Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-04-24
Army Corresponding.
Correspondence of the Gallipolis Journal.l
LETTER FROM THE SIXTH OHIO.
WARoRovE BATTLE GRoUsD,
April 10, 1869.

Aprll lUS iooz.
Mr.. HARPER.-SrR:-Forgetting L
acknowledge the receipt of the Journo
which cameto hand before Iwroie yol
last, now thank you for the compli
, ment conferred, and will give you some
items concerning the battle, of whicf
l was participant. l cannot. howev
er, describe many of the important
maneuvers, but will begin withahe 6rst
After marching four days FROM: Nash
vile, We came to Duck River at eplum.
bia. The rebels had burned the bridge
here. Gen. McCook halted to build 9
temporary one. but Nelson would moi
stop, forded the river and pushed for
ward on 10 the Tennessee river. reach
ing it at Savannah, ten miles below
this place. We arrived there Saturday
and pitched tents for the night. Early
Sunday morning, the firing being heard,
all was anxiety to hear whether it was
an attack or not. 1t was not long be-
fore the news came that Beauregard
and Johnston had surprised Grants
forces and were beating them back to
the river. Orders came for US to move
Immediately for Pittsburg landing
We started at two o'clock P. NJ, AM
mons Brigade being in the advance,
composed of the 9Th and cath Ohio and
Seth Indiana. We arrived at the land
ing about six o'clock, but did not get
across until seven. The Secesh were
within four hundred yards Of the land
ing. The gunboats A. o. Tylor and
Lexington were giving them broadside
after broadside with 80 and 81 poun-
ders, shell and grape. When we ar
rived at the top Of the bluff, Gen. Mel
son rode in front of our line and said:
18th Ohio, 1 send you forth and expect
good report of yOu." We then fixed
bayonets and made charge; the enc
my gave way and retreated back about
two miles to Grants camp, taking the
tents to sleep in.
We stood all night in battle line, the
rain pouring down all the while. II
we had been one half hour later Beau
regard would now have possession OF
nearly all Of Grants army. AT day
break our division started down or
rather up the river, Nelson command
ing the left wing, Ammon's brigade
leading the left wing, with orders to
advance steadily until we met theene-
nv. Our skirmishers began to fire,
driving the rebels before them for three
miles, when we came suddenly upon
their full force. Here we halted until
the 22d brigade, composed of the 1st,
Cd, 9th and goth Kentucky, came up.
Our skirmishers kept perpering the
rebels. About seven o'clock the firing
opened in the centre in earnest, and
gradually drew around TO the left. On
came the Secesh yelling, being flushed
with the success they had attained on
Sunday. Nelson rode up and ordered
the lst and ed Kentucky to charge,
which they did brilliantly, driving the
yelling Secesh back across an open field
into the woods. The firing changed
again to the right wing, where the reb-
els met the same rebuke. Our regi-
ment was waiting for a sight at the but
teruuts. Presently they came again in
a charge on the left. Nelson was there,
cool as usual. Riding up he said:-
18th Ohio, charge them from their
cover" which we did with willing
ness, they taking TO their usual habit
of running. left suppose on suspicion.
We were then ordered to protect Ter
rell's famous battery, which was then
unsupported. We took position about
twenty PAGES to the rear of the battery,
lying down on the ground. But this
was not the best place in the field, al
though it was musical enough. The
shell, grape and canister came whizEing
and crashing through the limbs above
our heads, and some uncomfortably
close. Five men fell at one of the
guns and one horse. Captain Terrell
called for 1s men to man a gun; they
we're taken from Company A. Every
time the Captain sighted one 12-poun-
der he would pull off his hat and cry.
"fre. and away with them" One oi
the shells struck Immediately under one
of Bragg's rebel guns and killed Eve
men, six horses and dismounted the
piece. From six O'Clock A. M. Mon
day, the 7th, to six P. NJ, the roar oi
cannon and musketry was terrific, with
out one moments intermIssion. Some
times the rebel and Union lines were
within 80 or 40 PAGES OF each other,
and the blaze was continual, one per-
feet sheet of fame. The battle line,
from the extreme right to the extreme
left, was near four miles long, and the
centre and right of the left wing the
underground was literally moved of,
strewing the ground with the dead
The bombs set Ere TO the leaves, burn
ing the bodies, and making the scene
terrible. I
1t would be impossible to relate the
many strange sights Of this battle field.
Some were lying on their backs with
their arms in the position OF man in
, the act of shooting. The most that
have seen were shot through the head.
Some soldiers that fought at Fl. Donel-
, son and Manassas say that both COM
bined would not make such battle as
this. In some places l saw as many as
( thirty dead on as many yards square oi
ground. They have been burying for
three days, and still they are thick
enough TO keep them burying one oil