Smyrna times., 1862-03-06
A Visit to the Battle Field.

correspondent of the Chicago Times, writ
Feb. II, says:
was invited on Sunday morning, by Gen
McClernand, to take ride over the battle field
1t would be difficult TO describe in few words
The scenes which have met my view. The
battle ground was chiefly confined to the space
outside the rebel Qualifications, extending up
Ile river bank distance of two miles. to tn
point where General McClernand's force rallied
from the retirement which they were al first
forced into by the impetuous charge Of the
enemy.
1t must be remembered that it was here that
the grand sOrlie was made by the rebels up the
river bank, with the intention of turning our
right flank, and cutting their way out, Some
| ten or twelve thousand men composed the force
sent out for this purpose. They advanced un-
der cover of deadly fire Of artillery, and stead.
| lily drove General McCernand's force before
them a distance OF fifty or sixty rods. Our
troops here made a stand, and being reinforced
by one or two regiments, began the assault,
before which the enemy were forced 10 retreat.
The ground was contested with desperation
and the slaughter on both sides was immense.
The whole space of tive miles was strewed
with dead, who lay in every imaginable shape
and form.
Federals and rebels were proniscuously min
gled, sometimes graPPled in the herte death
throe, sometimes facing each other as they
gave or received the ia tai shst or thrust some.
times lying across one another, and again
heaped IN piles which lay six or seven deep.
could imagine nothing more terrible than the
silent ind lcalions OF agony that marked the
features OF The pale corpses which lay at every
dan ead in lp
thew still writhed and seemed to turn to caIci
The passing breeze for a cooling breath. Star
ing eyes, gaping mouths, clenched hands anC
strangely contracted limbs, seeming drawn int
the smallest compass, as if by a mighty eRor
, to rend asunder some irresistible bond which
held them down to the torture Of which thel
; died
! One sat against tree, and with mouth ant
ewes wide open, looked up into the sky, as if Il
, catch glance of its feeting spirit. Anothe
clulcbed the branch of an oVerhanglng tree
and hung half suspended, as if in the death PAM
y he raised himself partly from the ground. Tn
e other hand grasped his faithful musket, and tn
n compression Of the mouth told ofthe determine
, ton which would have been fatal to foe ha
life ehbed a minute later. A third e.ung wit
beth ha nds to bayonet which had been burle
: in the act OF striking for the heart of a rebe
foe.
Great numbers lay u heaps, just as the fir
' of the artillery moved them down, mangln
their forms into an almost undistingushabl
mass Many Of eur men had evidently falle
victims to the rebel sha PshoOters, for they wer
pierced through the head by rife bullets, som
in the forehead, some in the eye, others in th
: bridge of the nose, in the cheeks and IN tn
e mouth. This circumstance verified state
o ment made to me by rebel officer among tn
v prisoners, that their men were trOined to shoe
: low and aim for the face, while ours. as GET
= eral thing, tired al random and shot over the
70 heads.
ID The enemy, in their retreat. carried oil the
10 wounded and great many OF their Dead &
"a that ours far outnumbered them on the hel'
The sceae Of action had been mostly IN th
u weeds, although there were TIVE open places
e. IN acre or two where the 6ght had ragged fur
d. ously, and the grouud was covered with dsa'
re- All The way up TO their intrenchments the san