Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-04-25

Carleton writes as follows to the BJs-
ton Journal
Il have had personal interview with gen.
tleman who, when the attack was made, was In
the hospital tent Of Gen. Prentiss' division, and
who was taken prisoner. lie was held tail the
rebels reIreated on Monday afternoon, and MS Oo-
servsfions valuable.
When the alarm was given that the rebels were
Advancing be ran out of bis tent to escape, but
found II wa already too late. Two columns Of
the enemy had advanced, one on the right and the
other on the lett, through wooden ravlnss, and
hat enclosed a large portion Of the camp Our
soldiers were escaping through the closing gap
Many we're shot few rods IN advance Of him.
Seeing that it would Je useless attempt, be quiz
etly returned to the hospital. The place was soon
visited By a company. Being a citizen. be
obliged 70 strip Of all his clothes and give them
up to his captors. His monsy aud everything Of
value was taken from him. They gave him sol.
dier's clothes in return. They placed guard
over the hospital, which was soon filed by their
wounded They used harsh language, but offered
NJ personal indignity. lie the tide OF battle
surge through the ravines; but 1t was at terri
bic 6. 70 the rebel-. They Lai captured a large
number Of ambul4nces, and these we're in constant
requisition bearing OF the wounded When the
battle closed at q GIT the rebels were very jubi-
liant. MuIskey fOwed coplOusIy, a-d t0asts ~ere
drank 10 JET. Davis. Beauregard, the southern
Conttderacy, and confusion aud damnztion 10 Lin
coin and the Yankees
During the night Beauregard received about
20 OUU tviuiorc,l aeats. IuvIr arrival gave the
rebels couble assurance, and they met the attack
10 the morning with great expectations, watch,
however. were coon dspeiled. LeioFe o'clock,
strsggIer. we're making haste TO the rear. At leu
10 cl0ck orders came Tor all hands 10 move. lie
hospitals were accordingly removed about i've
mils-, but the road became blocked BY the retir-
iug enemy. Tue retreat syou tovk the nature ufa
panic. Inc guards caught tue infection, auI fed.
leaving the prisoners ~ make their way back u
The federal camp, whiea they we're not 10th 10 90.
bElusEiAED rlsHr AsAE1
The -rntlemsn thinks that BeauresArd has
ab VI ninety thousand mea. They were wvil
armed, anu ZION t1cir appearance ths best troop
Il the southern army. Bvaureg4ri has display c.
great ability Ia Organizing 50 powerful an army
~ 50 short periOd % time Is has iutrrvvnv-
since their rvvvr-e 81 tOrt D0aes0n. " al be
fsnt again / titus there is no doubt thai there
wI be alUther hard fougnt cuntest IN the vicinity
u Coliuth OF a. The GrauI Junction, even II Mem
pAis ialls lie can without difficulty make bis
army equal TO Gen. Haileek's in Numbers. " h,n
be retired, instead OF being chased 10 Coriuth,
the retreat conducted 10 good order, and his
reserves, which projected the rear enamped on
MONDAY night only nine miles from PItts0urs.-
AL the q counts which you have had Of ButA's
/ Understand that Gen. Hailecz expects another
contest, 0ut some days must pass before it can be
yeutuIed On. Tue army must be reCrga1I-d. But
btsuregard wilI rot be likely to be aggfessor
the second line. lie has had d lesson, AM val
lie wary Bow 4e moves II tie future
vIsrAAEs.
" hen shall We learn wisdom When shall We
erstand that great events hang on little t-iass.
Ali hands cur that grave responsibility rvsts
with these IN command n ~. having packets
posted as they should have been. . front VI
Preu,iss' Command the pockets were q nali
mile distant. Beauregard's advancs slept within
twelve hundred yar1s OF Prentiss' camp on S4tur-
day nignt. l AL informed also that ten. Grant
was informed BY the residents that Beauresard
intended 10 attack him, but the report not be-
lsyed- No steps were taken 10 ascertain the cor
rec ness Of the report. No rec0nnOis ances were
made. The enemy selected his time, made his ad
vance with seventy-hve thousand men, and the
army Of zen. Grant rested unsuspectingly. IL
was supposed that Beauresard would ooIiginsly
wait 10 DC attacked.
Another mistake was the position Of the army
1t was the west bank OF the river, without
ne ms OF escape If attacked by q superior FORCE
Since writing the above, l have learned that
the bsttle really commenced at half past one IL
the morning. II seems that Major Powell OF he
18th Missouri Was sent out with three hundred
men to capture a body Of rebel cavalry which Tor
thfee Gays had oecn IN sight ABOUT a mile IRON
Gen. Prsntiss camp. Major Powell was an old
Texan hanger, and fought with sam Houst
against the Mexicans. lie understood bordAr
warfare. and itwas his intention 10 sweep rodnd
the rebels as fisherman stretches his seine. In
stead Of finding small force o: cavalry, he found
three regiments OF infsntry. lie was driven
back, anu strange as 1t may appear, q have the
Information Tom a gentleman who wzs IN Prem
tss' caup at t1e tme,) no alarm given.
Inc DIVISION was not called to arms; but officers
and men slept as sOunuly a. though tic ,n,my
were a thousand miles of. At seven o'clock The
enemy were close upon PIentlss. That General
rode up 10 Colonel Peabody, OF the 25tn Missouri,
and reprIm .nded him IN these words: ''Sir, You
have brought on attack Tor which ] am Lot
pre- Area The truth at taat time had MT
dawned upon the mind of General Prentiss. lie
evidently va not aware that the entire army OF
Beauregsrd was bearing down upon him to cieave
bis force irvu the other divisions. Fifteen
minutes later ana General Prentis was pIiso-
nes and Colonel Peabody killed. The whole |
affair Gcmsnds an investigation.
ALLIED AND WOUNDED.
a.