St. Mary's beacon., 1862-04-17

Inc military operations ut the past week
show that the task Of su;jugation has re-
ally commenced in good earnest. The
great army of the West has encountered
the Confcdcrates in Southern Tennessee
and q great battle has been fought near
Pittsburg Landing. sad. If We believe the
Federal version Of. it. has resulted in a
Federal triumph. No official report of it.
however. has reached us ar yet, and, when
We remember that nearly two weeks have
transpired since the fight closed, in the
absence of an Official confirmation Of a
Federal victory We suppose it would be
but fair to give the reporters from each
side of the question a hearing. The
Federal reporters, from the battle field,
state that on Sunday. the 9Th inst, the
Federals under Grant were attacked BY an
overwhelming ftrce Of the enemy, and.
after desperate and sanguiuary conflict.
which lasted until late hour in the day.
were driven from their camp with a
heavy loss in killed. wounded and prison.
crs. They also acknowledge the loss Of
several field batteries anu admit that the
fight for the day Terminated in FEEDER.
al discontinue A predisposition to skulk
and other incidents not over compliment
,ary to the Ohio troops, are referred to
in the report of this days fight. and. but
for the timely arrival of heavy reinforce
ments under Gen. Ruel, it is admitted
that the route would have been a Balls
Bluff disaster on a larger scale. On the
following morning the C"nfedcrates re-
newed the fight at very carly hour and
continued it throughout the day. but, be-
ing unable to make serious impression
upon the immense hosts that had arrived
under Bucl, they Withdrew in the even
ing and retired to Corinth. The FEEDER
al reports all agree that the Confederatcs
fought with great valor ana determination
and give their officers credit for the display
efthc most oon.ummase gencralsbip. The
Federal loss. in these reports. is estimated
at from 1000 to Is, coo, whilst the esti-
mated Confederate loss ranges from 49,.
600 to 1000. So rnuch for the Federal
reports that have reached US, and whether
or not Federal victory shall be inferred
from their general tenor, we leave it to our
readers to determine. Our city exchanges
Of yesterday contain what purportx to be
an extract from the Richmond Wig Of
Friday last, and is nut down in that jour.
nal as an official dispatch from Gen. Beau
regard. which entirely changes the Feder-
al version Of the fight. In this dispatch.
it il stated, that the Confcderates attacked
the Federals. under Grant, on Sunday and
routed them with great slaughter. A,
immense number Of prisoncrs--number-
ing from 5000 to lo,0OO-tcgether with
80 pieces Of artillery arc claimed to have
been captured and the renewal of the
fight on Monday and the subsequent
retiring of the Confederases to Corinth
are alluded to. rs being in accordance with
a previously arranged plan of operation.
So far from being defeated on Monday,
Gen Beaurcgard speaks Of tho second
days fight as Confederate success and
states that he Withdrew. at the close Of
the day. to his Notifications at Corinth
without pursuit or molestatiou. His re-
port confirms the death Of Gems. A. s.
Johnston and w. II. Wallace as like
wise the capture Of Gen. Prcntiss. So
much for the Southern version of the
affair, which VIC likewise give to our
readers free from comment, other than
the simple injunction that is is well to
remember tLas the report from the
Richmond Wig is stamped BY the eff
cial inprin"t4r Of Gen. Beaur egard,
whilst tho Federal reports are but
the productions Of the clustering repor-
tiers Of a venal, trammeled and partizan
press. We may add that the best and
surest barometer to be guided by. as to
the result of this fight, is the New York
stock market, and. when it is known
that both United States and Border
State stocks have been gradually de-
clining ever since the battle Terminated.
it il but fair to conclude that either the
Federals have been defeated or have at
least gained 80 such advantage rs had
been hoped tor in this quarter. Again,
if the Federals gained a decisive vic.o-
~, why have they not marched against
Corinth? II il admitted that this post
is the key to the Gulf States and must
be reduced ere a successful advance
against New Orleans can be made,-