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Monday, September 19, 2011

19 September, 1862: Friday - Battle of Iuka, Mississippi

Union - Government/Military
The Federal Department of the Missouri is re-established and the Department of Kansas discontinued.

Union - Military
Maryland/Virginia

Along the Potomac, McClellan's cavalry pursue the retreating Confederates but are halted by Southern batteries. Fitz John Porter also pushed forward and by evening had crossed the Potomac to gain a foothold on the southern shore.

Maryland
There are skirmishes at Sharpsburg, Shepherdstown, and near Williamsport.

Confederacy - Military
Mississippi

In Mississippi, Confederates had been attempting to prevent Union soldiers under Grant from reinforcing Buell, who was opposing Bragg in Kentucky.

Sterling Price had moved his Southern force to Iuka on September 14, from Tupelo, and was awaiting the arrival of Earl van Dorn's men.

On the Union side, Grant, with William S. Rosencrans leading the main advance, drove at Iuka from Corinth.

Rosencrans, after a hard fight, bested Price, who knowing that Grant with a column under E. O. C. Ord was nearby, pulled out southward during the night.

Union casualties
141 killed, 613 wounded, 36 missing for a total of 790 out of about 17,000 in the area.

Confederate casualties
263 killed, 692 wounded, 561 captured for 1,516 out of 14,000 in the area.

(Indications are that in the battle, it was 4,500 Union troops versus 3,200 Confederates.

Elsewhere in Mississippi, fighting took place at Barnett's Corners, Peyton's Mill, and Prentiss. Also, Confederates attacked a Union gunboat, the Queen of the West, near Bolivar.

Missouri
There is a skirmish at Hickory Grove and at Mount Vernon.

Kentucky
There is a skirmish at Horse Cave, Southerland's Farm, and Bear Wallow.

Arkansas
There is a skirmish at Helena.

Tennessee
There is a skirmish at Brentwood.

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Bibliography
The Civil War Day By Day: An Almanac 1861-1865. E.B. Long with Barbara Long, De Capo, 1971

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