First Brigade - Sixth Division
- Army of the Tennessee
Colonel Everett Peabody
This brigade of four regiments was encamped on west side of Eastern Corinth road, about one-half mile south of Hamburg and Purdy road, in the following order from left to right: Sixteenth Wisconsin, Twenty-first Missouri, Twelfth Michigan, Twenty-fifth Missouri. Three companies of the Twenty-fifth Missouri under its major, Powell, were sent out at 3 a.m. April 6, 1862, to reconnoiter. Moving southwest from camp, Powell passed between the Rhea and Seay fields and into the main Corinth road, where one of Sherman's picket posts was stationed. Beyond the picket, and near the southwest corner of Fraley field, he encountered Confederate pickets, and was fired upon at 4:55 a.m. After an engagement of over an hour, Powell fell back before the advance of Wood's brigade to the Seay Field, where he was reinforced by Colonel Moore with his regiment, the Twenty-first Missouri, and four companies of the Sixteenth Wisconsin. Colonel Moore took command, but was soon severely wounded, and Captain Saxe, Sixteenth Wisconsin, was killed. Lieutenant Colonel Woodyard, Twenty-first Missouri, assumed command, and was engaged about one hour, when he fell back to Rhea Field, where he was net by Colonel Peabody and the remainder of the brigade. Peabody held the Confederates in check until 8 a.m., when he fell back to his camp. Here he was attacked by the brigade of Shaver and the right of Wood's brigade. Peabody was killed and the brigade forced to abandon its camp at 9 a.m. The brigade organization was broken up, a part retiring through McClernand's lines and about 200 of the Twenty-first Missouri and 100 of the Twelfth Michigan joining Prentiss at his third position, where they were surrounded and most of them captured at 5:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
12th Michigan - Colonel Francis Quinn
21st Missouri - Colonel David Moore