, 1862-05-27
THE WAR IN THE SOUTHWEST
4 View of the Situation and
Localities.
CCRINTH AND VICINITY.

from Our Own Correspondent
CAm BEFORE Coa1s1H, May 22d, 1861
Coriuth, Miss, is q new town, built up by
the railroad running through it. It La q plsce
Of some importance, and will hereafter bear
great historic rcnown. The town isabout two
miles south Of the Tennessee line, and eight
west Of the Alabama line. The Ohio and Mo- /
bile railroad runs north and south, and the |
Charleston and Memphis road to the east and |
west, through the town. The Grand Junction I
on the latter road is eight miles west Of Corlnth.
Here the Charleston and Memphis road con-
nects with the Jackson and Great Northern |
and mississippi Central, running to New Or
leans, and the Memphis and Ohio road. This |
latter point, Grand Junction, is of considera- |
BILE st1atcget1c importance to Bcauressara, asin |
the event cf the Mobile road being cut off to
tho south of Corin1h, it will be the only road
whereby to effect 1etTcst south.
The ground from the Tennessee River to
Corinth, is Of precipitous character, being a
succession Of valleys aud hills, with an oc-
easional stretch of low swampy ground, made
by creek valleys. To the left Of the Federal
camps, the famous Pine Barrcns Of Alabama
commence The ground occupied by the ar
my Of Gen. HallecI, is Of little more open
character than that between it and the river.
Immediately in front Of their last position,
{May 16th) is belt Of loW marshy ground.
caused by q couple Of creek valleys, and
covered with tangled thicket5 and underbrush.
This will average three quarters Of 4 mile in
width. -Across this our arIny have made roads
and bridges, sufficient for the passage Of
heavy ordnance, feld-pieceB, transportation,
&c. Immediately beyond, from the south to
the northwest, for three quarters Of Q mile the
ground is comparatively undulating and ris-
ing. There are points here within range, which
cover the town Of Corinth immediately be-
5ond this rising ground, which has been occu-
pied by the pickcts Of both armies since We
have been here, there is another belt of swami
~ ground, about the same width as the first
mentioned, which rises abruptly on the west,
and the tops OF which forms Il level plateau,
on which Co1inth is situated. Through the
| centre Of this runs from the northwest to the
| southeast, small etream on either side o1
which the town is laid out. On this plateau
are eneamped many Of BeauTegard's s regiments
| and along the east Of 1t are entrenchments and
guns. But this position would not be defensi
Bile, when once our batteries obtained posses
sion of the rising ground to the east, befort
mentioned, were it not that to tine west tht
ground rises abruptly and higher than the lant
in front The Charleston and Memphis roat
has a cut Of IS feet through it. On this sec
oud plateau must he located the largest AMI
strongest position OF the rebel fortitications
To the south the ground is more precipitou
fur eevcral miles, .han 1t is, even, in our line
and rear. It is ycry easy Of defense, and her
| it is considered that Beauregard will make hi
great stand.
Nothing is especially known Of the organl
zation OF Beauregard's army, though it is ccl
| tain that both Pemberton from Savannah, Ga
and Lowell from NeW Orleans, Price an
Van Dom, from Arkaueas, Ha1des and Bragg
} with their respective commands, arc ali .
: accessfous Of Home Guards and volunteer
larc b.en received. These latter arc not to b
) | deeplscd, composed, u they arc, largely {
the planting and mercantile class, who mo:
, ! dcvoutly believe in tic Confederacy. Thl
class has been under military instruction
their respective cities and localities, and vi
| probably fight even more desperately tha
The regularly enlisted men Of the army. Ce
E tainly they are better material than the presse
| u.tr.
! LIE r EQCIA1 HINtt uU0cT IltlUI dCHcItA
. ". Haleck is now'as well organized as it
4 possible to be. There are fourcorps de arm
zach under Major General.
The torEl Of CoriEth is about eighty-tW
mlessfroEo Memphis. It is twenty, ,two fro
v PuTdy, eigh to Monterey, three to Farmin
n Pittsburg. Thir1y-one miles from Grar
Junction. Tenn, where the Memphis or
Ia | Charleston Railroad, running east and wee
T. is crossed By The Mississippi Central, ruuni1
Il north aud south. It is twenty miles In an a
~ line from the Tennessee River on the eaE
= forty-tve from Tuscumbia aud Florence, Al:
"a binety from Decatur, Ala, one hundred fol
y teen from Huntsville, Ala., about t7
- hundred to Chattanooga, Tennessee, al
.. and 80 in q direct southeast line to Mol
y gomer5, Ala, the inst capital Of the Confe
- lracy. FROM Corinth to this latter point,
~ ~ the Uhio and Mobile to Sowashee, where t
~ ~ Southern Mississippi terminates its finish
'' pnrt ION, it is nearly 200 miles. From thcn
,, to Montgomery, Ala, is about lao miles acr<
ic the State, no railroad being finished d. FEe
W by railrcn1. To Vickshurg nearly 800.
~ TIC esas1 State lire ot mississippi, by the Jat
~ son route. about $50 nlileR. On an air III
Corinth is distant from Mobile about 800 mi
" -ty railroad probably City more. From N
is Orleans nearly 400; By railroad it must be
If least 475. Should the rebels effect u RETREAT
>, Grand Junction, aud thence to jackson, hi:
u th.ir next slire Of defense; Should any {,
a siderable portion of Gen. Joe Johnston'3
ut ginia army succeed in reachiHg Alabama
a. will undoubtedly be along the line presen
By the Central Georgia Railroad, running fr
as Saysnnah, Ga, to Montgomery, Ala, aud
ol Ctnsral Mississippi road, rnnuiuy from Vic
burg, on the mississippi River, to Jacks
the State Capital, and thence to so*ast
~ whtre it connects with the Ohio and Mol
y Rai1road and terminates, leaving break
u. about $50 miles in railroad communication
on This offtrs Advantages during the sum-
=, months which will readily be seen by q gla
W at the map But with thu: riveT in our pos
sne sion, Vicksburg will be Of no value, IT
.th Mobile must soon be restored to it's al1cgia1
ct- as New Orleans ba, already been. Savan1
10, Ga, will soon succumb, and the country t
1a+ left for rebel defensive operations Is tot
lalf unable to support a large ur1ny- Texas, l
cu | isiara and Arkausas cut of from them, t
,,1f principal cattle and grain supplies go =
a tttm It will enly be q question Of time
ON OUT armies, and we ca2: af,rd to garri
1th Memphis, VickEburg, New Or1eaus, MOI
i II aid other necessary strategic points, du
the SUMMER N onths. lcaTing all extensive
ny operations to more suitable weather, bJ nj
EeW time the 1ebullion, like scorpion in 4 rim
Of fire, hemmcd in this narrow circle, will
,Fas stung itself to death