Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-03-06
WHEELING VA 'THURsDAY3 MORNING. MARCI 6-Is62 n

b.
right wing, on Saturday, morning, our
army suffered severe repulse. Our
troops fought as bravely us troops ever
fought, but pressed by twice their number,
and contending on an unequal, ground,
with an Inadequate artillery force, and not
promptly supported, they we're Obliged to
retreat, and did retreat, The regiments in
the advance of the right were sadly cut
up, The NintL, the Eleventh, the Eigh-
teenth and other regiments, reported 10
their brisades with hardly handful Of the
brave fellows who had entered tue fight.
Other regiments suffered quite as severely
with officers killed aud wounded. All
these regiment, in the chaos which for the
time being refgncd, fell into more or less
confusion. The men became scattered,
and wandered through the lines to the
rear, averring everywhere that they chad
been cut all 10 pieces, and that they were
probably the only surviving ones to tell
the tale and the oitcnpr they proclaimed
the story the larger did It become, aud the
more firmly impressed were they with the
truth OF it. The effect of such statements
coming from the members Of half dozen
different regiments, upon tho rest Of the
army, can well be Imagined.
II was IN this hour of peril aud confl-
sion that Gen. Grant, returning from the
river landing, some eight miles distant,
where lie had bccn comforting with Com
modorc Footc, first became aware OF the
state Of affairs. Commodore Foote lad
just told him il was impossible for the gun
boat iieet to be again brought into action
for several days at least, and now he was
informed by Gen. McGlernand Of the mel
ancholy condition of his division.
It's in such moments that true general
dNtS Ill H., "a n >
cision at this time aud Fort DoneIson
would to-day have still been in possession
of a rebel garrison. Calm and tmpertur-
able as ever, the General Ilsteued to the
accounts Of the condition of affairs, aud
without II moments Hesitation said, ..m.
Immediate md central ddCdAce must be made;
two more hours of this aud we are whip
ped" The necessary orders were immedi-
ately gwen. General Smith was ordered
to storm the works on the left as soon as
he could make his disposition to do so.-
General Lewis Wallace at the time was
placed in command of new division Of
troops previously held in reserve, aud took
General Netherlands place on tho right
with instructions to regain our old posi-.
ltOn there. How well both Generals per
formed the task allotted them, the country
HlrcaLy well knows. General Smith with
tue impetuosiiy OF Murat, drove every
thing before him, and planted his llag aud
his battery fairly within their intrench-
mcnts, The gallant Eighth Missouri aud
Eleventh Indiana ''pitcted in" with equal
vtgor ON the right, drove three times their
number before them, over all the ground
we had previously lost, fairly iuto their in-
trcuchments again, and then sighed for an
hour or two more of daylight to allow
them to go over them as well. Aud thus
the day, which four hours before had
seemed 50 nearly lost, was won again, and
the sun went down over an army once
more enthusiastic aud hopeful, and ardent
ly longing for the finishing stroke which
the coming dawn WIS to inaugurnte. The
victory was ours, aud to Gen. Grant and
his Generals, Smith and Wallace, who SO
brnvely and skillfuIIy carried out his or
ders, belong the honors.