New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-04-21
VOLUME XIV.
Army Correspondence.
From our Special Correspond ant
CAMP tcPugETE1s fpear Cnrin,t snril

Army Correspondence.
From Special Correspond anti
CANT t1cPnEErEns, tnear Cosinth,) april l5 1862.
Mr.. Editor-Our men who fought and won the |
battle Of Shiloh will not soon forget the Federal
encampments, which extended from the Tennessee |
river in this direction almost continuously for, it |
seemed to me, six or eight miles. They were re- |
markable, not only for their extent, but for their
regularity, order and well chosen locations; while
the profusion of stores and supplies of all descrip-
tons showed the nyariahle disregard Of cost that
has thus far characterized Federal campaigning.
The care and labor bestowed upon their encamp
ments and parade grounds indicated perfect conf
dence in their ability to remain as long as they
should please but that confidence must have been
greatly shaken by the thunders of the 9th and 7th.
A large proportion Of the tents were Of the Sbey
pattern which, the reader perhaps knows, is of
sugaroaf form, open at the top, with cap to
keep out the rain, and is capable Of accozmo.
dating from sixteen to twenty-five persons. Most
of TIE encampments were large enough for two or
more rcs.1.on., un,., s.,nergn FEW men among
our troops saw all Of them during the two days we
were there, we saw enough to shelter very large
army.
The first encampment we entered had evidently
been evacuated in such haste that its occupants
had time neither to carry away nor destroy any
thing hardly. They had hurried out to meet our
advanced force, had fought, been beaten and pur-
sued through their camp, oaYn troops being too
hot in chase to seize any chance OF plunder. We
thus found the camp about as it was when occu
pied, but though our regiment halted few min
utes, the men were not allowed to leave the ranks.
Articles of food, which they were greatly in need
of, were freely distributed by the officers, but
there was no time for indiscrimnate plunder while
the enemy was intent only on saving his bacon.
At the close of the day, when the Federals had
been driven in terror and confusion to the shelter
of their gunboats, many of our weary troops
turned their attention to the captured camp, but
found that pillaging had been actively at work
already by somebody. l accompanied number
of men, detailed from our regiment, to visit the
nearest camp and procure whatever could be found
for supper. The place presented singular scene.
1t was already full of men, few caring what they
got, bu. all intent upon securing something. Most
of them had fine sperm or star candles, by the light
Of which they were tumbling about the enemyas
abandoned property. The tents had probably
been ransacked halt a dozen times during the day,
anu inside inside c..l outside everything was strewn
about in the most complete confusion possible !;
while, as il to finish the picture, number OF dead
men and horses scattered here anu there, inc
former retaining the constrained attitudes IN whlch
the last agony had left them as they stilfened IN
| death. Nearly all articles OF food, except mart
crackers, had disappeared, and what the pllaSefs
| deporcd more deeply, there was no whisky.
shout was raised in one OF the tents-" sllihe
| light, smell whisky! !" An eager crowd gathered
around a barrel; the head was dashed in, and, to
their disgust and disappointment, the contents
| IF 11pOt
The profusion Of the enemy's stores and supphes
was matter of wonder to our troops. Those who
got the first chance at the tents found every thing
that well.proyided table need set forth-excel-
lent butter, cheese, fresh eggs, poultry, fish, fresh
beef, potatoes, apples, preserves ETC., being quite
common. though rare luxuries with US. Our men
anpropriated or destroyed everything, and would
! have burned the tents next day, but heavy rain
fell during the night, completely saturating them
and ON Monday our diminished forces had enough
to do to hold the heavy columns of the enemy II
check.
Our countermarch to Cornh was performance
) of the most laborious and painful description
worse BY far than our two days struggle with th
Y Federal army. The roads were the worst eve
: saw. rough. hilly and incredibly muddy. TIT
wagon wheels sunk to the hub in many places
o and it required the utmost strength of eight mule
6 tn haul piece of artillery. The soldier on loo
l. fo,ind it impossible to avoid the mud; even in til
IS uutrodtlen woods his foot went down tarongh ID
G leaves ankle deep into the SOFT oozy ground Lat
c at night we halted bare, bleak hill. y col
1t rain fell heavily ard incessantiy until dayereaf
e and the whole regiment, officers and men, had
!; stand and be drenchcd from head to foot, thet
being not the slightest chance of shelter, nor an
y place to lie down except in mud and water III
If Crescent Regiment has not yet recovered from u
b. effects of the fatigues and exposure OF that LEI
d. uesseeexpedition and at present its health Is IN
~ far worse condition than it ever was before. III
M men have however, been treated very conslde
es ately, The wounded and seriously sick have bet
sent home, and during the week since our retu
~ the performance only of indispensable camp dutl
in has been required.
~ -, We. have nothing reliable from the, ,Ienness
"a riyer-only rumors, one day that the enemy a
IT, refttipg their camps and fortifyng, and the ne
" "ne that they are taking to their gunboats, bag a
~, baggage. Beauregard evidently don't eXpt
~ ~ them to abandon their contemplated march up
=. Corinth and Memphis without another trial
,sa | strength. -- u w >
ter aBThe Express Company has our thanks
rs' late papers.
nj ---------s - ,
,,+ I'VE are indebted to Alr. II. W. Ray for Il