Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-10-16
The Enemy Defeated.
HEAVY LOSS ON BOTH SIDES.


Especial Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Gazeite.l
BATTLERIELp OF PEBRYvILLE, KY,
October g. 1862.
7 feel il serious undertaking to write the
history OF great battle immediately after
its occurrence, because no individual can zee
oil that takes place upon b1ttle field, nor
can he. even with tho greatest pains taking
and cars. always produce a reliable account
from the various contradictory reports which
no il sure to hear. Nevertheless, careful
observer may, without dong much injustice
TO any one, present such a statement as
shall, until the reception of the official re-
ports, partially relieve the anxiety OF the
public mind .. ..
In endeavoring TO givo an authentic ac-
count OF the battle Of Perryvile, am GER
tain shall make some mistakes and, al.
richly deserved, | may. by unintentional
omissions, seem to do injustice 1t is OF
course impossible to notice all the merito-
rious actions occurring spon so extensive a
iattie field as,that of Perryville and, for
the present, must content myself with
noticing no other than such as fell under my
own observation, or were obtained from
sources that Do,one would question.
FiERcENEss OF THE BATTLE.
I wish to speak in terms of moderation,
hut l confidently believe from the Qi tnions
Of those who have been al Pittsburgh Land
ing, Fort Donelson ami Pea Ridge, that the
sevsrest action Of the war lin proportion 70
numbers e.ngaged) has just taken l,inee, and
that, all things considered, nur arrns have
achieved victory--not brillnn' triumph;
not even complete success, but sill VIC
tory, and one, too. which, had ii not been
for our habitual failure to follow up onr nd
vantages, might have been final, SO far as II
concerned the rehel army under Bragg
On the march from Louisville not a day
passed without skirmish, in which por
tions OF our advance wero engaged with
small parties Of the enemy's cavalry, and
I am inclined TO think that these repeated
skirmishes induced our leaders to believe
that they were closely pressing the entire
rebel army.
In the battle Of Pcrryvilla there was Ger
tainly no cowardicc displayed by any officer
from Major Generals McCook and Gilbert
commanding corps 'armee, down to the
Second LieuteDuuts, who never retired iron
the presence OF tho enemy except when !
was necessary to rally their men. Neve
did nisn show themselves more worthy th,
cmblems OF authority which decorate thei
shoulders, thun did the officers Of the Uniol
army who fought at PerryvilIe. There were
Of course, u few exceptions, but they wer
very few indeed.
80 far as spectator could Judge, the dis
position Of our forces upon the field wa
skilliul and, generally, they were abb!
managed during the course of the battle
The different division and brigade comman
ders were well satisfied with each other, an,
rebel prisoners who were taken to day, sa
that their Generals acknowledge our goo
management
Tue DISPOSITION OF OUR TROOPS.
Our Tuesday afternoon, General Sheri
dams Division had tho advance in Genera
Gilbert's Corps, RosSeau's aud Jackson
Divisions having previously advanced b.
way OF Tayorsville, and formed in order o
battle Juckson's Division somewhat to tn
rear OF Rousseau \, and forming the extrem
leit Of our line. During the night, the 36tl
brigade, commanded by Col. Dan, McUool
Of the Bad Ohio, and forming portion o
Gen. SheIidan's Division, was also ordcre,
up by Gen Buell. and was directed to oc
cupy some high ground, the highest per
haps upon the whole field. This ground
situated 10 the right of the turnpike, lGi
bart's y corps being upon the left and whe
occupied, placed Col McCook' brigade in
isediately to the right OF tho 18th brigad
Col. Lytle's--wbich formed the righ
wing OF Gen. Rousseau's division, The 36t
brigade is composed OF the 52d Ohio an
S5th, S6th, aud l25Ib Illinois All are ne,
troops. but Gen. Buell. is said to have OK
pressed the greatest confidence in thom--
confidence which their subsequent oonduc
fully justified. vi.
At,wo ~ .InoL a.. V.J,,osJ.., ... .
Col. McCook began TO move forward wit
bis brigade, accompanied by Barnet bal
terry from Illinois. 1t was nearly daw
when they arrived within sight of the pos
tion they were to occupy. but the moon wa
still shining brightly, and as they approach
Cd the bottom OF the hill they could dix
tnetly see the rebel pickets upon the crest
The 86th Illinois, Col, Moore, was imme
diately deployed upon the right Of tho road
the front and flank covered by skirmishers
and the 52d Ohio, Lieut.. Col. Cowen com
iapding, was similarly deployed upon III
Ieft. This 10th Illinois, Col Harmon, wa
posted ~ reserve 100 PAGES in the rea
The s6th Illinois had previously been d,
tailed on picket duty,)
the BRILLIANT ACTION WITH WHICH TIL
DAT OPENED.
Our s'Sirmishers had hardly taken into
walls before the enemy's pickets opened
absrp Ore. especially upon the s5th lllinoi
Although ths first 6ght in which they b,
ever been engaged, the troops moved "a
ward at the word Of command, and contin
cd 70 advance firmly and steadily up the h
until they had driven tho rebels from Il
crest, tntiicting upon them loss so seve
thai 10 their irritation they determined :
vi hasaSds u tecover the position.