Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-21
The Pir,.burx nat,leficId.

nc naAkteItti0s
The editor of the Lafayette Journal gives the
following interesting description of the Pitts
burg battlefield and incidents connected with that
terrible contest:
PiTsBURG LANDING,
Saturday, April 18th, 1862.
Our first introduction to this now celebrated
locality decidedly gloomy one Our boat
arrived in the night. On going out on the guards
we found the rain pouring down in torrents, and
those peculiar drizzling sort of torrents that seem
TO Indicate long, dreary rain. The landscape
itself was most uninyiting 1t is a triangular in
dentation in high range of hills. The size of
the triangle nearest the river is probable hun
dred yards long. The hills are from seventy to
one hundred and twenty feet high. A score of
steamboats, lie with their noses to the shore
Freight is being discharged Soldiers and officers
are marching in every direction, while long trains
of army wagons wind slowly up the hills, taking
every course from the river to the camps which
extend back from it FIVE miles, and four miles
along It. Shouting teamsters, swearing wagon
masters, braying mules, mingling their discord-
ance with the whistlihg of the incoming and de-
parting steamers, make, combined, such a bewil-
dering din as, am sure, never greeted my ears
before. The first question stranger asks him
self is. show is it possible to evoke order from
! this confusion worse confoundedf' If he goes
out on the landing, and among the wild disorder
of boxes, army stores, officers trunks, army
wagons, and all the necessary baggage and stores
ola great army his wonder will increase Should
he go up into the camps, travel for hours. AS |
did, over the thirty square miles over which our
troops are scattered, see the apparent want of
concert and system on every hand, he would re-
turn, as did, dumbfounded.
By the vigorous exertions of Secretary Hollo-
way, the steamer Charley Bowen was loaded
1-...I - -
is covered with them. The state rooms are
crowded with them. They are even all over the
upper and lower decks, and out on the guards.
1t is difficult to get from part of the boat to
another, crowded are the floors and passages
everywhere with MANNED, pale, emacated. silent,
accomplishing Indiana soldiers. 1t was enough
to make an Indianian shed tears of jog to stand
among these wounded braves and hear them in
cheerful tones relate the many thrilling events of
Sunday and Monday last.
No less than ten thousand Federal troops fed,
panic-stricken aud dsorganized on Sunday, and
stopped not until they crouched beneath the
| river banks. No Importantly or imprecation
could drive them forth to battle, though The rebel
hosts were advancing on all sides through the
woods, though Grants entire army was in immi-
nent danger of destruction, though the hopes of
liberty and union were ut stake, though Buell. s
army was fast advancing and reinforcements were
dianian among them ALL Scores Of men were
drowned in the Tennessee in their efforts to reach
the steamers, which had moved out into the river
to avoid being sunken by the frightened crowds
of soldiers that poured pel nell over and down
the hills.
1t will be long time before the history OF
the battle of Shiloh, as Buell. calls it, can
be written. | do not see how it can ever be
| written correctly, so contradictory are many ac-
I N ri fWO ia
In brief, it may be stated that Grants army mum.
boring probably forty thousand was surprised on
Sunday morning soon after daylight by the add
vancing enemy. We were surprised. All ac-
counts agree in saying, strange as it may SEEM
that we were surprised. The enemy in our
camp in battle array before we had notice of his
coming General Grant WAS at Savannah and
did not arrive on the battlefield until the fight
had been raging for three hours. His negligence
and careleSsness have damned him. OF mere
bravery on the field he undoubtedly has enough,
but have doubt we owe to his ineifciency
the loss of thousands of our men. 1t is sad to
know that such things are true, yet true they are
| think. beyond all question.
Nothing but the knowledge upon the part OF
our troops that Buell's army fast marching
to our relief together with the almost accidental
presence and aid OF the gunbosts; prevented the
loss to US of Grants entire army. Ii is useless 10
speculate upon what would have been the result
Dying treason would have sprung up 10 new life
and ygor. We should have loss Tennessee
again The lurking rebels all over the country
would have sprung upon our divided columns and
the battle of Shiloh would have been more dis
graceful to our national arms than that of Bull
Run, and infinitely more disastrous in its conse-
quences.
APRIL BIN company with Capt Carroll, OF
the 10Th Indiana, we visited the camp of that
regiment to-day. Col Kise is still under arrest
1t Is most astonishing how many of officers
are under arrest, most Of them for what seems
very trivial ofenses. No matter how small the
oifense, how purely technical it may be, or how
dangerous or disastrous the consequences, the
red tape gentlemen of the regula: army school
insist most pertinaciously in visiting upon our
volunteer officers all the inconvenience and pen
alties of arrest
Col. Reed, of the 44th Indiana, who performed
prodigies OF yalor on both days of the late battle
and whose regiment now numbers less than three
hundred effective men, under arrest when
the battle of Shiloh commenced for some such
trivial matter as giving soldier furlOugh.
Col Kise. however. in good spirits. He
regretted that the 10Th did not get in until few
hours after the rebels had been driven from the
field, but feels sure of being found in the right
place in the next battle now expected daily. His
regiment is here without tents, blankets, cooking
utensils or even overcoats. The regiment came
in on the double quick, having thrown away
knap5acks and blankets in order 10 be up in time
but in vain. The boys suffer considerably in
their present condition, they have been sleep
ing now several nights In the rain with almost
nothing to eat and no protection from the wealth
err Their baggage wagons are expected soon.
Since the foregoing was written. the 10Th In
diana has been sent up the river with severa
other regiments. for what purpose is unknown, a:
is also the destination. i parted with severa
officers of the regiment at 10 P. NJ, tonight, a
which time they had received no intimation o.
the order to move. Standing on the deck of th.
steamer at III, saw long line of troops. cavalr,
and infantry, filing silently down and embarkins
on adjoining steamers. That nearest US received
the 10th with Others. Some of the boys recog
nized us in the moonlight. and many wele the as
messages shouted over to for trends at home
} Alter two three hours all were aboard. On,
gunboat took the lead. ten crowded steamers fol
lowed, and another gunboat brought up the rear
A bind on the deck of one of the steamers playe'
Dixie as the procession sailed off in the moon
light. There they go deeper and deeper into tn
heart of Dixie. When shall we hear from tn
glorious 10Th againY 1t is surmsed by SOM
that the expedition is sent up to destroy TN
bridge at Florence Others say that il is to clea
! out battery fifteen miles above. All agree tina
il is to operate with reference 10 an early attacl
! on Beauregard at Corinth.