Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-15

q the Omnibus Once I47 superiorst, next door 70
tie Wvidsli House
How the Rebels Fought at Corinth---Ter-
rfbIe Battle Scenes.
aW.D. B., of the Cincinnati CONNER
oial, in his report Of the battle Of Corinth,
gives this description Of the terrible fight
ing;
at was perhaps half-past nine o'clock
when the bitter tragedy began to develop
il earnest. A prodigious mass, with
cleaning bayonets, suddenly loomed out
dark and threatening on the east of the
railroad, moving sternly up the Bolivar
Road in column by divisions. Directly It
opened out in the shape Of a monstrous
wedge, and drove forward impetuously
toward the heart Of Corinth. Ii was
splendid target for our batteries, and it
was soon perforated. Hideous gaps were
rent in it, but those massive lines were
closed almost as soon as they were torn
open. At this period the skillful manage
ment of General Rosecrans began to de-
veIop. It was discovered that the enemy
had been enticed to attack precisely at the
point where the artillery could sweep
them with direct, cross and enflsding fire.
He had prepared for such an occasion.
Our shell swept through the mass with
awful effect, but the brave rebels pressed
onward inhexibly. Directly the wedge
opened and spread out ms efficiently,
right and left, like great wings, seeming
to swoop over the whole field before them.
But there was a fearful march in front.
A broad turfy glaeis, sloping upward at
an angle of thirty degrees to a crest firing
ed with determined, disciplined soldiers,
and clad with terrible batteries, frowned
upon them. There we're 6 few obstruc-
tiOns-fallen timber-Which disOrdered
their lines a little. But every break was
instantly welded.
"Our whole line opened fire, but the
enemy, seemingly insensible to fear, or in
furiated by passion, bent their necks down
ward and marched steadily to death, t0ith
their faces dUertsd like men striving TO pro-
tect themselves against a driving storm Of
hail. The Yates and Burgess Sharp-shoot-
ers, lying snugly behind their rude breast
works, poured in q destructive fire, but it
seemed no more efectuaI than if they had
been firing potato balls, excepting that
somebody was killed. The enemy still
pressed onward undismayed. At last they
reached the crest. of the hill in front and
to the right of Fort Richardson, and Gene
raj Davies division gave way. 1t begun
TO fall back in disorder. General Rose
Grams, who had been watching the conflict
with eagle eye, and who is described as
having expressed his delight at the trap
into which General Price was blindly
plunging, discovered the break; and dashed
10 the front inhamed with Indignation.
He rallied the men by his splendid exam
pie in the thickest Of the fight. Before the
line was demoralized he succeeded in re-
storing it. and the men, brave when brave
" led, fought again. But it had yielded
much space, and the loss of Fort Richard
son was certain. Prices right moved
swiftly to the headquarters of General Ro-
secrans, took possession of 1t, and posted
themselves under cover of the portico of
the house, and behind its corners, whence
they opened fre upon our troops upon the
opposite side Of the public square. Seven
rebels were killed within the little enclo-
sure in front Of the Generals cottage. The
structure is a sort of sieve now-bullets
have punctured it so well. But the des-
peradoes got no further into town.
Battle was raging about Fort Richard
son. Gallant Richardson, for whom it was
named, fought his battery well. Had his
supports fought as his artillery did, the
record would have been different. The
rebels gained the crest of the hill, swarm
ed around the little redoubt, and were
swept away from it as q breath will dissi.
pate smoke Again they swarm like infu.
rated tigers. At last, a desperate dash
with yell. Richardson goes down to rise
no more. His supports are not at hand
The foe shouts triUmphantly and seiZes tht
guns. The horses are fifty yards dowI
the hill towards Corinth. A score of reb
els seize them. The seth Illinois sudden
" rises from cover in the ravine. ON
terrible volley and there are sixteen deal
artillery horses, a dozen dead rebels. Ii
linois shouts, charges up the hill, acros
the plateau into the battery. The rebel
fly out through embrasures and aroun,
the wings. The 56th yells again and pur
sues.
''The rebels do not stop. Hamilton's vet
erans, meantime, have been working qui
etly-no lung work, but gun work enough
A steady stream of fire tore the rebel rank
TO pieces. When Davis broke, it was ne
cessary for ali TO fall back General Re
secrans thought it was well enough to ge
Price in deeply. A rebel soldier says Va
Dorm sat on his horse grimly and saw
all That's Rosecrans' trick, said ht
"he's got Price where he must suffer-
Maybe this is one Of the apocryphs Of bat
tie. A rebel soldier says it is truth. BU
Hamilton's division receded under order
at backward step, slowly, grimly, face
the foe, and firing. But when the 56th
inois charged, this was changed. Dayie
misfortune had been remedied. The whOl
line advanced. The rebel host was brol
en-. A destroying Nemesis pursued then
Arms were flung away wildly. They "a
to the woods. They fed into the forest
Oh what a shout Of triumph and what
cleaning line of steel followed them.
is strange but true. Our men do not ofte
shout before battle. Heavensl what thu
der there is in their throats after victor
"They' report that such a shout was ne
er before heard in Corinth. Prices ont
invincible" now invisible legions we1
broken, demoralized, fugitive, and remors
lessly pursued down the hill, into Il
swamps, through the thickets, into the 70
ests. Newly-disturbed earth shows whel
they fell and how very often"
Court Of Inquiry upon the Pittsburgh E,