TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog

Conclusion and Assessment Van Dorn’s force had failed to cut off the Federal escape route as expected. In fact they failed to show up on the field at all. Bragg and Beauregard, although pleased with their success, lamented that the Union loss had not been more complete. When questioned Van Dorn excused his absence from […]

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Charge of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry As the situation at the creek developed a frantic call for troops to assist the two hard pressed brigades went out. About 1000 a harried aide approached LTC Edward Hatch of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry with an order to rush “with all possible speed” to the front. Within minutes […]

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Beauregard Attacks Near Farmington Colonel John Loomis (subbing in brigade command for the ill Plummer) was equally oblivious to the danger as he deployed his troops. He kept four companies of the 8th Wisconsin in town to act as an advanced guard and the remainder of the brigade in a line near the creek and […]

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An Opportunity Arises Beauregard would not have long to wait to find the answers to these questions. An impatient John Pope, fresh from his victories on the Mississippi, soon became disenchanted with the sluggish pace of the advance. Pope summarized his thoughts;  “…from the very feeble resistance offered to our advance on any of the […]

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Introduction Little has been written about the post-Shiloh Union advance on Corinth, Mississippi until now. With the release of Timothy B. Smith’s new volume on this campaign; Corinth 1862: Siege, Battle, Occupation that has changed. Once thought to be an overly cautious, glacially paced period of inaction this period has been brought to life. Included in […]

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Some time ago I put up a post asking about the rifles carried by the Second Iowa, and now I finally have an answer thanks to Bill Adams, who kindly looked it up for the Corinth battle. 52nd Illinois – Enfield Rifle .577 cal. 2nd Iowa – M1842 rifled musket .69 cal. 7th Iowa – […]

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I must open this review with the disclaimer that I was predisposed by my admiration for Smith’s work on the Battle of Champion Hill to be favorable to this work as well. Having said that I did find much to like about this book but also some to dislike. The opening chapters contained the necessary […]

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