Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-05-15
Ytlmpnt Chronicle.
PROM THE 4aD REGIMENT
iitorinl Correspondence OF the Belmont Chronicle.
CAMP IA MILES FROM CoRIHTH,
MIssIssIppI Anril 40 I261

noteVef may De the eHect OF tne re-
moval of the Army Of the Mississippi from
before Fort Pillow to this point upon the
consummation Of the great object, the
crushing ont Of tile rebellion, it has certain
" resulted in placing us in a much more
comfortable part Of the country, with far
less Of the disagreeable surroundings of
swamps and musketoes than we occupied
on the Mississippi. Since our arrival here
we have had very pleasant weather, with the
exception Of rather more rain than was COM
Portable to men who are required to bivouac
about one half of the time.
There is but little of moment occurring
except the concentrating of troops and
munitions Of war, the arranging of Divi-
sions, making Of roads, daily reconnoisances
and steady advance of our lines toward the
position Of the enemy; but the time is not
far distant--perhaps before you get this
when the two mighty armies of the contend
ing forces, that are within few miles Of
each other, will meet in hot and deadly
conflict. The rebels cannot lose this battle
without losing. with it all hope Of success.
1t is upon their own chosen field. They
have determined to make it the deciding con-
test of the issue; and if they have any hope
left of ultimate success-if they have not
been satisfied by the steady and rapid ad-
vance of our army, its repeated successes
on every recent battlefield, and their com
plete failure at Shiloh, where the flower OF
their army with the time and place of their
own chosing, were unable to succeed against
an unorganizcd, miserably managed dirision
of this army, ofthe impossibility of succeed
ing in their efforts to divide the Union /;
then they will fight with desperation, and
give us warm and bloody reception Their
determination, backed by any amount of
courage, will avail them nothing. The de-
cree has gone forth. Mitchell with his
army is between them and their homes. =
Buell., Grant and Pope, under the immcdi-
ate control Of Halleck, with their armies,
are about to approach them from the East
and North and nothing but an mterposition
of Providence will save them from destruc.
ton or capture except timely evacuation
Of their position, and this would be the final
ruin of their cause.
My last letter closed with our arrival at
Pittsburg. Since that, we have made several
short moves. We went ashore at place
called Hamburg, about four miles above
Pittsburg Landing, and went into camp
about II miles back from the landing, where
we remained one day and night. Whilst
here we had an opportunity Of seeing the
famous Grey Eagle carried by the Sth Wis
cousin Regiment, which forms part of thi.
division. 1t was rather an inspiring sight
to see it pcrched upon the bundle Of arrow.
on shield, and carried in this position with
the colors Of the Regiment, and ia certainly
avery good subject upon which to get off (
g little bit of highfalutin' romance, such a
went the rounds Of the papers last fall
about its having hovered over the camp o
this Regiment and lit on the flag staff ant
refused to leave it. The Eagle was caugh
when very young by an Indian near St
Croix and was obtained by the Regimen
from him, and the reason why it don't leav
is because it is tied to the shield
We moved about one mile further back
and remained two days; then move abou
five miles nearer Corinth, at which place W
are now; but will probably move again in
day or two, as the divisions of Pope's Arm
are moving forward alternately, one movin
each day
To-day Stanley's division, supported b
Paine's division, made forward movement
for the purpose of breaking up an encamr
ment some three miles South of us, wher
the enemy was reported to be in strong force
fortifying. He marched out at T. p. NJ
over muddy roads to the place where tn
enemy was reported to be, but he had lef
We continued to advance until within abo,
seven miles Of Corinth, when Regimen
6f cavalry in advance ran close up to
couple Of batteries and q camp of ii
enemy. The batteries opened heavy I'll
upon the cavalry, killing one and woundir
four or five others, when they, after captu
cd Ing some eight or nine prisoners, fell bac
TO the main force. Gen. Stanley, havir
no orders to commence an engagement vii
them, and having failed to find the enen
in the position from which he was ordert
to drive him, but much closer his fortifc
tions and main camp, withdrew his forc
and returned to camp.
A day or two ago body Of cavalry we
out on scout and captured sixty prisoner
in fact. almost every day our advance scou
capture some Of their troops.
There is large number Of Ohio Res
ments here,-all that have any Belmo
companies in except the 25th. / have SCI
Capt. Smith, of the 18th, He Is vs
poorly, and was going to Paducah, al
probably home. / visited the camp of Il
18th few days ago, and had chat wi
u1hs "boys" generally, who looked well, al