Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 9.djvu/84

CHAPTER VII

REORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY AT CORINTH — KENTUCKY COMMANDS GENERAL BRECKINRIDGE SENT TO VICKSBURG—IN THE TRENCHES THERE-BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE—LOSS OF RAM ARKANSAS—FAILURE OF EXPEDITION IN CONSEQUENCE-GENERAL BRECKINRIDGE DEFEATS FEDERAL FORCE—LOSS IN KILLED AND WOUNDED-CAMP AT COMITE RIVER—DEPLETION OF COMMAND BY SICKNESS—GENERAL BRECKINRIDGE INVITED BY GENERAL BRAGG TO COMMAND A DIVISION IN PENDING KENTUCKY CAMPAIGN-DECLINES TO LEAVE HIS TROOPS IN THEIR EXTREMITY—EFFORTS TO HAVE HIM SENT WITH THEM— ORDER FINALLY ISSUED—OBSTRUCTIONS INTERPOSED— FATAL DELAY—HE MARCHES FROM KNOXVILLE FOR KENTUCKY-BRAGG'S RETREAT FROM KENTUCKY COMPELS HIS RETURN.

THE retreat of the Confederate army in the direction of Corinth was successfully covered by General Breckinridge's command, the pursuit not having been prosecuted more than five or six miles. The falling back was leisurely, and it was not until the 11th of April that the Kentucky brigade reached Corinth. In the reorganization of the army which took place here, General Breckinridge's Reserve corps was composed of four brigades, two of which, the first and second, comprised the Kentucky troops. The First brigade, commanded by Brig.-Gen. J. M. Hawes, consisted of the Forty-first Alabama, Fourth Kentucky, Ninth Kentucky, Hale's Alabama regiment, Clifton's Alabama battalion and Byrne's battery, but the latter soon disbanding, Hudson's battery took its place. The Second brigade, commanded by Brig. -Gen. William Preston, consisted of the Third, Sixth and Seventh Kentucky regiments, and

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