Lick Creek Bottom - Marching through the Mud

“Advance of Federal troops on Corinth- the Carnival of Mud- scene at Lick Creek Bottom, between Pittsburg Landing and Monterey, four miles from Corinth, May 5th, 1862- General Hurlbut’s division forcing their way through the mud. Our illustration cannot fail to fasten the grand fact of mud firmly on the reader’s mind. Our special artist, Mr. Lovie, carefully made the sketch on the spot at Lick Creek Bottom, when General Hurbut’s division of Halleck’s grand army was advancing from Pittsburg Landing to Monterey. In his letter he said: “Lick Creek Bottom is part of the road between Pittsburg Landing and Monterey. The hills on both sides are clayey ground, and the creek rises rapidly after every rain. On Monday, May 5th, an attempt was made to pull through the cannon and wagon train, but the mud was too deep, and the result was that in a few hours the bottom was filled with wagons and mules, hopelessly mired, and waiting for dry weather to be dug out. A moment’s reflection will enable you to get a faint idea of the enormous task before us. The bottom land is very deep and rich, and only those who have tested the adherent and adhering qualities of this soil can appreciate its glorious consistency and persistency thoroughly. I have had considerable experiences of mud, but, in all my rides, or, rather, wallowings, I have seldom experienced such difficulty in getting my horse along, and I only succeeded by driving my spurs so vehemently into his poor sides, that he made those desperate plunges which carried us through.” —Leslie, 1896

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