallace with the following letter:
CAIRO, November 6, 1861.
Herewith
I send you an order to Colonel Oglesby to change the direction of his column
towards New Madrid, halting to communicate with me at Belmont from the nearest
point on his road.
I
desire you to get up the Charleston expedition ordered for to-morrow, to start
to-night, taking two days' rations with them. You will accompany them to
Charleston, and get Colonel Oglesby's instructions to him by a messenger, if
practicable, and when he is near enough you may join him. For this purpose you
may substitute the remainder of your regiment in place of an equal amount from
Colonel Marsh's. The two days' rations carried by your men in haversacks will
enable you to join Colonel Oglesby's command, and there you will find
rations enough for several days more should they be necessary. You may take a
limited number of tents, and at Charleston press wagons to carry
them to the main column. There you will find sufficient transportation to
release the pressed wagons.
U.S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General.
Col.
W. H. L. WALLACE,
Bird's Point. Mo.
On the evening of
the 6th I left this place in steamers, with McClernand's Brigade, consisting of
Twenty-seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteers, Col. N. B. Buford; Thirtieth Regiment
Illinois Volunteers, Col. Philip B. Fouke; Thirty-first Regiment Illinois
Volunteers, Col. John A. Logan; Dollins' Company Independent Illinois Cavalry,
Capt. J. J. Dollins; Delano's Company Adams County Illinois Cavalry, Lieut. J.
K. Catlin; and Dougherty's Brigade, consisting of Twenty-second Regiment
Illinois Volunteers, Lieut. Col. H. E. Hart; Seventh Regiment Iowa Volunteers,
Col. J. G. Lauman, amounting to 3,114 men of all arms, to make the
demonstration against Columbus. I proceeded down the river to a point 9 miles
below here, where we lay until next morning, on the Kentucky shore, which
served to distract the enemy and led him to suppose that he was to be attacked
in his strongly fortified position at Columbus.
About 2 o'clock on
the morning of the 7th I received information from Col. W. H. L. Wallace at
Charleston (sent by a messenger on steamer W. H. B.) that he had learned from a
reliable Union man that the enemy had been crossing troops from Columbus to
Belmont the day before, for the purpose of following after and cutting off the
forces under Colonel Oglesby. Such a move on his part seemed to me more than
probable, and gave at once a twofold importance to my demonstration against the
enemy—namely, the prevention of reinforcements to General Price, and the
cutting off of the two small columns that I had sent, in pursuance of
directions, from this place and Cape Girardeau, in pursuit of Jeff. Thompson.
This information determined me to attack vigorously his forces at Belmont, knowing
that should we be repulsed, we would re-embark without difficulty under the
protection of the gunboats. The following order was given:
ON BOARD STEAMER BELLE MEMPHIS,
November 7, 1861—2 o'clock a.m.
The
troops composing the present expedition from this place will move promptly at 6
o'clock this morning. The gunboats will take the advance, and be followed by
the First Brigade, under command of Brig. Gen. John A. McClernand, composed of
all the troops from Cairo and Fort Holt. The Second Brigade, comprising the
remainder of the troops of the expedition, commanded by Col. Henry Dougherty,
will follow. The entire force will debark at the lowest point on the Missouri
shore where a landing can be effected in security from the rebel batteries. The
point of debarkation will be designated by Captain Walke, commanding naval
forces.
By
order of Brig. Gen. U.S. Grant:
JOHN A. RAWLINS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Promptly at the hour
designated we proceeded down the river to point just out of range of the rebel
batteries at Columbus, and debarked on the Missouri shore. From here the troops
were marched, with skirmishers well in advance, by flank for about a mile
towards Belmont, and there formed in line of battle. One battalion had been
left as a reserve near the transports. Two companies from each regiment were
thrown forward as skirmishers, to ascertain the position of the enemy, and
about 9 o'clock met and engaged him. The balance of my force, with the
exception of the reserve, was promptly thrown forward, and drove the enemy foot
by foot, and from tree to tree, back to his encampment on the river bank, a
distance of over 2 miles. Here he had strengthened his position by felling the
timber for several hundred yards around his camp, making a sort of abatis. Our
men charged through this, driving the enemy under cover of the bank, and many
of them into their transports, in quick time, leaving us in possession of
everything not exceedingly portable.
Belmont is situated
on low ground, and every foot is commanded by the guns on the opposite shore,
and of course could not be held for a single hour after the enemy became aware
of the withdrawal of his troops. Having no wagons with me, I could move but
little of the captured property, consequently gave orders for the destruction
of everything that could not be moved and an immediate return to our
transports. Tents, blankets, &c., were set on fire and destroyed, and our
return march commenced, taking his artillery and a large number of captured
horses and prisoners with us. Three pieces of artillery being drawn by hand,
and one by an inefficient team, were spiked and left on the road; two were
brought to this place.
We had but fairly
got under way when the enemy, having received re-enforcements, rallied under
cover of the river bank and the woods on the point of land in the bend of the
river above us, and made his appearance between us and our transports,
evidently with a design of cutting off our return to them.
Our troops were not
in the least discouraged, but charged the enemy and again defeated him. We
then, with the exception of the Twenty-seventh Illinois, Col. N. B. Buford
commanding, reached our transports and embarked without further molestation.
While waiting for the arrival of this regiment, and to get some of our wounded
from a field hospital near by, the enemy, having crossed fresh troops from
Columbus, again made his appearance on the river bank, and commenced firing
upon our transports. The fire was returned by our men from the decks of the
steamers, and also by the gunboats with terrible effect, compelling him to
retire in the direction of Belmont. In the mean time Colonel Buford, although
he had received orders to return with the main force, took the Charleston road
from Belmont, and came in on the road leading to Bird's Point, where we had
formed the line of battle in the morning. At this point, to avoid the effect of
the shells from the gunboats that were beginning to fall among his men, he took
a blind path direct to the river, and followed a wood road up its bank, and
thereby avoided meeting the enemy, who were retiring by the main road. On his
appearance on the river bank a steamer was dropped down, and took his command
on board, without his having participated or lost a man in the enemy's attempt
to cut us off from our transports.
Notwithstanding the
crowded state of our transports, the only loss we sustained from the enemy's
fire upon them was three men wounded, one of whom belonged to one of the boats.
Our loss in killed
on the field was 85, 301 wounded (many of them, however, slightly), and 99
missing. Of the wounded, 125 fell into the hands of the enemy. Nearly all the
missing were from the Seventh Iowa Regiment, which suffered more severely than
any other. All the troops behaved with great gallantry, which was in a great
degree attributable to the coolness and presence of mind of their officers,
particularly the colonels commanding.
General McClernand
was in the midst of danger throughout the engagement, and displayed both
coolness and judgment. His horse was three times shot under him.
Colonel Dougherty,
Twenty-second Illinois Volunteers, commanding the Second Brigade, by his
coolness and bravery entitles himself to be named among the most competent of
officers for command of troops in battle. In our second engagement he was three
times wounded, and fell a prisoner in the hands of the enemy.
Among the killed was
Lieut. Col. A. Wentz, Seventh Iowa Volunteers, and among the wounded were Col.
J. G. Lauman and Maj. E. W. Rice, of the Seventh Iowa.
The reports of
subcommanders will detail more fully particulars of the engagement, and the
conduct of both officers and men.
To my staff, Capt.
John A. Rawlins, assistant adjutant-general; Lieuts. C. B. Lagow and William S.
Hillyer, aides-de-camp, and Capt. R. B. Hatch, assistant quartermaster, I am
much indebted for the promptitude with which they discharged their several
duties.
Surg. J. H. Brinton,
U.S. volunteers, chief medical officer, was on the field during the entire
engagement, and displayed great ability and efficiency in providing for the
wounded, and in organizing the medical corps.
Maj. J. D. Webster,
acting chief engineer, also accompanied me on the field, and displayed
soldierly qualities of a high order.
My own horse was
shot under me during the engagement.
The gunboats Tyler,
Captain Walke, and Lexington, Captain Stembel, convoyed the expedition, and
rendered most efficient service. Immediately upon our landing they engaged the
enemy's batteries on the heights above Columbus, and protected our transports
throughout. For a detailed account of the part taken by them I refer with
pleasure to the accompanying report of Capt. H. Walke, senior officer [No. 3].
In pursuance of my
request, General Smith, commanding at Paducah, sent on the 7th instant a force
to Mayfield, Ky., and another in the direction of Columbus, with orders not to
approach nearer, however, than 12 or 15
miles of that place. I also sent a small force on the Kentucky side towards
Columbus, under Col. John Cook, Seventh Illinois Volunteers, with orders not to
go beyond Elliott's Mills, distant some 12 miles from Columbus. These forces
having marched to the points designated in their orders, returned without
having met serious resistance.
On the evening of
the 7th information of the result of the engagement at Belmont was sent to
Colonel Oglesby, commanding expedition against Jeff. Thompson, and orders to
return to Bird's Point by way of Charleston, Mo. Before these reached him,
however, he had learned that Jeff. Thompson had left the place where he was
reported to be when the expedition started (he having gone towards New Madrid
or Arkansas), and had determined to return. The same information was sent to
the commanding officer at Cape Girardeau, with directions for the troops to be brought
back that had gone out from that place.
From all the
information I have been able to obtain since the engagement, the enemy's loss
in killed and wounded was much greater than ours. We captured 175 prisoners,
all his artillery and transportation, and destroyed his entire camp and
garrison equipage. Independent of the injuries inflicted upon him, and the
prevention of his re-enforcing Price or sending a force to cut off the
expeditions against Jeff. Thompson, the confidence inspired in our troops in the
engagement will be of incalculable benefit to us in the future.
Very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
U. S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General.
Brig. Gen. SETH WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington, D.C.———
HEADQUARTERS
DISTRICT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.
Cairo, November 20, 1861
GENERAL: Inclosed I
send you the report of Brig. Gen. J. A. McClernand, commanding First Brigade in
the late engagement at Belmont, Mo. Also the report of Surgeon Brinton, medical
director, who accompanied me on that occasion. [Nos. 2 and 4.]
The Seventh Iowa and
Twenty-second Illinois Volunteers were the only troops in the engagement not
included in General McClernand's command. Each of these lost their commanders,
wounded, and consequently I have no official report of them. Being on the field
myself during the entire engagement, I can answer for the gallantry of officers
and men of both these regiments.
The Seventh Iowa
lost their colonel (Lauman), wounded severely, and lieutenant-colonel (Wentz),
killed, and major (Rice), severely wounded. Lieutenants Dodge and Gardner and
23 rank and file were killed; wounded, Captains Gardner, Harper, and Parrott,
and Lieutenant Reams and 74 others.
Of the Twenty-second
Illinois, Colonel Dougherty was badly wounded and taken prisoner. Twenty-one
rank and file were killed. Captains Hubbard and McAdams and 74 men were
wounded. Information received since the engagement through the Southern press,
and from persons coming from the South since, show the enemy's force in the
field to have been over 9,000 men, and their loss in killed and wounded alone
not less than 600. My own impression is, their loss was much greater.
The city of Memphis
was thrown into mourning for the dead and wounded taken there. Great
apprehension is said to have prevailed lest the blow should be followed up with
an attack upon them.
The officers and
men, with rare exceptions, showed great personal courage, and I have every
reason to be satisfied with their conduct. The lesson, though severe, will be
of great advantage to the entire command. The object aimed at, to wit, to
prevent the enemy from re-enforcing Price in Missouri, and from cutting off two
small columns I had been directed to send towards the Saint Francois River, was
accomplished to the fullest extent. The enemy have entirely abandoned Belmont,
and have been receiving re-enforcements in Columbus continually since the
engagement.
I am, general, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
U.S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
General SETH WILLIAMS,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., U. S. Army, Washington, D.C.———
HEADQUARTERS
DISTRICT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI,
Cairo, Ill., November 5, 1861.
General C. F. SMITH,
Commanding U.S. Forces, Paducah, Ky.:
In pursuance of
directions from headquarters Western Department I have sent from here a force
of about 3,000 men, all armed, towards Indian Ford, on the Saint Francis River,
and also a force of one regiment from Cape Girardeau in the same direction. I
am now, under the same instructions, fitting out an expedition to menace
Belmont, and will take all the force proper to spare from here—probably not
more than 3,000 men. If you can make a demonstration towards Columbus at the
same time with a portion of your command, it would probably keep the enemy from
throwing over the river much more force than they now have there, and might
enable me to drive those they now have out of Missouri. The principal point to
gain is to prevent the enemy from sending a force to fall in the rear of those
now out from this command. I will leave here to-morrow night and land some 12
miles below.
U.S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
———
HEADQUARTERS
DISTRICT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI,
Cairo, Ill, November 6, 1861.
Col. J. COOK,
Commanding U. S. Forces, Fort Holt, Ky.:
In pursuance with
instructions sent this morning, you will march to-morrow morning with the
command directed to Elliott's Mills, taking two days' rations. Should you
receive no further instructions by 2 p.m., the day after to-morrow, you will
return to Fort Holt. Take with you no more transportation than is absolutely
necessary to the limited amount of tents and baggage for one night.
U.S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
———
HEADQUARTERS
DISTRICT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI,
Cairo, Ill., November 6, 1861.
Col. C. C. MARSH,
Commanding Twentieth Illinois Volunteers:
On to-morrow I want
an infantry reconnaissance made out to Charleston, to return in the evening.
Take such number as can be accommodated by the cars, making one trip, not to
exceed, however, your regiment.
U.S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General,
Commanding.
———
ORDERS, No. —
HDQRS. DISTRICT
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI,
Cairo, November 8, 1861.
The general
commanding this military district returns his thanks to the troops under his
command at the battle of Belmont on yesterday. It has been his fortune to have
been in all the battles fought in Mexico by Generals Scott and Taylor save
Buena Vista, and he never saw one more hotly contested or where troops behaved
with more gallantry.
Such courage will
insure victory wherever our flag may be borne and protected by such a class of
men.
To the many brave
men who fell the sympathy of the country is due, and will be manifested in a
manner unmistakable.
U.S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General,
Commanding.
SOURCE: The
War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and
Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 3 (Serial No. 3), pp. 267-74
