Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-04-11

Ammunition, ~ pieces vi ilShI dItIlleiJ
20 pieces of heavy guns. 1000 horses, a
lot of wagons, coffee, sugar, corn, rice
molasses, and hay. Merchandise that
was in town fell into the government
hands.
Since this place was taken, Clarks-
vile, eighteen miles above, has been Ia
ken, and with it lot of light artillery.
At GAINESVILLE the railroad crossed this
river, running from near Columbus, on
the Mississippi River, to Bowling Green.
The railroad bridge at GAINESVILLE has
been destroyed. Fifteen miles above
Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River, a
bridge was destroyed upon the same rail
road just before this fort was taken.
GAINESVILLE is beautiful town about
the size of Montpelier. This DOVER is
about as large as Glover was when left
Vermont. A large rolling mill, to roll
iron, has been burned about four miles
from here. There are no Instructions
now 10 prevent the moving forward to
Nashville upon this river, whose banks
are full so the largest boats can go mp.
1t has rained every other day since we
came here, like thunder shower, max
ing the red clay soil shoe deep with mud.
| have not been able to get paper since
| came here. / tried 10 buy one this
morning but failed. They sold for TWEEN
ty-fve cents piece. 1t is rumored here
that the rebels have evacuated Bowling
Green. will know to-day. II is said
Gen. Buell. entered Bowling Green with
out firing gun. He is about the same
distance from Nashville as from this place.
There is now an army here of 10000,
aud more arriving daily. Some great
movement is at hand. All .hnk this and
Ger Buells army will move on to Nash
vile Immediately. | believe the three
great battles to be fought in order for the
Union to have Tennessee will be at NASH
vile, Columbus, and Cumberland Gap.
The rebels will fight desperately where
ever they may make q decided stand
They fought well here, and the prisoners
all say if the force against them had been
Of eastern instead of northwestern troops
they would not have been obliged 10 sur
render.
The rebels have lost just about two
thirds as many killed as we did, although
it may be reported differently. | spent
two days upon the battle field immediate
ly after the surrender, and had a very
good opportunity to know from what |
saw with my own eyes, the number OF
killed on both sides. Not more than one
half the wounded were carried off When
VIC arrived, aud hardly one Of the dead
had been buried. The scene was horri-
BILE to look at Men covered with human
blood gasping for the last breath Of life
others, wounded, but rational, lying in
mud almost two days aud nights, just at
the point Of death for the want of care
and nourishmcnt. O0c Of my mcssmales
thus found two poor fellows few rods
apart, who but few months ago were
his chums at Galesburg College, Illinois.
was glad that recognized no very ia
milIiar face lying there. 1t WAS bad
enough thus to meet strange faces.
Our forces moved across by land from
Fort Henry, and made their reconuoiter-
ing so as TO attack on Wednesday. The
battle ragged most fercely on Thursday,
Friday, and Saturday following. The
rebels raised the black flag on Saturday
afternoon. but on Sunday before ten
o'clock they raised the white flag. | sup.
pose the black flag was raised more to
deceive our troops than with the intention
of fighting till death. There is one place
outside the entertainments, where the reb-
els tried to cut their way through aud
get away. 1t was there upon a ridge
covered with small trees one could see
the effects of hard fighting. Almost ey-
cry small sized tree was cut in two
those of larger size peeled entirely Of
their bark, and the ground almost covered
with dead and wounded
The rebels are clothed with home made
cloth of butternut color, and but little
uniform about dress. They are more
intelligent than the Missourans, and indi-
cate to US a more formidable foe. They
were armed with some superior English
guns English riAes) manufactured in
England since the war began. Others
were armed with improved rihed and
smooth bored guns. Their guns were
most of than equal to ours. The rebels
did not spike single cannon. But most
Of them were loaded with balls, and some
say there is no powder in them.
| can give few instances Of how the
fight was planned and only few. On