The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-04-25
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT.

able to renew their attack they had strong
probability of being successful. Thus the
contest of Sunday ceased, and night yelled
both combatants from view. The enemy
yet possessed great advantage. They bad
driven the Federal army entirely away from
its camp, and held the tents, large quaint.
ties Of commissary stores, and twenty pieces
of artillery. The Second Ohio Battery
had lost ten guns, Schwartz's six. Dresser's
two, Warehouses; two. They were in high
glee over their success, some of the most
demonstrative shouting and singing songs.
Entering their tents they dressed themselves
in Federal clothing, leaving their own to be
packed up with the spoils. That they in.
tended to carry off everything is evident
not an article being destroyed. The Fed
eral soldiers lay in any but comfortable
circumstances for nights rest, the mud
being knee deep, and a powerful enemy only
few yards away. All looked forward
with intense interest to the morrow.
During the night Gen. Wallaces and
General Nelson's forces arrived, and imme
diately took position the former on the
right, and the latter on the left of our POI
sition. These reinforcements were thirty
thousand strong. Hardly had daylight
broken Monday when the battle was renew-
ed, first commenced by collision between the
pickets. A rest, even poor as it was, and
knowledge of meeting the enemy on more
equal terms, gave new vigor to the army,
and instead Of being attacked, our Gener
ais became the assailants.
simultaneously on both left and right,
Generals Wallace and Nelson threw their
forces upon the enemy, opening sharp fire
of musketry, and instantly almost the battle
became general. Every battery was brought
into position. The exhausted troops of the
day before supported the fresher ones, and
beat back the enemy. They wavered their
ranks and feel into confusion. 1t was fast
becoming rout when rebel achievements
arrived, and again turning, our troops were
for moment obliged to give way. Hard
ly, however, had they began to see the ads
vantage when they found themselves flank.
ed by Gen. BuelPs army, and before they
were able to extricate themselves destruc.
tive fire of grape thinned their ranks, and
several of their guns were captured.
By skillful move, Beauregard concen-
trated his forces, turned the weakest part of
Buell's line, and avoiding Nelson, directed
skillful attack upon the formers com.
mand. For short time the struggle was
severe and with varying results, but again
the batteries were successfully brought to
bear, and as the canister swept among
them the rebels staggered, retreated, made
stand, and then, by another mastery
movement, extricated themselves and be.
came the assailants.
This was but momentary. The Union
troops were now confident of victory. ln
excellent order they obeyed their commas
ders. Once more portion of them fanked
the rebels and the latter retreated. In this
manner, slowly giving back the ground they
had gained, the battle continued until four
o'clock, when the retreat became rapid and
soon assumed somewhat the character of a
rout. The Union forces were too tired to
pursue efectually, but bodies of cavalry fol-,
lowed, and did considerable execution. At
distance of eight miles from Pittsburg,
the Confederates, after crossing stream,
destroyed the bridge, and thus, for time,
stopped pursuit. They succeeded in carry.
AoS OA wv VAVoooAu ~ iSOoSAS3 0uu iotSo1 IL"
ports say they intend to make stand at
once but where it is impossible to tell.
The telegraph has advised you of all the
names now known of the killed and wound.
ed, but additional ones will be learned dai.
ly. Although there are numbers here who
were present at the battle, so great was the
confusion that the extent OF the victory,
and probabilities of another battle there
soon, are not yet known. The number of
killed is immense, and from the best means
of judging is fifteen hundred on the Fed~
eral side, and twice the number of rebels.
The total of our killed, wounded and mis-
sing is ten thousand. On the field of bat
tie, six miles in extent, it is estimated there
were on Tuesday over three thousand dead
and eight thousand wounded. The scene
was terrible, mutilated, disfgured beings
crawling around, begging for attention, and
covered with blood and dirt. The wounded
had to lie exposed on the field during one
of the severest storms of the season.
Active measures are being taken to re-
move the killed and wounded. The rebel
force is thought to have been eighty thou
sand. In attacking, Beauregard command
ed the centre, Johnston the right, and Polk
the left, the rebels outnumberiDg our troops
two to one. w.