Each brigade found the rebel parapets abandoned, and pushed straight for the town, which lies in the northeast angle of intersection of the Mobile & Ohio and Memphis & Charleston Railroads.

Many buildings had been burned by the enemy on evacuation, which had begun the night before at 6 p.m., and continued through the night, the rear-guard burning their magazine at the time of withdrawing, about daybreak.

Morgan L.
Smith's brigade followed the retreating rear-guard some four miles to the Tuacumbia Bridge, which was found burned.

I halted the other brigades at the college, about a mile to the southwest of the town, where I was overtaken by General Thomas in person.
The heads of all the columns had entered the rebel lines about the same time, and there was some rather foolish clamor for the first honors, but in fact there was no honor in the event.

Beauregard had made a clean retreat to the south, and was only seriously pursued by cavalry from General Pope's flank.