Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-04-17

ana and fist Ohio, we're attacked while eating
their breakfast, By what seemed to he the entire
rebel force. Gen. Prentiss had no artillery,
and his brigade was cut to pieces and forced to
retire. Prentiss and many of his men were
taken prisoners At ~ O'Clock the entire line
was engaged. but in full retreat. At o'clock
the enemy had taken Schwartz's battery of six
guns, Dresden's battery of four guns and
Warehouses; battery, also two Ohio batteries,
names not known. Thousands OF our soldiers
who had taken refuge under the bank of the
river, utterly refused to fight, and in fact they
could not, as officers and men were mixed in
inextricabe confusion. The army at this time
seemed utterly defeated. At this time the gun
boats Lexington and Tyler opened a tremen-
dous fire Of shot and shell upon the enemy, and
and kept it up every half hour during the
night. Some Of the shells set the woods on
fire, and many dead rebels were burned AT
in the evening the fire had generally ceased.-
About midnight the rebels attempted TO plant
battery within 800 yards OF our siege guns,
but were dr. ven away by the gunboats and
siege guns, supported by three regiments of
Gen. MitchelPs division, which had arrived and
crossed the river about in the evening. Our
intormants persist in estimating our loss on
Sunday at 5000 killed and 5000 wounded, as
being low figure.
SECOND DAY.
During the night the rebels were reinforced
by Gen. Van Dorm and Price from Arkansas,
with very large force. Gen. Lew Wallace
came up with the llth and 23d Indiana, 44lh
Illinois and Sth Missouri, and Wizards battery,
and in the morning fercely attacked the enc
my's left wing. They went into the fight at the
double quick. with tremendous shouts, and did
terrible execution. BY 10 o'clock they had
driven the rebels back two miles At about 10
o'clock the rebels were reinforced, and for few
minutes our men were forced to yield. The
other divisions of Gen. Buell's army now ap-
peared and al once became fully engaged. For
two hours all the destructive elements of the
earth seemed to be striving for the mastery on
this fatal field, but at last the southern chivalry
broke and fled in al directions. Gen. Buell.
followed the flying foe with twelve thousand
troops, mostly cavalry shifting without mercy
those who would not surrender. He was re-
ported to have taken Corihth with all its i'm
mense stores of arms and ammunition. The
rebel troops were mostly from Texas, Misss
sippi and Louisiana, with many from Georgia
and Alaha a. Our inormants say that they
could ride through the battle field where our
forces were posted. but The dead were so thick
in the enemy's lines that they could not do it
there. They assure us That the rebels occupied
our camps Sunday night and took care of our
sick and wounded destroying nothing. Expecting
confidently TO have our entire army the next
dLy. They thought the battle already fought
and won.
On Monday Gen. McClernand cut his way
through the emy that had surrounded him.
Most of his troops behaved with great gallant
ry, but the 53l Ohio were ordered to the rear
in disgrace, for refusing to fight. Our inform
ants state that John &. Breckenridge is taken
prisoner They say they saw him pass to the
general headquarters.
IMPORTANT PARTICULARS AND CORRECTIONS.
| An arrival at Cairo, from Pittsburg Landing
says that the rebels in making the first attack
on Sunday morning, carried the stars and
stripes, and wore the federal uniform. Gen.
Bragg is reported to have been killed. Pro-
visiona Gov. Johnson of Keplucky is wounded
and was taken prisoner. 1tis stated that Gen.
PrentiSs escaped in the confus sion of the rebels
retreat on the second days fight. Our total
loss is about 1000. This is the estimate Of the
estimate of the military commanders wha were
in the engagement Of this numhet about
2O00 were taken prisoners the balance are
killed and wounded in the usual proportions
Gen. Wallace of Illinois was reported dead as
it was thought that he could not live; he was
living on Wednesday, and improving. lie was
shot in the back of the ear, the bullet coming
out OF his nose.