Lauman's Brigade

This brigade had formerly belonged to the Army of the Ohio, where it was know as Cruft's brigade. It was sent from that army to reenforce Grant at Fort Donelson and had remained with the Army of the Tennessee. General Lauman was assigned to the command April 5, 1862. Its camp was on the south side of Dill Branch, its right at the Hamburg road. About 8 a.m. Sunday April 6, 1862, it moved out to the west side of the Peach Orchard field and formed line with its right in the woods near the head of Tilghman Creek. The order of its regiments from left to right was: Seventeenth-Kentucky, Twenty-fifth Kentucky, Forty-fourth Indiana, Thirty-first Indiana. About 9 a.m. it was attacked through the timber on its right by Gladden's brigade, closely followed in succession by attacks, upon its whole line, by Stephens's brigade and the right of Gibson's brigade. One of the features of the battle at this place was the burning of the leaves and brush in the woods where the wounded were lying.


About 2 p.m. the brigade was transferred to the left and formed in open woods just east of the Hamburg road, the Thirty-first Indiana in reserve on left flank. This position was held until about 4 p.m., when the brigade retired with its division to the seige guns. After the action for the day had closed it moved 150 yards to front and bivouacked for the night. On Monday at 10 a.m. it reported to Sherman and served with him until the close of the battle.

The above is from Reed's history of the battle. Click here to read Lauman's report.