St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-06-12
From the minnesota Second Rtt.
*s H. ..sl tory; ss.s

From the esota Second Rtt.
!. H.. ss.l tterys a
[By ii. ln4n.s. y VI: Yinke.d, Esq. =
IRE pernit4d . copx1h. following intsrss II
extracts from lett aseNvA By him fro1
his lFotherA laxsndS ! member Of the efond
Battery, in HsA. Pope Division. II WV >
j will be Scan, written before the ar.eaation
sI# a', =, %, CAnr NEAR Coalrrn;; Miss. -.
T. &@32@ ~. e May 18th, 1862. I .&
DsAE BRorHEE.---I embrace the first oppor-
1ttuniitty siace ny arrival within the Zines II tic
main army to- vrite5to you. IemFriting this
Elstter inssie DUO }bri.sswork% surrounded by
all the stern realities Of actual war.
left ST.. Losis nearly two weeks ege, md
/ were taken down the Mississippi and up the
Ohio toth1 Teniaae5seest River, IS Fsni,ssses
Ito Pittsburg Landing, whore we disembar k.d
and marched twenty mil.sto oa u present posi-
ton, near Corinth and in front Of the enemyis
lines Gen. Halieck has sUin,meuse army here
and the country T. literally covered With rsen
and parks Of artillery Tie lines extend over
about fifteen niles Gen. H.. = advancing
gradually day ~ Jay, and is nov within shell
ling distance Of cotihnt Our Battery is on
the left bend, in Gen, Pope's Division. The
) Fourth and Fifth RI giments, we're engaged to-
day. The enemy came out to drive iour mem
back. from some breaslworks and rj1et pits
thrown Up the nj hit before. The Fourth did
not do much, but some Missouri regiments Id
connection with the Fifth Minnesots, repalsed
the enemy, driving them back and capturing
fifteen 6spound field pieces. Lieut.! David
Cakes, whom you knew well, was killed At the
first fire from The enemy" ehell struck him
on the heatd, taking away his Skull on the front
part THE Killed and wounded I ha1e not
been able to learn. Capt. EDDY, also 81 the
Fifth Minnesota. was wounded, 1 cannot say;
how badly. There is artillery enough here, It
seems to me, to blow the South to atoms.-.
You cannot imagine the actual scene Of 2 bat
tie field. Since l come nothing more than
heavy skirmishing has occurred; and the thun-
der Of eight or ten, batteries and five OF six
regiments Of Infantry is perfectly terrific. -
What then must, it be when this whole army
shall open FIRE? 81
The secesh farms and plantations are suffer,
ing, cantell you'll Our intrenchments q,
on splendid plantation; ana Halleck has il
all cut up with rife pits The owner has lied
leaving about fifty negroes, and his cotton We
use for, beds. His fine orchard Of peaches and;
apples-peaches on the trees as large al, black
walnuts-was cut down yesterday to allow Of
some siege guns being planted. The planta-
tons around ore all vacated and cut up alike.
but the orchards on many have not been dis
turbed. At another pointla along the line was
pretty good house and ont buildings Gen
Halleck was to plant q battery. He brought
six sO-pound Parrottguhs, IN ss2twinkie the
whole was demolished, ) and in short time the
ground cleared away. AS write Is O'Clock ?. |
n.y. the enemy have; opened their battsriesi,
l am happy to say that the army is in fine
spirits. The men say thatif Gen. Halleek viii
give the order they will take Coriuth in Il ur
hours. Twenty thousand men went out day.
before yesterday and after a.shArp action took
possession Of railroad running, believe. to
Memphis So continual has been the skir-
mishing along the line yesterday and to-day
that the ambulances pass US every half hour
with the wounded. The belief here is that q
heavy fight will take place to morrow Of ne It
day. .,.,, 1,.-.. ... .s,o.,,. 49,: e. Il
The country where We now are is, not unlike
the Grove Lake sn4 Chippewa country--roll-
ing and wooded except where the farms and
plantations are 1treminds ME of the Alexan-
dria country-those small prairies, but the
timber is only in small groves or narrow. belts.
As one progresses hel passes oyer open spaces
where plantations are, and timber elsewhere.
The country is rather high and not narshy -
The water is fair, and running brooks and
springs plenty / am' quite we'll. The day..
are hot and the nights chilly. = -. :; 9~"s,+'
The army has great confidence in Gen. HAL
leck, and well they may. Be. uregard cannot
drive US back, nor 81 $1,000 men, drive US, from
our position The county for miles back, Of
us, is all cut up with intrenchments and
breastworks. A good many deserteys from the
enemy have some in, and report them short Of
provisions, Seventy men came overt in . body
day before yesterday, One of them said he
had tried to eseape seven times before, and
had heen caugh and lied Up. and ohoaked m
til nearly dead, Others We're. citizens and left
lto9 prevent being Impressed. Prisoners are
captured every day. SIT nj 'Gssx;oi.. 2ot1 7
-; s p. I'VE have just dismantled three Of
the enemy 'slarge siege guns 1t was doneHby
q Wisconsin battery Of 80 pound sParrot;gans.
We could see it very distinctly from whore We !
atte with glasses distance about one mile;-D|
The shots were said to besplendidsI! anesh che