The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-04-18
YArKEI 1C0oUIT q TH1 DAT.
TIE OF gHIfeH.
4 rrssuE OF GROSS RALsEHooDs.

We copy from ne aHhiiAAelphia Isqxtrev, Of
the 10th instant. the Yankee account CT the
sreat bsstis In the southwest, the conc sion
of which, the reader viii perceive. em dies
some OF the tallsst 1yil on record, only re-.
lisved BY the admission at the outset tnas
their loss il about 10000. The statement Is
headed, In large types. ~ follows: N
ssThe Greatest hattie foueht OH ths Amsi
,can CON unent-Ono Hundred and Fifty Thoo-
sand Men Engagsd--A Desperate Contest g
Two Days at fittsburE Glorious
Result to ths.Union Army-Ths Rebels kont-
ed in all Directions-Heavy Loss CT Die
|. persls Grant and Smith Wounoed-veIy
Heavy Loss Of Ksbel Troops, co1.r n AZ =
Albert y. Johnston, Kil!ed-Ino ncaesn s,s
Reauresard has an Arm Shot OG-A Terrible
Rs1isation Has Bsfallen the hsoels' &c
Ai P.srssus. LAsD..e. April 9: 70 M-01s
Of the greatest and bioodiest battles OF moo
srn anys has last closed, Iesoltne In the com J.
ple.e ron. OF n. sn.mx orn aO Ths bat,is
,ssted. Without ints1mission. during the On :
arc day, and Was renewed on ondav morn
Ing, and continued undecided Until O'Clock
Ia the afternoon. when the enemy COM
menced to retreat, and are still flying TO-
wards Oorinth, pursosd by large force Of
cur cavalry.
mense. We have lost In killed. wounded, and
missing, from 5000 TO 10000, and tn st Of the
enemy Is estim atec at from 80 600 to 10000.
The fight was brought on By three bundled
.iss's divi:ion, .attackinE' the advance guard
OF the rebels, which they supposed to be the
ptckets Of the enemy.
The rebels Immediately advanced ON Gen
In volley after volley Of musketry, ana ! Id.
ding our camp with grape. canister, and
hell. -
Our forces soon formed 10 TO- line and return.
la 49, - A.
were prepared to receive them, had turned
their heaviest fire on the left centre, General
Saerman's division, and drove our men back
rom their camps. and bringing up fresh
Netherlands. This IRE was returned with
terrible effect and determined spirit by both
the infantry and artillery rlons the whole
line distance OF over Jour mites.
Onward to kapport the centre, when q dsspe-
rate struggle ensued. The Rebels were driven
back with terrible slaughter. bus soon rallied
ana drove back our men in turn.
From about O'Clock until night closed
there was no dStermln alton OF the result OF
the struggle.
The rebels exhibited remarkable GOOD gen.
eralship At times engaging the left with
apparently their whole strength, they would
suddenly open . terrible and dss tive fire
on the right or centre. Even our heaviest
and most destr uctivs lire upon the enemy did
no. no. Of %s,oT
raked them down In scores, bat the smoke no
sooner dispersed than the breach was again
filed.
The most desperate lighting took place Ia ,s
Gen. Buell's forces had by this time ar.
rived on the opposite side OF the river, and
anot her portion was coming mp the. river
from Savannah. -
At Ave O'Clock the rebels had forced cur
left wing back so n to occupy fully twv- thirus
of our camp, and were 1shung hard in their
efforts to drive as into the river, and at the
same time heavily engaged our right.
UP to this time we received no reinforce
ments, Gen Lew. Wallace failing to come TO
our support until the day was over, having
taken the wrong road rom CIump's Lard
ing, and being without other transports than
those u sed for the Z uartermastes' and Com
missary stores, which were 100 heavily laden
to ferry any considerable number OF Gen.
that were here having been sent to bring mp
the troops from Savannah.
We were, therefore, oontanding against
fearful odds, our forces not exces ding IS 600
while that OF the enemy was upwards OF
$1,000 Our condition at this moment was
exc eedingly critical. Large numbers Of our
men we've panic struck, aid others worn out
by hard fighting. The average per ceniagsoi
could not 90 rallied.
Gen. Grant ard staff, who had been fear.
lessly riding along the lines the entire day,
amid an unceasing storm of bullets, grape,
and shell, now lode from the right to the LETT,
melting our men to stand firm un I'll the rein
foycements could cross the river.
Col. Webster, the chief OF the staff. INN Q.
diatsiy got I'M to position the heavies! pieces Of
artillery, pouring on the snemy's right;
while large number Of batteries were plant
ed aioRg the entire line from the river bank
northeast to our ex rene right, some too and
a half miles distant.
About an hour bsiore dusk, a general can.
nonadiEg was opened upon the enemy from
along our whole lie, with perpetual crack
of muGEetIy. For short tins. the rebels
replied with vigor and effsct, bat their return
shots grew less frequent and destructive,
while ours grew more rapid and terrib.e.
The gunboats Lexington and Tyler, which
lay short distance of, kept raining she'll on
the rebel force. This last effort was TOD much
for the enemy, and ere dusk the firing had
nearly ceased wheo night coming ON the
com bataRts rested
tion they he'd . the close Of the highs, until
The forces under Brigedier- Gene, M wallace
arrived and took portion on the right, and
General Buell's forces. from the opposite
side and savannah, were being conveyed to
the battle-ground.
General nelson's division was ordered to
form on the right and the forces under Gen.
erai Urittauden were ordered TO his support
Early ia ths moroinS, General Buell. having
arrived, the ball was opened at daylight by
Wilson's division ON the left and MAJOR G en-.
eral VILLAGES division on the right.
Gen. Nelson's force opened a mos. CALLING
Hre ON the rebels. and advanced rapidly as
| the. fell back. The fire soon became general
along the whole line, and began TO tell with
terrible effect on the rebels.
Gems. McOlernand, Sherman, and Hurl-
burts men, though chiefly faded from the
previous day - fighting, s.iil main tained their
honors Won 1T Donelson; but the resistance
Of the rebels wos terrible, and worthy q bet
| ter cause. Their, resistance, however. was
not enough for our undaunted bravery and
| the dreadful desOlatton produced by our ar.
ulIery, which was sweeping them away Ike
lw~ u.tn NHA.aA n
be the death blow TO their hopes, their 0eu.
| erals sull urged them ON IN the face Of de-
strs csion: hoping by banking US to turn the
Their success was ibr q time cheering. az
| they began to gain ground Oh as, appearing
| to have been retnf0rcedi bat Our left under
| General Nelson, was drivinS thsm ba.k with
wonderful rapidity. and at II O'CLOCK Gene.
/ raj BueIl's forces had succeeded In flAnklng
them ant capturing their ba tteries Of artil-
lery.
They, however. again rallied on the left,
and recrossed. aud the right forced them.
bu. reinforcements from Gen. Wood and
Gen. Themes came In, regiment after reGi-
ment, ~ hich were sent to General Buell., who
had again comm noed to drive the rebels.
| About three o'cls OK r. N Gen. Grant
rode TO the LIFT, where fresh regiments had
been ordered, and finding the rebels TO bs
Wave.iux, he sent portion OF his body guard
70 the head OF each Of the I've regiments. and
then order q charge across the field, him.
self leading:
The cannon balls vera fallirg like hail
around them. The mon followed with shout
| that sounded above the roar and din Of the
artillery. and the rebels ned In dism ay ana
never made mother stand
Gen Buell. followed the resreatipg rebels,
| driving them In spleudid style, and ~ half
| past ave r. r. the whole rebel army was in
| null retreat TO Oorinth, with our cavalry In
hot pursuit..
We have taken large amount OF ARTILLERY,
| and also y numb bar Of prisoners.
| We lost q number Ct prisoners yesterday
| among them . Gen. Prentiss The nvmbol
/ hus not been aSeer ned yet but il reported