Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-06-19

GOODNESS and determination with which
he pressed his successes.
Correspondence Of the Charles City Intellgencer.
Letter From the Army.
COMPANY X, Sd Iowa INFANTRY,
CoRINrH, Miss. June 1, 1862.
FRIEND HnpRErH The old flag now
waves over the court house Of Corinth
in triumph. The enemy have once
more evacuated one Of their impreg-
nable Positions" it being supposed to
be military necessity |"
For long while the Federal army,
under Gen. Halleck, has been slowly
advancing and encircling the rebel
stronghold, fighting their way, inch
by inch. On the morning of the 30th
the right wing under Gen. Thomas,
was within one mile of the rebel
works, and Gen. Sherman was about
to open fire on them with his heavy
siege guns and 54-pound howitzer,
when news was received that the
enemy was evacuating. Gen. Hurlbut
Immediately ordered his Division to
move forward, and the Sd Iowa, being
the LIST Regiment in the LIST Brigade,
was in the advance. After traversing
a low, swampy piece of timber, we
obtained our first view of the long
talked of Notifications at Corinth. AT
first sight they present very formid
able appearance. AS far as the eye
could view were line within line oil
eartb-works sweeping along, while in
front every shrub and tree had been
cut down, and strong abattis form
ed to resist storming parties. This
would have been capital place for
Birge's sharp-shooters. who could
have picked off the encmy's gunners
easily.
The works were on q high ridge,
commanding the approach finely. As
we came up to the works we found
they lost considerable of their fcrmid.
able appearance. 1t seems that here
Distance had lent strength to view
Their Notifications consisted oil
two lines of carth.works running
parallel with each other, the inside
line about onc-fourth Of q mile from
the outer, with numerous lines cross
ing between at right angles, to pre-
vent a cross-fre. On the outer line
were several towers, bomb-proof, for
the heavy guns. of which they had a
limited supply. They had no ditch on
the outside of their works and moth
ing to prevent a body of stormers
from running over them. after working
their way through the abattis.
Inside the works was their deserted
camp, and you cannot conceive q
more forsaken-of.God looking spot.
There was heaps of -four, meal, sugar,
tents and barrels. All was desolation
and destruction on every side. This
was nearly two miles from Corinth.
The road was covered with KNAPP
sacks, canteens, guns, knives and
bayoDets, on every side. In Corinth
were heaps of burning cotton, forage,
corn, peas, beans, sugar and molasses.
All the depots, warehouses, and one
large church, had been blown up, and
were still burning. There were thou.
sands Of bakc-kettles, mess.pans,
coffee-pots, and household goods piled
up and fired, yet they were not much
injured, heaps of mess-pork and
large variety of provisions were
smouldering in the flames.
Corinth, in its days of prosperity,
must have been most beautiful
place, of nearly two thousand inllabi-
tants. 1t is the Junction of nearly
all the Southern Railroads Of impor-
lance. and judging from its stores
and hotels, must have done thriving
business. 1t is we'll watercd, con-
tains splesdid Artesian we'll, has an
abundance of shade trees, and some
beautiful dwellings. and q fine court
house, which the rebels had not time
to destroy, as our advance overlook
their rear-guard. pitched in, whipped
them out. took some sixty prisoners
and drove the rest at keen run.
Generals Buell. and Pope are still in
pursuit. and it is reported they have
taken 1000 prisoners.
The whole army of the Southwest
was concentrated here, and boosted
that they could not be driven from
their works. By the superior General.
ship of Halleck,--or. as he is termed
by the soldiers. "Old Brains. "-they
have been obliged to evacuate their
works, destroying property estimated
at 100000. and leaving a large
amount of shot, shell. and munitions
of war behind, with an immense guam
tity of sugar and molasses, which of
course will be used by the "little
blue Yankees"
saw only three families of whites
still in town, they all had the white
flag raised, although bitterly opposed
to the Union cause. There were sew
eral blacks who said the rebels had
gone to Grand Junction. That they
had been four days only in cvacuat-
ing. were poorly armed, end the
troops discouraged. This statement
the prisoners confirm. They also