The New York herald., 1862-02-09

had twelve peres OF artuerp-but against tle tolg
range guns Of the enctny they as lose ceep ho
RAPID river was behind our army and the means or
crossing 4 were small steamer and three ferry Eats
only sufficient in oil TO transport carrying three
ci provisions The mcst untiring Efforts Of coniisza
ssres had been only svailing 10 drain the coun
Try Tor twenty miles southward of sYery article ioF
purchase while Oh the immediate read 10 Knox
vile, enough provisions could not be bought,
ron, day TO day 70 snbssl single team more aas
fensioe position than Beech Grove Il is said cousi hard
ly be imagined as long enemy was in front. aI
spring could have bsen better defended but even here
the entire absence OF facilities for supplies from the rear
and the stoppsge Of communication with Nashville by
the river would have compelled Az advance at very
early date or areuograds movement even had no enc
my been threatening. A movement Of one kind or the
other was military necessity.
Amid these unpleasant facts word brought 10 Gen.
Cftenden OF Al advance by the enemyssy of eight 10
ten thousand men-frOm Columbia, and OF large force
from Somerset evidently with view 70 storm our in
trenehments. The result be imagined had this been
attempted for we were without suitable means Of Trans
porteon across the river and all avenues OF retreat
could have been ensctuaily of by the enemy cross
ing above and below Min Spring. General Crtenden is
stated 70 have had but three 10 pursnto a.;
once fall back ngorously and retreat without blow;
TO stay still and be storned and whenever
an enemy Approachedor be starved on, and surrender
within = week; else to make advance movement
into Kentucky The entire army al Mill Spring had been
reduced TO simple ration of beef and half ration OF
corn the latter eaton as parched corn and not issued as
these circums ances, and with the report OF The
advance movement OF the enemy, both from Columbia
somerset.
day evening January Is. With five thousand brave
behind them the council Of war Thought that tney
could drive before them twice that number OF Northern
hirengs. The council is positively satt TO have peen
unanimous decision Both brgsdier generals all
the coones and the captains Of artillery and nfopend
en companies viewed the matter in the same light The
alternatives presented inglorieus retreat with
out blow; an impracticabe defence Of iptrenchmcns,
ending in surrender; eventual starving out, with
a similar result.
At twelve O'Clock at night our columns moved and
marched ten miles before break OF day There they
met the enemy, drove them back half mile, three
times charged them aud often swept their adv ersres
from the 6eld We brought into action less than four
thousand med Almost one-half Of the Fifteenth Mis-
sisspp regimentcommanded by Lieutenant Colonel r.
C. Wahall-fell upon the bloody field. over two hun
dred Of the -four hundred and forty the Fifteenth brought
into action fell in battle. u is said that this gallant
reg iment fought with the enemy almost al ten PAGES
and for fifty yards in their onward charge had 10 walk
over he dead bodies of Yankees.
The battle is said to have been turned by the untne
reinforcement OF the federal troops Instead Of
mens opposed 10 we had 10 ght nearly thirteen and
that with only regiments side, and these
duced half their ordinary size One reliable fresh
regiment the Of the fight might have secured for
the battle and broke eectaly the enenys recruited
ranks AS was regiment after regiment OF the enemy
deployed into the field II until the breaking OF
our cavalry, communicating false alarm to some Of the
Tennessee troops and the pouring in Of fresh regiments
VI the enemy, that retreat made, nor was IL
dered by the General commanding.
The retreat was made in good order, and Icy three
o'clock in the afternoon our army was inside ts snch
ments. Immediately severe cannonading was com
msnced by the enemy making it evident that their
perory Of guns could eventually drive our forces from
Between dusk and dawn our entire army war taken
the river With the loss merely of the artillery
aud worn out tents and camp equipage. Long before
the enemy dreamed OF the evacuation our forcsshad
gained available point to resist any Onward move.
ment Of theirs The abandonment of tbe artillery was
necsssy hs nd 70 the river On both sides
deep In mud to horse and the conveyance Of the guns
ACROSS would have exhausted hours and mpsrs-
lively demanded for the men,
The army camped on Monday night two miles beyond
Monticello, the sick and wounded having been sent
before From Monticello 1t marched by easy stages to
Livingston, where II spent Saturday. the 25th, aud
reached Gainesboro' Sunday evening. Here General
Crittenden is encamped for the present fully supplied
one steamer has already arrived from Nashville with
stores and camp and garrison equipags, AMI ancher is
daily expected
Our informant is satisfied that General was
placed in emergency Of difficult choice and thai the
battle however disastrous, saved his command from the
alternative Of surrender fate or equal severity
From the Frankfort (Ky.) Ysomnn, Feb. ~
We have read letter written by gentleman al Dan
vile 10 his friend in this city who stses upon authority
psnyng the remains OF General 2oic0er aud Lieutenant
Peyton 10 Tennessee that General Crtiendsn
in person at the BATTLE and the field during the
entire engagement beng among the last 10 leave when
the retreat ordered He further that the
ports Of General Crittendens drunkenness and getting
behind haysack were false In every particular: that
coolness and scldierly bearing marked his conduct
throughout the affair The reason fos the attack
that it ascerained the Confcdeaes surround
slaughter outside than II the forces had remained within
tho intrenchments. There Was misapprehension ia
aard TO me numbers OF ins feosFai troops what tne
about 700 or s00O--the rebels numbering between
1000 and 5000 We give this information chiefly
what appears TO be fasehood in regard General
Crittenden situation and conduct in the engagement
General Io eoer according to the report OF Dr. Clifford
received four wounds two pistol and two rife shots
Of the latter passing through his heart The writer
OF the letter mentioned above gentleman " high cha
racter, and his statements may be relied upon.
GENERAL cRIrTENDEN AND THE BATTLE OF MILL
SPRING.
The Nashville P0friot ssys the responsibility for the
rebe defeat Min Spring General Crit;cdsn
who was not only drunk, but had been bought up by
federal gold.
correspondent Of the Memphis Araloneae writing
from Nashville Jan 25, ssyslndeed, yon scarcely
pass along The excited crowds upon the streets-for
Nashville has goodly attendance upon her streets at
present-wthout hearing the commanding officer cha
racterZst a. 90 trunkard "notorieus sot, "sold
brave soldiers for forty thousand doars death
too good for him, y and more Of worse tenor rhors
Others however, who believe that the
Mil Spring IS brave and true patriot, and prefer 10
wait for further dsveopemeDs before expressing thsr
condemnation. In this latter class may be found ont
while would do justice to General Crit snden-whils
would not have him or his Official conduct ssd-
must be permitted to say that, Il the half OF what
Is here reported be true there Is no punishment that
is 200 severe for him.
wHgRRABoUTs or cRIrrENDEx AND HIS REBELS
From III. Knoxville lTenn.) Register, Zen. 81
This officer has hi. headquarters at Gsinssboro,
on the Cumberl,ni river From member OF Genera
learn that the force there perfectly organized the
camp Ia good order aud in the eceip 81 smpl. supplies
Tbs enemy hAvs not crossed the river al Mil Spring
with the exception Of small parties OF skirmlsbss They
seem TO be dslerred BY we'll founded dread Of asnS
movsmsnt by our forces st VI ths kllei and wound
cd aide has been made OUT al hsadansrt4Ts aad
We presume will shortly be published does DOT exceed
three hundred and pretty well Ned that
he enemy loss was much above that number
Gainssooro IS The capital OF Jackson county, Tenn
10 situated % The left bank Of the Cumberland river
It has court house and several stores and dwellings II
hundred miles from the battle aeid st Mil spring
and twenty miles south Of the Tsuussses ias.-Ep
HRAlD.'
Personal Intelligence.
Col j. J. Bsrtlst, Col O. Pa.isn Nsor {. j. Morrison
Captain Hampson. Col J. n Billings IN 5. e. Hsgnsr, OF
ths UnItel Stsles Army L. Grssn aud II n. walton,
" Nsw York are stopping al tho Metropolitan Hotel.
= DarssDn s,d .is, soi Eosburgh, OF Olsvs.
land g. 2 Whtnors, or Massachusetts. =. wssbbIrns,
o. Connecticut. ssi ". W. HiG, OF Bergss Point are
stopping 81 ths Iatsrgs House
Hon a. Duubsm, }. y. Richardson and 4. Il. Mudss Of
Boston Co ] Scodeld aud c. westc9tt of tishsit
~. q 49,