 Photo of marker at mass Confederate grave at Iuka, Mississippi. Among those buried here "in a ditch" is Private John Durell of Company C, 37th Alabama THE ALABAMA 37TH REGIMENT OF VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA: A NARRATIVE HISTORY & CHRONOLOGY PART III: September - December 1862 September 1862 - The 37th Alabama, with an effective strength of only 304 men at this time, is assigned to the 4th Brigade under the command of Colonel John D. Martin in Brigadier General L. Henry Little’s 1st Division (Little’s-Hébert’s) of Major General Sterling Price’s Corps of the Army of Western Tennessee, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. Army of the West ("Price’s Corps"): Major General Sterling Price, Commanding September 3, 1862 - Private William P. Spratling (Co I) departs for home after employing a "Substitute" to take his place in the regiment. This practice of hiring someone to serve in one's place is commonplace – and expensive for those paying the price. A substitute’s asking price is often more than $1,500. Despite being physically absent, a substitute allows his benefactor’s name to remain in place on a company’s rolls. Spratling doesn’t go home empty handed. He takes with him all the excess baggage the men and officers of the regiment have been ordered to rid themselves of. The Regiment is showing all the signs of preparing for battle. September 4, 1862 - The ammunition stores that Lt. Carlisle brought back from Tupelo are loaded on wagons and dispersed. Carlisle works himself ragged and still suffering from "Camp Fever," he must be relieved from his post as Brigade Ordnance Officer and is hospitalized on September 6. As an officer, and to his very good fortune, Carlisle is quickly sent out of the deplorable hospital conditions to the private home of a "Mr. McCullough" in the nearby countryside to aid in his recuperation. Other officers from the regiment, Captain Joel C. ("Jack") Kendrick and Lieutenant James Burnett (both of Co C), are housed nearby at the home of "Mrs. McCoy." Lieutenant Tom Harrell (Co G) soon joins Carlisle at the McCullough home. Known Deaths from Disease during September 1862: September 14, 1862 - Price’s Corps, which includes the 37th Alabama, enters Iuka, Miss., which has been hotly contested by both sides earlier in the year. Iuka is strategically located near the Tennessee border. It is an essential logistics base for any Confederate designs in Tennessee; conversely, it is perfect for launching any Federal campaign into the heart of the Confederacy. Price’s superior officer, General Braxton Bragg, commander of the Confederate Army of Mississippi, is leading an offensive strike deep into Kentucky. He orders Price to prevent Union Major General William S. Rosecrans’ Army of the Mississippi from moving into middle Tennessee to reinforce Nashville. Price has about 14,000 men, and is instructed that, if necessary, he can request assistance from Major General Earl Van Dorn, commanding the Confederate District of the Mississippi, headquartered at Holly Springs, Mississippi. Major General Ulysses S. Grant, commanding the Federal Army of the Tennessee, fears that Price intends to go north to join Bragg against Nashville. Grant plans for his left wing commander, Major General E. O. C. Ord, and his men to advance on Iuka, Mississippi from the west. Rosecrans’ forces are to march from the southwest; arrive at Iuka on the 18th, and make a coordinated attack the next day to trap Price and eliminate the perceived threat against Nashville. September 18, 1862 - The 37th Alabama is engaged in the "Battle of Iuka:" Ord arrives on time and skirmishing ensues between his reconnaissance patrol and Confederate pickets about six miles from Iuka before nightfall. Ord sends Price a message demanding that he surrender the town. Price refuses. At the same time, Price receives dispatches from Van Dorn suggesting their two armies rendezvous, as soon as possible at Rienzi, Miss., for attacks on Federal forces in the area. Price informs Van Dorn that the situation has changed and he cannot leave Iuka immediately. He does, however, issue orders for his men to prepare for a march the next day, to rendezvous with Van Dorn. Rosecrans does not arrive at Iuka on the 18th but begins his march at 4:30 the next morning. September 19, 1862 - Rosecrans’ army marches early, instead of using two roads as directed, he follows the Jacinto (Bay Springs) Road only. After considering the amount of time that Rosecrans requires to reach Iuka, Grant decides that he probably will not arrive on the 19th. He orders Ord to await the sound of fighting between Rosecrans and Price before engaging the Confederates. As Rosecrans advances on Iuka, his men fight actions with Confederate troops at points along the way. About 4:00 p.m., just after ascending a hill, the Union column halts because the Confederates are well-placed below in a ravine, filled with timber and underbrush. The Confederates launch attacks up the hill, capturing a six-gun Ohio battery, while the Federals counterattack from the ridge. Fighting, which Price later stated he had "never seen surpassed," continues until after dark; the Union troops camp for the night behind the ridge. Price re-deploys inactive troops from Ord’s front to fight against Rosecrans’ men. Ord still does nothing - later stating that he never heard any fighting and, therefore, never engaged the enemy; Grant also remarked that he had heard no sounds of battle. This "sound dampening" effect, due to the hilly terrain and prevailing winds, would hamper troops on both sides from participating in battles throughout the war. Following the fighting on the 19th, Price decides to reengage the Yankees the next day, but his subordinates convince him to march to join Van Dorn, as earlier planned. At the same time, Rosecrans re-deploys his men for fighting the next day. Price’s army escapes via the uncovered Fulton Road, protects itself with a heavy rearguard and sets off in hopes of joining with Van Dorn. Although Rosecrans was supposed to traverse Fulton Road and cover it, he stated that he had not guarded the road because he feared dividing his force; Grant later approved this decision. Rosecrans’ army occupies Iuka and then mounts a pursuit; the Confederate rearguard and overgrown terrain prevent the Union pursuit from accomplishing much. The Federals should have destroyed or captured Price’s army, but instead the Rebels join Van Dorn at Ripley, Mississippi. The Confederate 1st Division’s commander, Brigadier General Lewis Henry Little, is killed instantly by a bullet to the head while meeting with Major General Sterling Price and other officers during the battle. Command of the division passes to Brigadier General Louis Hébert of Louisiana. The 37th Alabama suffers tremendous casualties at Iuka. Officially, 12 men are killed and 43 are wounded out of the mere 304 in the regiment. Colonel, James F. Dowdell and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander A. Greene are both among the wounded, Greene, the more seriously of the two. With its two ranking officers wounded, command of the regiment falls to Major William F. Slaton himself shot from his horse, (in its panic the break-away horse injures Captain Moses B. Green and Private William R. Kelly, Jr., both of Co A). In his after-action report, Colonel Martin states: " ... I regret the necessity which Following the action, the regiment is apparently placed in a combined command with the 36th Mississippi regiment under Colonel W. W. Witherspoon. Known Deaths from the Actions at Iuka, Mississippi: September 24, 1862 - Major General Sterling Price marches his army from Baldwin, Miss., to join with the Confederate forces under Major General Earl Van Dorn now at Ripley, Miss., for a combined assault on the Federals occupying Corinth. As Van Dorn is the senior officer he assumes command of the combined force, now numbering about 22,000 men. September 28, 1862 - The 37th Alabama within Hébert’s Division alongside Maury’s Division arrives in the vanguard of the army and is in place outside Corinth.  October 1, 1862 - The remainder of the combined Confederate forces of Price and Van Dorn march to Pocahontas, Tennessee, just north and west of Corinth, and then move southeast toward the city. They hope to seize Corinth and then sweep into middle Tennessee.Since the siege of Corinth in the spring, Union forces garrisoned there have erected fortifications including an inner and intermediate line to protect Corinth, an important transportation center. With the approach of the Rebels, the Federals, numbering about 23,000, occupy their outer line of fortifications and position men out in front of their breastworks. October 3, 1862 - 10:00 a.m. - The main body of the combined Confederate army, now designated the "Army of Tennessee," is closing to within three miles of Corinth, Mississippi.
Van Dorn’s men move into some old fieldworks that the Confederates themselves had erected during the earlier Union siege of Corinth. The fighting begins, and the Confederates steadily push the Yankees back from their positions. A gap occurs between two Union brigades which the Confederates, including the men of the 37th Alabama, exploit around 1:00 p.m. Samuel Singletary (Co A) wrote of these activities in 1902: " ... Our boys moved steadily forward under a deadly fire right up to their work and some of our company were in the act of mounting the works when they fired a Napoleon gun in their faces, but in their hurry and eagerness to take the company they aimed the gun too low and the canister struck the works and went over their heads. One canister shot struck James M Gray on the head and cut out a lock of hair and he could not be made to take that position again during the war.The Union troops move back in a futile effort to close the gap. Price attacks and drives the Federals back further still; the Confederates drive the Union troops into their inner lines. By evening, Van Dorn is sure that he can finish the Federals off during the next day. This confidence - combined with the heat (well into the 90°s), fatigue and water shortages - persuade him to cancel any more operations that day. Rosecrans regroups his men to be ready for the attack he’s sure will come the next morning. Van Dorn plans to attack at daybreak, but Brigadier General Louis Hébert’s sudden sickness postpones action until after 9:00 a.m. Brigadier General Martin E. Green assumes command of the 1st Division from the stricken Hébert. As the Confederates move forward, Union artillery sweeps the field causing heavy casualties, but the Rebels continue their advance. They storm Battery Powell and close on Battery Robinett, where desperate hand-to-hand fighting ensues. A few Rebels fight their way into Corinth, but the Yankees quickly drive them out. The Federals continue, re-capturing Battery Powell, and forcing Van Dorn into a general retreat. His men now exhausted from the heat and heavy fighting, Rosecrans postpones any pursuit until the next day. As a result, Van Dorn’s force is defeated, but not destroyed nor captured. October 4, 1862 - Beaten, Confederate Major General Earl Van Dorn retreats back the way he came - to the northwest away from Corinth. Following the death of Colonel John D. Martin at Corinth (and the wounding of his replacement in the battle, Colonel Robert McLain) - command of the 4th Brigade which contains the 37th Alabama, 42nd Alabama and 2nd Texas is given to the Texan, Brigadier General John Creed Moore. The Brigade is reassigned to Major General Dabney H. Maury’s Division of Price’s Corps, Army of Tennessee; Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. The officer corps of the 37th Alabama is hit hard at Corinth: Captain W. W. Meadows (Co G) is killed in the battle, and command of his company passes to Lieutenant S. M. ("Sledge") Robertson who is also wounded in the fighting. One of the 37th Alabama’s Majors, William F. Slaton, is also wounded, as are Captains Moses B. Greene (Co A), John O. Davis (Co B), Joel C. Kendrick (Co C), and Marion C. J. Searcy (Co H). Officially, four enlisted men are also killed and a total of 41 men are wounded out of the regiments, including the above-mentioned officers. Another 30 men are missing, many of them are known to have been captured. Many more (at least eight additional men) are also known to have been killed, or died from their wounds than were officially reported. Sledge M. Robertson (Company G) resigns his commission in February 1864 stating he’d lost his left arm to amputation following his wound at Corinth and command of Company G passes to C. E. Evans at that time. Private William Dorman (Company I) also has his left arm amputated due to a wound at Corinth. Private William Washington Culpepper is among those captured and is perhaps also one of the wounded at the Battle of Corinth: October 4-5, 1862 - Van Dorn is pursued by Federal forces and retreats overnight to the "Davis Bridge" on the Hatchie River. Defense of the bridge falls largely to the men of the 37th Alabama Regiment.
Between 7:30 and 8 a.m. - Van Dorn’s force runs headlong into Union Major General Stephen A. Hurlbut’s 4th Brigade. Reinforced by Ord, who takes command of the now-combined Union forces, Van Dorn and Price’s men are pushed back about five miles to the Hatchie River and back across the Bridge. After accomplishing this, Ord is wounded and Hurlbut assumes command. While Price’s men (including the 37th Alabama) are hotly engaged with Ord’s force, Van Dorn’s scouts look for and find another crossing of the Hatchie River. Van Dorn then leads his army back to Holly Springs, Mississippi. Ord has forced Price to retreat, but the Confederates again escape capture or destruction. Known Deaths from the Actions at Corinth and at the Hatchie Bridge Van Dorn’s headquarters at Holly Springs, Miss., becomes the base of operations for the Army of Tennessee for the fall and winter. The 37th Alabama is posted to Grenada, Miss., approximately 60 miles to the south. October 19, 1862 - On its way to Vicksburg, Miss., the train carrying the majority of the regiment derails at Duck Hill, Mississippi, after the engine of the troop train runs headfirst into another engine on the same track. Several passengers are killed and more are badly injured. Somehow, none of the members of the 37th Alabama are among the dead, but three men are injured. Jeptha Perryman (Co A), J.M. Stanley (Co F) and Jefferson Tidwell (Co K). From October through November, 1862 at least 16 more men from the regiment are numbered among the dead at various hospitals in the region surrounding Vicksburg, Mississippi or while at home on sick furloughs. Known Regimental Deaths October-November 1862 By December, the 37th Alabama is moved closer Vicksburg, Miss., to help fend off Ulysses S. Grant’s explorations around this strategic port city controlling the Mississippi River. The regiment, now commanded by the tandem of Colonels William T. Withers and Allen Thomas, is in a Provisional Division under Brigadier General Stephen Dill Lee and Major General Dabney H. Maury in the 2nd Military District, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. December 1, 1862 - Private Thomas Harrell (Co G) dislocates his knee as he jumps from a bridge over the Tallahatchie River that he and other members of the regiment had set ablaze in an effort to slow Union troops advancing on Abbeville, Miss. The next day, December 2, Private William H. Parker (Co E) is taken prisoner. December 3, 1862- More members of the regiment become POWs, as well. Privates Calvin Hays and James R.E. Sellars (both Co E) are captured at Taylor’s Station, Miss. Another POW, Private Thomas F. Leggett (Co A) was sent to Holly Springs after being captured where he died overnight on December 31 of Smallpox. December 4, 1862 - Actions around Water Valley, MS, claim several more POWs from the regiment. Prisoners Taken at Water Valley, Mississippi - December 3-4, 1862: December 26, 1862 - The 37th Alabama is engaged at "Chickasaw Bayou" north of Vicksburg, Mississippi:The day after Christmas, three Union divisions, under Major General William Tecumseh Sherman, disembark at Johnson’s Plantation on the Yazoo River to approach the Vicksburg defenses from the northeast while a fourth lands upstream on the next day. December 27, 1862 - The Federals push their lines forward through the swamps toward Walnut Hills, (also called Walnut Heights) which is strongly defended. December 28, 1862 - Several more futile attempts are made to get around the strong Confederate defenses. December 29, 1862 - Sherman orders a frontal assault that is repulsed with heavy Union casualties. Sherman withdraws. This Confederate victory frustrates Grant’s attempts to take Vicksburg through the well-guarded "backdoor." As Major General Sherman withdraws from the field, skirmishing continues until January 3, 1863. NEXT: History - Part IV
37th Alabama Regiment of Volunteer Infantry CSA © Copyright 2007 C.C. (Chip) Culpepper
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Army of the West ("Price’s Corps"): Major General Sterling Price, Commanding
demanded the separation of my brigade, as it placed two regiments of my command entirely beyond my view and control. I deem it but simple justice to notice the cool gallantry and daring of Colonel Dowdell, commanding the Thirty-seventh Alabama, who was slightly wounded but did not leave the field. He was most gallantly assisted by Lieutenant-Colonel Greene, who was in the thickest of the fight and very severely wounded near its close, and by Major Slaton, who acted bravely and nobly. ..." 
- Private William Banister (Co A) Killed in Action (KIA) at Iuka - Sept 19
October 3-4 - the 37th Alabama is engaged in the "Battle of Corinth"
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