The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-10-24
'r aNar} yEEkL DEMOCRAT s4AAi
in the streets and +. ightened fggitives into
a panic, while our own fierce missiles ripped

in the streets and t. ightened f9gitives into
a panic, while our own fierce missiles ripped
up the forests. yd fstDals ii xgAlo3 d .a0n
It was perhaps half-past nine O'Clock
when the bitter tragedy began to develop
in earnest. "A prodigious mass, with
cleaning bayonets, suddenly doomed out
dark and threatening on the east Of the
railroad, moving sternly up the ,, ,livar
Road in column by divisions. Directly
it opened out in the shape Of monstrous
wedge, and drove forward impetuously
toward the heart OF Corinth. 01 1t was a
splendid target for our batteries, and it
was soon perforated. Hideous gaps were
rent in it, but those massive lines were
closed almost as soon as they were torn
open. At this period the skillful manage
ment of Gen. Rosecrans began to develop.
1t was discovered that the enemy had been
enticed to attack precisely at the point
where the artillery could sweep them with
direct, cross and enfilading fire. He had
prepared for such an occasion. Our shell
swept through the mass with awful effec.,
but the brave rebels pressed onward inf1ex-
IDLY. Directly the wedge opened and
spread out magnificently, right and left,
like great wings, seeming to swoOpC over
the whole field before them. But there
was a fearful march in front A broad
turfy glacis, sloping upward at an angle of
thirty degrees to a crest fringed with de-
termined, disciplined soldiers, and clad
with terrible batteries, trowned upon them
There were few ObstructiOns-fallen TIM
ber-which disordered their lines little
But every break was instantly weld
ed Our whole line opened fire, but
the enemy, seemingly insensible to fear,
or Infatuated by passion, bent their necks
downward and marched steadily to death,
Nth their faces 0oe,'ted like. men st''ioing
to protect themselves against q d,'iving
storm Of hail. The Yates and Burgess
sharp-shooters lying snugly behind their
rude breastworks, poured in destructive
fire, but it seemed no more etfectual than
if they had been firing potato balls, ex-
cepting that somebody was killed. The
enemy still pressed onward sundismayed.
At last they reached the crest of the hill
in front and to the right of Fort Richard
son, and General Davies division gave
way 1t begun to fall back in disorder.
General Rosecrans, who had been watch
ing the conflict with eagle eye, and who is
described as having expressed his delight
at the trap into which General Price was
blindly plunging, discovered the break and
dashed to the front, intlamed with indig-
nation. He rallied the men by his splen-
did example in the thickest Of the fight.
Before the line was demoralized he sue
ceeded in restoring it, and the men, brave
when bravely led, fought again. But it
had yielded much space, and the loss of
Fort Richardson was certain. Price sright
moved swiftly to the headquarters of Gen.
Rosecrans, took possession of it, and post
ed themselves under cover of the portico
of the house, and behind it's corners,
whence they opened fire upon our troops
on the opposite side of the public square.
Seven rebels were killed within the little
enclosure in front of the Generals cottage.
The structure is sort of sieve now--bul-
lets have punctured it so well. But the
desperadoes got no further into town.
Battle was raging about Fort Richardson.
Gallant Richardson, for whom it was
named, fought his battery well. Had his
supports fought as did his artillery men,
the record would have been different. The
rebels gained the crest ofthe hill, swarmed
around the little redoubt. and were swept
away from it as breath will dissipate
smoke. Again they swarmed like infuri-
ated tigers. At last desperate dash with
yell. Richardson goes down to rise no
more. His supports are not at hand. The
foe shouts triumphantly and siezes the guns.
The horses are fifty yards down the hill
toward Corinth. A score of rebels seize
them. The seth Illinois suddenly rises
from cover in the ravine. One terrible
volley, and there are sixteen dead artillery
horses, and dozen rebels. Illinois shouts,
charges up the hill, across the plateau into
the battery. The rebels fly out through
embrasures and around the wings. The
seth yells again and pursues.
The rebels do not stop Halnilton's
veterans, meantime, have been working
quietly-no lung work, but gun work
enough. A steady stream Of fire tore the
rebel ranks to pieces. When Davies broke
it was necessary for all to fall back. Gen.
Rosecrans thought it well enough to get
Price in deeply. A rebel soldier says
Van Dorm sat on his horse grimly and saw
it ALL "Thats Rosecrans' trick" said he,
"he's got Price where he must suffer. I"
Maybe this is one Of the apocrypha Of bat
tie. A rebel soldier says it is truth. But
Hamiltons division receded under orders
at backward step, slowly, grimly, face to
the foe, and firing. But when the 56th
Illinois charged, this was changed. Davies
misfortune had been remedied. The whole
line advanced. The rebel host was brok-
en-. A destroying Nemesis pursued them.
Arms were flung away wildly. They ran
to the woods. They fed into the forests.
Oh what shout of triumph and a gleam-
ing line of steel followed them. It is
strange but true. Our men do not often
shout before battle. Heavens what thun-
der there is in their threats after victory.
They" report that snch shout was never
before heard in Corinth. Price once &c in
vincible," now invisible legions were brok-
en-, demoralized, fugitive, and remorseless-
ly pursued down thehill, into the swamps,
through the thickets, into the forest. New
ly-disturbed earth shows how they fell and
how very often.
sToRMINa OF FORT RoBINETT.