Doc. 4.-fight near Farmington, Miss.
General Pope's despatch.
Secretary Scott's despatch,
An artillery reconnoissance went to Glendale this morning and destroyed two trestle-bridges, and some track of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. It has been a splendid day's work for the left wing. The weather is clear and the roads are becoming good.
A National account.
Now commenced the fight in earnest. The enemy had posted four pieces of artillery upon an elevation of perhaps twenty feet in height, completely commanding the road, and making it utterly impossible for our troops to gain the open field, except by a detour to the right or left. Then Col. Morgan's (Tenth) regiment were sent to the right, with the Yates sharpshooters to the left, who soon poured such a fire of musketry upon their ranks as sent the gunners from their pieces in confusion, and caused the infantry to rush pell-mell over the hill to their second position, where they formed in line of battle. Then the rebel postillions galloped up to the guns, limbered them up, and dragged them away, under a most galling fire from our infantry.
Their second position was taken upon the crest of a hill, to the right of the Farmington road, just in advance of a piece of dense wood, being flanked upon the left by an old cotton-gin and press, and on the right and in front by a deep though not impassable ravine. It now became apparent that the enemy were determined only to treat us to a cannon fight, and had taken such a position as to preclude us from advancing upon them except by a circuitous route of some two miles, which, being through swamp and brush, was impossible. So Houghtailing's guns were brought forward, and emerging from the timber at a double-quick, went into battery upon the same ground just vacated by the rebels. Now, for half an hour a terrible artillery duel was kept up, the enemy showing a spirit of chivalry worthy a better cause, two regiments of infantry in the mean time going around and gaining a position commanding their left flank, and opening upon them with musketry at a distance of only about three hundred yards, such a fire as sent their butternut colored ranks into the tall timber as if the old Nick or some other justice of the peace was after them. Finding themselves deserted by their infantry support, the rebel artillerists changed their position to a point about a half-mile further on. Their new position was just to the right of the road leading from Farmington to Corinth, upon the brow of a [6] hill, and about three eighths of a mile north of the village of Farmington. Houghtailing's battery immediately moved up to the enemy's second position at the cotton-gin, while Hezcock's battery proceeded to an open field in front of Farmington and to the enemy's right, from which two points our fire soon became too terrible for humanity to endnre, and the rebels fled in confusion in the direction of Corinth. Then our infantry were drawn up at the town and along the roads, while the cavalry were sent on after the flying foe.
Our loss was only two killed and eleven wounded, while that of the enemy was ten killed, twelve wounded, (now in our hands,) and about thirty prisoners. The rebel forces were commanded by Brig. Gen. Marmaduke, and consisted of the following regiments:
Third confederate (regular) infantry, Maj. Keep.
Twenty-ninth Tennessee infantry, Col. Sam. Powell.
Twenty-fifth Tennessee infantry, Col. White.
Third Louisiana infantry, Col. Pettigrew.
One battalion of regular cavalry, and
Swett's battery of light artillery (four pieces) of Vicksburg.
The affair was a most brilliant one through-out, and reflected great credit upon all concerned.