Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-04-16
THE FIGHT NEAR coRINTH
FULL EARTHQUAKES OF THE BATTLE.
Another Great Victory.
TWO DAYS TERRIBLE FIGHTING.
PITTsBURGH, OLD FORT HIGHLAND,
ADril Q. $40, A. II.


Special to Herald:
/ One of the greatest and bloodlest bat
! ties of modern days has just closed, re
! ! sulting in the complete route OF the enc
my, who attacked us at daybreak Sunday
The battle lasted without intermlssion
d during the entire day, and was again re
; newed on Monday morning. and contln'
ued until o'clocllP. NJ, when the enc
my commenced their retreat and are still
: flying toward Corinth, pursued by large
force of our cavalry.
The slaughter on both sides isimmense.
4 We have lost in killed, wounded and mis-
sing, from $4,000 to 10000. That of the
e enemy is estimated at from 81, 600 to 40,
600.
1t is impossible in the present confused
state of affairs to ascertain any details. 1
therefore give you the best account pos
sible from observation, having passed
through the storm of action during the
two days it ragged.
The fight was brought ON by body of
: 800 of the 25th Missouri of, Gen. Prentls'
division attacking the advance guard of
the rebels, which were supposed to be the
pickets of the enemy in from of our camp.
The rebel army advanced on General
Prentiss' command, on the left wing
pouring in volley after volley of musketry,
and riddling our camp with grape, canis-
ter and she'll
Our forces soon formed into line of bat
tie and returned their fire vigorously, and
by the time we were prepared to receive
them, had turned their heaviest tire on
the left and center of Sherman's division,
and drove our men back from their camps,
and bringing up fresh force, opened a
fire on our left wing under Gen. McCler-
nand. The fire was returned with terri
BILE effect and determined spirit, by both
Infantry and artillery along the whole
line for distance of over mile.
Gen. Hurlburt's division was thrown
forward to support the center, when des-
perate conflict ensued. The rebels were
driven back with terrible slaughter, but
they soon rallied and advanced, driving
back our men in turn from about o'clock,
the time your correspondent arrived, un-
til night closed on the bloody scene, when
there was termination of the result OF
the struggle.
The rebels exhibited remarkably good
generalship; at times engaging the left
with apparently their whole strength,
they would suddenly open a terrible and
destructive fire ON the right or centre
Even our most destructive fire on the en-
emy did not appear to disencourage their
solid columns
The fire of Major Taylor's Chicago ar
tillery raked them down in scores, but
the smoke would no sooner disappear
than the breach would gain be filled. =
The most desperate firing took place
late in the afternoon. The rebels knew
that if they did not succeed in whipping
then, that their chances for success would.
be extremely doubtful, as a portion of
Gen Buelfs force had by this time arrived
on the opposite side of the river, and the
other portion was coming up the river
from Savannah.
They became aware that we were being
reinforced, as they could see Gen. BuelPsl
troops from the river bank a short dis
tance above us on the left, to which point
they had forced the their way at o'clock.
The rebels had forced our left wing back
so as to occupy fully two-thirds of our
camp, and were fighting their way for
ward with a desperate degree of confi-i
dence in their efforts to drive us into the
river, and at the same time heavily engag-i
ed our right. Up to this time we had re-
ceived no reinforeements. Gen. Lew
Wallace failing to come to our support
until the day was over, having taken the
wrong road from Cromp's landing, and
being without other transports than those
used for QUartermasters' and commissary
stores, which were too heavily laden to
ferry any considerable number of Gen.
Buells forces across the river, those that
were here having been sent to bring the
troops from Savannah. We were there
fore contesting against fearful odds, our
forces not exceeding $4,000 men, while !
that of the enemy was upwards 60,000.-l
Our condition at this moment was critical. |
A large mass of our men were panic struck,
others worn out by hard fighting, Will
the usual percentage of skulkerS, had
struggled toward the river, and could not |
be rallied. Gen. Grant and staff, who |
had been recklessly riding along the lines |
during the entire day amid the unceas-
ing storm of bullets, grape and shell, now |
rode from right to left, inciting our men |
to stand firm until onr reinforcements |
could cross the river. Col. Webster, chief
OF staff, got into position the heaviest
pieces of artillery, pointing on the enc
my's right, while large number of the |
batteries were planted along the entire
line, from the river bank, northwest to |
our treme right, some D miles distant. |
About an hour before dusk general
cannonade was opened upon the enemy |
from along our whole line, with perpet- |
ual crack of musketry. Such a roar was
never heard on this continent.
For a short time the rebels replied with |
vigor and effect, but their return shots |
grew less frequent and destructive, while |
ours grew more rapid and terrible.
The gunboats Lexington and Tyler, |
which lay short distance off, kept rain
ing shell on the rebel hordes. The last
effort was too much for the enemy, and
ere dusk the firing had nearly ceased,
when night coming on all the combatants
rested from their awful work and carnage.
Our men rested on their arms, in the
position they had at the close of the
night, nntil the force under General Wal
lace arrived and took position on the
right, met Buell's force from the opposite
side, Savannah being now converted to
the battle ground.
The extreme righ of Gen. Nelson's di-
vision was ordered to form on the right,
and the force under Gen. Crittenden, was
ordered to his support early in the morn
ing.
Gen. Buell. having arrived the follow
ing evening, in the morning the ball was
opened at daylight simultaneously by Gen
Wilson's Division on the left and Major
Gen. Wallace's Division on the right.
Gen. Wilson's force opened a most tell
ing fire, and advanced on the enemy as
they fell back.
The fire soon became general along the
whole line, and began to tell with terrible
effect on the enemy.
Generals McClernand's, Sherman's and |
Hurlbut's men, though terribly jaded from
the previous days fighting, still maintain
ed their honor won at Donelson; but the |
resistance of the rebels was worthy OF
better cause, but they were not enough
for our undaunted bravery, and the dread |
ful desolation produced by our artillery,
which was sweeping them away like chatf
before the wind; but knowing that de |
feat here would be death blow to their
hopes, and that their all depended upon |