October 23, 1862 (Thursday): "A Set of Cowards"

Battle of Corinth
Map by Hal Jespersen, www.posix.com/CW

HDQRS. SECOND DIV., ARMY OF WEST TENNESSEE, Corinth, Miss., October 23, 1862.
Major-General ROSECRANS:
    SIR: On the afternoon of October the 4th, after the victories of that day and of the 3d, you said upon the battle-field, among the piles of the dead and groans of the wounded, slain by the Second Division, Army of West Tennessee, that they were a set of cowards; that they never should have any military standing in your army till they had won it on the field of battle; that they had disgraced themselves, and no wonder the rebel army had thrown its whole force upon it during the two days' engagement.
    My report is now before you. The effect of the official announcement which you made is having a demoralizing effect upon the brave men and working injury to them throughout the country. It has been the basis of newspaper articles and of strictures upon the military conduct of the division.
    I would most respectfully ask, for the benefit of the service and for the honor of the division, that if you have changed your opinions you would as publicly give a refutation to these charges.
     I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,








THOS. A. DAVIES.
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE MISS., THIRD DIV., DIST. WEST TENN.
General DAVIES:
    GENERAL: In reply to your note just received I will say that having read your very clear and creditable report of the operations of your division, I am satisfied they fought very nobly the first day, and that many of them, especially on the right, did the same the second day, and so much so that I shall overlook the cowardly stampeding of those under my immediate observation on the second day, which gave rise to the public indignation I expressed in your presence and in theirs. Assure the brave officers and men of your division that I will endeavor to do them public and ample justice, which will be more than all the news-paper talk to their disparagement. You will oblige me by making this letter known to the command, and you may use it publicly if you wish while waiting my official report.


W. S. ROSECRANS,

Major-General.

Series I., Vol. 17, Part 1, Page 267.

Corinth was not Rosecrans' finest hour.  He was prone to temper, more so under pressure, and he had not anticipated the attack on his entrenchments or its ferocity.  There are numerous reports from both days of the battle of Rosecrans in the hottest of the fighting swearing at his men and calling them cowards.  Here he walks back his remarks about a portion of Davies men who held the center of the Union line.  But he excuses his remarks by restating a portion of the command did bolt in his presence.