onel Stephens. Each brigade was made up of four regiments of infantry
and a battery. Brigadier-General John C. Breckenridge's reserve
comprised three brigades, commanded by Colonel Trabue, Brigadier-General
Bowen, and Colonel Statham. Trabue had five regiments and two
battalions, Bowen four regiments, and Statham six regiments of infantry.
Each brigade had a battery. By the returns, Cleburne's brigade was the
largest, having 2,750 effectives. Besides, were three regiments, two
battalions and one company of cavalry. This force comprised 40,000 of
the 50,000 effectives gathered at Corinth. Different returns vary a few
hundred more and a few hundred less. General Johnston telegraphed to
Jefferson Davis, when the movement began, that the number was 40,000. In
forming for battle, the army was to deploy into three parallel lines,
the distance between the lines to be one thousand yards. Hardee's corps
to be the first; Bragg's the second; and the third to be composed of
Polk on the left and Breckenridge on the right.

Hardee, moving out in advance, in the afternoon of Thursday, halted
Friday forenoon at Mickey's house, about seventeen miles from Corinth.
Bragg's corps bivouacked Friday night in rear of Hardee. Clark's
division of Polk's corps followed in due order on its road. Cheatham's
division, on outpost on the railroad at Purdy and Bethel, under orders
to defend himself if attacked, otherwise to assemble at Purdy, march
thence to Monterey, and thence to position near Mickey's, did not leave
Purdy till Saturday morning, and reached his position Saturday
afternoon. Breckenridge, who marched from his station at Burnesville
through Farmington without entering Corinth, using a cross-road, could
not pull his wagons through the mud, and failed to get as far as
Monterey Friday night. While Hardee was lying near Mickey's house, his
cavalry felt the National outposts, and a reconnoitring party from the
National camp struck Cleburne's brigade.

The order issued at Corinth required the columns to be deployed by seven
o'clock, Saturday morning, and the attack to begin at eight o'clock.
Hardee began his movement at daybreak, Saturday, deployed about ten
o'clock, and waited. His line being too short to extend from Owl Creek
to Lick Creek, Gladden's brigade was moved forward from Bragg's corps,
and added to Hardee's right. The rest of Withers' division moved into
position behind Hardee's right; but Ruggles' division, constituting the
rig