Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn's Confederate Army of West Tennessee retreated
from Corinth on October 4, 1862. Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans did not send
forces in pursuit until the morning of the 5th. Maj. Gen. Edward O.C. Ord,
commanding a detachment of the Army of West Tennessee, was, pursuant to
orders, advancing on Corinth to assist Rosecrans. On the night of October 4-5,
he camped near Pocahontas. Between 7:30 and 8:00 am the next morning, his
force encountered Union Maj. Gen. Stephen A. Hurlbut's 4th Brigade, Army of
West Tennessee, in the Confederates's front. Ord took command of the
now-combined Union forces and pushed Van Dorn's advance, Maj. Gen. Sterling
Price's Army of the West, back about five miles to the Hatchie River and
across Davis' Bridge. After accomplishing this, Ord was wounded and Hurlbut
assumed command. While Price's men were hotly engaged with Ord's force, Van
Dorn's scouts looked for and found another crossing of the Hatchie River. Van
Dorn then led his army back to Holly Springs. Ord had forced Price to retreat,
but the Confederates escaped capture or destruction. Although they should
have done so, Rosecrans's army had failed to capture or destroy Van Dorn's
force.