During the early morning of October 3, the 2nd Iowa, being a part of the First Brigade of the Second Division of the Army of the Tennessee under Brigadier General Thomas A. Davies, moved their line of defense two miles ahead from where they were currently positioned (northwest of Corinth) in order to prepare for an engagement with the enemy. The purpose of placing divisions in this vicinity was to test the assault of the enemy, and if the enemy were formidable, then the Federal troops would retreat to tighter defense works closer to the city. Not long after the sun arose on what would be an excruciatingly hot day, the confederate forces began their attack. The Confederate forces attacked the 2nd Brigade with considerable force and drove them back, exposing the left flank of the 2nd Iowa. The 2nd Iowa was forced to fall back and set up a new line of defense. The lines changed in this way many times throughout the day. Eventually, the 2nd Iowa would defend an area known as “White House.” Here the 2nd Iowa repelled an enemy attack, using the high ground to their advantage. After about an hour of intense fighting, columns of Confederate reinforcements were seen in the distance. Knowing the arrival of those reinforcements would mean defeat for the regiment in the current location, Colonel Baker ordered a charge which drove the remaining enemy from the open field and allowed the regiment to hold the position a while longer. During this charge Colonel Baker was mortally wounded, leaving the command of the company in the hands of the capable Noah W. Mills. The 2nd Iowa along with the rest of General Davies’ division held these positions as long as possible, before being ordered by Davies to fall back slowly and begrudgingly. The 2nd Iowa fought the entire day. As night fell in, the Federal forces were pushed back to their main line of defense. The 2nd Iowa was stationed near the Robinett Battery on the left of Davies’ division. After the first day of fighting, the 2nd Iowa had a total of forty-two casualties.