they had yielded much space, and the loss of Fort Richardson was certain. Price’s right moved swiftly to the headquarters of General Rosecrans, took possession of it, and posted themselves under cover of the portico of the house, and behind its corners, whence they opened fire upon our troops on the opposite side of the public square. Seven rebels were killed within the little inclosure in front of the General’s cottage. The structure is a sort of sieve now—bullets have punctured it so numerously. But the desperate men got no further into town. “Battle was raging about Fort Richardson. Gallant Richardson, for whom it was named, fought his battery well. Had his supports fought, as his artillerymen did, the record would have been different. The rebels gained the crest of the hill, swarmed around the little redoubt, and were swept away from it as a breath will dissipate smoke. Again they swarmed like infuriated tigers. At last a desperate dash with a yell. Richardson goes down to rise no more. His supports are not at hand. The foe shouts triumphantly and seizes the guns. The horses are fifty yards down the hill toward Corinth. A score of rebels seize them. The Fifty-sixth Illinois suddenly rises from cover in the ravine. One terrible volley, and there are sixteen dead artillery horses, a dozen dead rebels. Illinois shouts, and charges up the hill, across the plateau into the battery. The rebels fly out through embrasures and around the wings. The Fifty-sixth yells again and pursues. “The rebels do not stop. Hamilton’s veterans, meantime, have been working quietly—no lung-work, but gun-work enough. A steady stream of fire tore the rebel ranks to pieces. When Davies broke it was necessary for all to fall back. General Rosecrans thought it well enough to get Price in deeply. A rebel soldier says Van Dorn sat on his horse grimly and saw it all. ‘That’s Rosecrans’s trick,’ said he; ‘he’s got Price where he must suffer.’ Maybe this is one of the apocrypha of battle. A rebel soldier says it’s true. But Hamilton’s division receded under orders—at backward step, slowly, grimly, face to the foe, and firing. But when the Fifty-sixth Illinois charged, this was changed. Davies’ misfortune had been remedied. The whole line advanced. The rebel host was broken. A destroying Nemesis pursued them. Arms were flung away wildly. They ran to the woods. They fled into the forests. Oh! what a shout of triumph and what a gleaming line of steel followed them. It is strange, but true. Our men do not often shout before battle. Heavens! what thunder there is in their throats after victory. ‘They’’ report that such a shout was never before heard in Corinth. Price’s _once_ ‘invincible’’ now invisible legions were broken, demoralized, fugitive, and remorselessly pursued down the hill, into the swamps, through the thickets, into the forests. Newly disturbed earth shows where they fell and how very thickly.”