The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-04-23

h dr;v;., our fpecea Thsee diferen, times
thew drove oar men slowly before them,
untI Trey came in sight Of the river, and were
plsinly visible even - these On the main land
ing below.
While the couaict ragged the hottest in the
quarter We we're writing Of. the gunboa' Tyler
passed Sosly up the river 70 poins directly OPP
posite the force Of the enemy, and poured in
broadsids frem her immense guna The shells /
vent tearing And crashing through the woods,
telling trees in their course. and spreading hsv-
tremendous, and the shell falling far inland, |
most probably, from their direction, in the very
heart of the Secession force, must have told
v,h startling effect. At any rate. attribute
the failure Of the foe to carry the leit wing, in
. great measure, TO the well-directed shots Of
the Tyler.
Up 70 three O'Clock. il viii be remembered,
the battle had ragged With fury which defes
description At every point the rebels bad
found every attempt TO break our lines unavail'
ing. They had strivsn to drive in our main col
umn, and finding that impossible, had Turned all
their strength upon our ieft wing. Foiied IN
that quarter, they Lou made another attack
on the centre, and fought like tigers. They
found our lines veil prepared for aad in full eI.
pectation of their coming; every man to his
definite conclusion
In hourly expectation of the arrival of the
forces under Gems. Nelson and Thomas, who
we're as Savannah, and to whom messages had
been sent, q fact q well known to the Secession
isss a. ourselves, they made every effort to route
our forces before these reinforeements should
have come forward. They were, however,
fighting against val Of Ere and steel, manned
| by As brave hearts - ever smellsd the essence
OF guupowder Voliey answered to volley, and
for q time the battle Of the morning vas resnac-
ted over the same ground, and with the same
vigor ON both sides.
| At FIVE o'clock there VAS q short cessation in
the firing Of the enemy, their lines falling back
on the centre for the distance, perhaps Of
nearly mile. They then suddenly wheeled and
again threw their entire force upon the left
wing, determined to make the final struggle Of
the dsy in that quarter. The gunbost Lexng-
ton, in the meantime, had arrived from Savan
nah, and after sending . messenger to General
Grant to ascertain the direction in which the
enemy lay from the river, the two boats took
position about half mile above the landing and
poured their shell up deep ravine reaching 10
the river on their right The shots were thick
and fast and told With thrilling effect.
In the meantime Gen. Wallace had taken .
crcuitous route from Crump's Landing and ap-
peared suddenly on the right wing of the enemy.
In face Of this combination Of circumstances, the
rebels felt that their enterprise was for the day
failure. and As night was about at hand, they
slowly fell back, fighting a. they went until they
reached an advantageous position, somewhat in
the rear, and occupying the main road to Cor
NTH. The gunboss continued to send their
.hell after them until they had entirely got be-
yond their reach.
ia t;uno hop-
to obtain list, or even any accurate knowledge
Of the loss by killed, wounded or missing. Come
Of our Ohio regiments have suffered severely, al
though the number of those severely wounded
10 comparatively small. Gun shots in tho arms
AID legs are very plentiful. it seemingly having
been the object of the enemy to wound rather
than kill outright, being in adherence to the pol
icy that it requires four men 70 take care of enc
wounded, while nsne are required to look after
the dead.
After worried watching Of several hours oil
the most intense anxiety, the advance regiments
Of Gen. BuelIs division appeared on the oppO.
site bank of the river, At Eve O'Clock ,his after
noon. Steamers we're Immediately sent over.
Indiana and the Sixth Ohio being the FIRST to
cross followed By the main portion of Gen. Mel.
sons division. They we're succeeded ny Gen.
Bruces commend. embracing, among Others, the
First and Second Kentucky. Cheer after cheer
greeted the arrival of the reinforcements, q
kno Hedge Of their Importance in the crisis be.
ing firmly impressed upon all who had witnessed
the events Of this dreadful day. Without mo-
ment's delay, they disc a bar ked and marched to
the advance, where they rested on their arms
for the night. They had come at q double quick
from Savannah, but their comrades had sustain
ed an unAinchias Eight for fifteen hours, and
they were CAD to relieve them. aud afford then
. few hours rest.
As sit tonight, writing this epistle, the dead
and wounded are all around me. The knife of
tho surgeon 10 busy at work, and amputated legs
aud arms lie scattered in every direction. The
cries of the suffering victim, and the groans OF
those who patiently await for medical attendance,
are most distressing to any one who has any sym.
patty with his fellow man. All day long they
have been coming, and they are placed upon Il Q
decks and within the cabins Of the steamers, and
wherever else they can End q resting place.
hope my eyes may never again look upon such
sights. Men With their entrails protruding. 9th.
with bullets in their breasts or shoulders, and
one poor wretch found whose eyes had been
entirely shot away. All kinds of conceivable
wounds are TO be seen, in al parts Of the body
and from oil varieties Of weapons.
1t is midnight, and bseids the cries of distre..
all is silent, save the hourly discharge Of broad
side from the gunboats. sending heavy shell into
the vicinity of the enenys camps l should
judge that they are having rather . sleepless
night, under the circumstances. The rain is be-
ginning to fall heavily and mercilessly on the
poor wounded, Who are exposed to its peltings
Every particle Of sheltered space is occupied by
them, and yet there are hundreds who have no
protection from the storm. Yet these are the
circumstances Incidental to this terrible war.
There is No need Of endeavoring TO deny tina.
| this 10 the battle Of the rebellion. No haIder
| lighting has ever been done in any contest which
has ever taken place in this Or any other coun.
try. Soldiers stood at their guns and fed them
with cartridges. hour after hour, fow early dawn
sst sunset. Officers have been present wherev-
er their presence could AFFORD encouragement to
their men; and privatss, muskets in hand, have
hungry, Thirsty, and wsrn-fought with IN en-
ergy and perseverance, which ds6es al descrip-
| ton.
Is might not, psrhaps, under ordinary circun.
| stsncss, be proper to mention any case Of appa-
rent cewardice which could occur in erch q con-
test; yet think that justice demands that ref
erence be made to the conduct of q new regi
ment, Il spare the nane in consideration Of the
brave soRs Of the Ssate,) who had arrived at
| this point the day previous to the battle.
How different vas the action Of this regiment
from that of . score of others might mention,
who stood masfully in the fight, amid . shower
of balls esch - seldom fall in any battle Of mod
ern times. especially on this side Of the Atlantic.
1t must not Be forgotten, that 10 this fight there
we're engaged troops Who had Eet tasted q mouth
ful of food aimee the Dre yious night and who +,