Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-04-23
A VISIT TO THE BATTLE
FIELD.

cTQt who was on the steamer w lite
CLOUD on lis way up the Tennessee, re-
lates his experience as follows:
1t is fact which | can hardly account
for on principles of acoustics that when
we were forty miles from Pittsburg, con.
fused and vague reports came to US OF
the cannonading heard MI day Sunday.
These stories although frequently repeat
ell, served only to amuse me at tirst.
As we came within ten miles of Savan-
nah, and twenty miles from Pittsburg,
II +, dull boom of cannon became distinctly
audible, and grew sharper and louder as
we advanced. The effect of the sound,
now repeated at slow intervals now in
creasing almost into volleys, when COM
bised with our knowledge of the vast
forces probably engaged, brought to
mind the tones of Wa. erloo, heard in
the halls of Brussels. 1t was half the
pcan of victory, and half the knell Of un.
told dead.
When we reached Savannah the most
incoherent and conflicting stories were
hurled ut us from deck AMI shore. The
cry was, hurry ON with You batteries
immediately; they want them. How
slowly the craft seemed to toll against
the stream. Perhaps our little six poun-
der howitzer might change the fortunes
of the day. AT last the Pittsburg Land
ing, with its line of smoke-stacks and
steep bluffs came into sight. Its sides
for mile were swarming with blue
coats, artillery horses struggling up the
bank, cavalry, infantry, army stores lit
tiers bearing wounded and dying. min
eled in the chaotic confusion. What
could this mean. Could it be another
Bull Run? When the boat landed, we
harmed that we had been repulsed on
Sunday, but had retrieved our fortunes
the next day; that the enemy were re-
treating, and that the battle was pretty
much ended. | rushed ashore, hoping
to find some place to deposit my baggage
in safety, but for half an hour the
attempt seemed hopeless.
Meantime the quivering report of the
monster guns behiud the bluff told plain
" enough that the contest was not over.
At last found hospital steward, who
relieved me of my burden, and | got
fairly under way, founcing along through
the mud among the trains of am
balances and artillery wagons. For half
a mile l pressed on through the forest.
which covered the entire surrounding
country, without finding any evidences of
an engagement, except here aud there
the scar of an occasional shot high up on
the trees. was told that the hard fight
ing was mile beyond. At last broken
muskets, cartridge boxes, haversacks,
horse here and there stretched out, i'll his
blood, began to appear. Before long |
found poor fellow mangled and rotting
who had doubtless fallen the day before.
I picked up letter lying upon him, but
reflected that it might identify the body
and replaced it. These were the first
drops in he tempest of human blood.
Atsome little distance beyond, through
the eucampment of the Third Ohio, the
scene baffied description. Muskets by
the hundreds had been thrown down and
abandoned. Bodies were lying at inter
walls of rod in all directions. Mangled
trunks of horses were scattered about.
The fighting here must have been we'll
contested and desperate. To detail all
the hideous aspects of the dead in this
field of carnage, if it were possible, would
be simply revolving. l was drawn by a
sort of fascination to one corpse after
another. The expression of mortal agony
in the faces of many was as fresh as
Parrhasius could have wished to paint.
Some were distorted and defiant. The
faces were hard and bearded. Others
were boyish, and bore almost the repose
of sleep. One smoothed faced lad seem
ed to smile. / fancied that in the dying
moments lie saw bis mother. God pity
such moihersl Most Of the hands were
clenched; the glazed eye still glaring as
it glared upon the enemy in the moments
of death.
I'm n ravine further on, the corpse Of
the enemy lay the thickest. Here there
had been a cannonade OF grape shot and
balls. Trees n foot in diameter had been
cut in two. Nothing seemed to be un-
scathed. Two rebels lay disembowled
and Drained by huge ball, which had
apparently slain horse beyond. Here
lay poor wretch, in the clamminess and
paIlor of apparent decomposition. l
supposed he had died Sunday; but con-
ceive my horror, when l saw that his
chest heavcd, AS in his breast the wave
of life kept heav;ng to and fro" A car
non shot had Drained him, but life still
worked in spasm upon his features.
Behind me came strange, agonizing
cry; it was that of wounded man borne
upon litter
4 Kentucky Captain was exceedingly
anxious that | should superinteud tie
burial of an old friecd and recent enemy,
white headed gentleman of the manor
horn, and made him some vain pledges.
He said that it would break his wife S
heart if she knew that be was rotting
there. How many hearts will be brokea
how many homes made desoate by
the last few hours! One soldier tod me
that he was trying to find the body of
his brother who might be dead on the
field.
On the bluffs to the south of the Land
7 Il ~.o.- r.