Robinett's Commander Reports on action at Battery Robinett in the Battle of Corinth.

0.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XVIIII [S# 241
OCTOBER 3-12,1862.--Bde of Corinth, Miss., and pursuit ofthe Confederate forces.
NO. 42.--Report of Capt. George A. Williams, First U. S. Infantry, commanding Siege Artillery, Army
of the Mississippi.

BATTERY WILLIAMS, CORINTH, MISS.,
October 16, 1862.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the siege batteries at Corinth, Miss., during the battle of October 3 and 4:

On the retirement of General Davies' division, on October 3, the enemy approached, toward evening, to within 800 yards of Battery Robinett (a battery mounting three 20pounder Parrott guns, and situated on a hill on the north side of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, overlooking Corinth and the country west), where they were met by a brigade of General Stanley's division, under Colonel Mower, of the Eleventh Missouri Volunteers, who were temporarily placed under General Davies, and who after a sharp contest repulsed the enemy; but they were then ordered to retire immediately afterward, which allowed the enemy to occupy the ground in front of Battery Robinett. As there were indications of the enemy reforming,

Lieutenant Robinett, who commanded the battery, threw a few shells among them, to which they replied with four shots from their artillery; but night coming on the firing ceased. About 3.30 a.m., October 4, the enemy opened on our forts and their supports with artillery. Battery Robinett returned the fire immediately. On the evening of the 3d there was a field battery posted on the left of Battery Robinett, which was immediately between my battery (Williams) and where the enemy had posted their guns on the morning of the 4th. It being dark when the enemy's fire opened I could not see whether that battery was still there or not, and did not open fire in consequence; but as soon as I ascertained that it had been removed I opened with three 30pounder Parrott guns, immediately followed by Battery Phillips, commanded by Captain Phillips, First U. S. Infantry (situated about 600 yards southwest of Battery Williams), with an 8-inch howitzer, which enfiladed the rebel battery. At the same time Captain Maurice's field battery (Company F, Second U.S. Artillery) and a field battery on the north of the town opened.

Under this fire the rebel artillery was silenced in less than thirty minutes, and they retired, leaving one gun and a caisson on the field. About 9.30 or 10 a.m. the enemy were observed in the woods north of the town forming in line, and they soon made their appearance, charging toward the town. As soon as our troops were out of the line of fue of my battery we opened upon them with two 30-pounder Parrott guns and one 8-inch howitzer, which enfiladed their line (aided by Maurice's battery and one gun on the right of Battery Robinett, which bore on that part of the town), and continued our fire until the enemy were repulsed and had regained the woods.

During the time the enemy were being repulsed from the town my attention was drawn to the left side of the battery by the firing from Battery Robinett, where I saw a column advancing to storm it. After advancing a short distance they were repulsed, but immediately reformed, and, storming the work, gained the ditch, but were repulsed. During this charge 8 of the enemy, having placed a handkerchief on a bayonet and calling to the men in the battery not to shoot them, surrendered, and were allowed to come into the fort. They then reformed, and, restorming, carried the ditch and the outside of the work, the supports having fallen a short distance to the rear in slight disorder.

The men of the First U.S. Infantry, after having been driven from their guns (they manned the siege guns), resorted to their muskets, and were firing from the musket of the embrasures at the enemy on the outside, a distance of about 10 feet intervening; but the rebels, having gained the top of the work, our men fell back into the angle of the fort, as they had been directed to do in such an emergency. Two shells were thrown from Battery Williams into Battery Robinett, one bursting on top of it and the other near the right edge. In the mean while the Eleventh Missouri

Volunteers (in reserve) changed front, and, aided by the Forty-third and Sixty-third Ohio Volunteers, with the Twenty-seventh Ohio Volunteers on their right, gallantly stormed up to the right and left of the battery, driving the enemy before them. The battery could not open on the retreating enemy, for its commander, Lieutenant Robinett was wounded, and 13 of the 26 men that manned it were either killed or wounded.

This closed the action in front of Battery Robinett, except the occasional firing of sharpshooters; but the enemy were then reforming in the woods, where they had before formed when they stormed the town, and advanced to the attack; but were repulsed before they reached the town. During this attack the right guns of my battery were engaged, having an enfilading fire on the enemy's line.

Battery Robinett was commanded by Lieutenant Robinett, with one officer (Lieutenant Cullen) and 24 men of Company C, First U.S. Infantry. Battery Williams, under my immediate command, was manned by Companies D and I, First U.S. Infantry. Battery Phillips, commanded by Captain Phillips, and manned by Companies A, B, and H, First U.S. Infantry. While the enemy were advancing on the town, Battery Chapman [Madison], manned by Company B,

Second Illinois Artillery, was engaged over the town shelling the enemy out. About 8 p.m. of the 4th it was discovered that about 200 yards in front of Battery Robinett was a gun and a caisson that the rebels had been forced to abandon during the artillery firing of the morning. A portion of the Sixty-third Ohio Volunteers went out for the purpose of bringing it in. They succeeded in bringing in the caisson, but were forced by the enemy's sharpshooters to abandon the piece. Corps. [Patrick] Meade and [Joseph] Plaskey and Privates [Michael] Ryan and Daniel Murray (afterward killed), of Company C, First U.S. Infantry, volunteered to go out
and get it. They succeeded, and, when about half way in, they were met and assisted by Private [James M.] Strange, of Company F, Second U.S. Artillery.

I most respectfully attest to the good conduct of the officers (Lieutenants Bates, Hosmer, and Mace) and soldiers of my battery, as well as those of Batteries Phillips and Robinett. It is scarcely proper to mention one more than the other, but I would call special attention to Lieutenants Robinett and Cullen, and to First Sergts. [Patrick] Branagan, Company I, [Leonard] Hein, Company C, and [Otto] Jacobi, Company D, as well as to Sergts. [Edward] McGuire, [Patrick] McDonald, and [Patrick] Gallagher, and to Lmce-Corpl. [John] Waters.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEO. A. WILLIAMS,
Captain, First US. Infty., Commander of Siege Artillery.
Lieut. Col. H. G. KENNETT,
Chief of Stag Army of the Mississippi.


FROM this Report we have our first evidence of the wounding of Robinett at Corinth.