The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-04-10
SPECIAL TO NEW YORK HERALD.

P1rTsBURG, TENN, April 8 Oia Fort Henri
April 9th, 3 A. M.--The greatest and blood
lest battle of modern days, has resulted in til
complete rout Of the enemy who Attacke
: us at day break on Sunday. The battl
lasted without intermission during the en-
tire day, and was again commenced Of
4 Monday morning and continued till
o'clock p. n, when the enemy commences
their retreat and are still flying toward
Oorinth pursued by large force. of on
cavalry. The slaughter on both sides il
immense. --s s.
We have lost in killed, wounded ant
missing from $4,000 to 10000. That o.
the enemy is estimated at 80 900 to 4e, 1000
i Il ia impossible at present, in the confused
state of affairs to ascertain any details.
therefore give you the best account possible
from observation, having passed through
the storm of action during the two days
that it ragged. 90
| The fight was brought on by a body OIL
! 400 of the 25th Missouri Regiment, oi
Gen. Prentiss' division attacking the ad-
vance guard OF the pickets of the enemy in
! front of our camps The rebels immedi-
ately advanced on General Prentiss'
| division on the left wing, pouring vol
tley after yolley of musketry, and rid
| ding our camp with grape, canister, and
shells. Our forces soon formed into line
and returned their Ere vigorously. By
| the time we were prepared to receive them,
they had turned their heaviest fire on the
left and center Of Sherman's division, and
drove our men back from their camps, and
! bringing up fresh force, opened fire on
our left wing, under Gen. McCIernahd.-
| This FIRE was returned with terrible effect
and determined spirit by both infantry and
artillery along our whole line for distance
of over four miles. Gen. HuflbuFti9 divis-
ion was thrown forward to support the
center, when desperate conflict ensued.
The rebels were driven back with terrible
slaughter, but soon rallied and drove back
Opr men in turn. -70
From about 9 o'clock, the time your cor
respondent arrived on the field, until night
closed upon the bloody scene, there was no
determining the result of The struggle
The rebels exhibited remarkably good gem
ersIship, at times engaging the left with
apparently their whole strength = they
would then suddenly open a destructive
ERE on the right and center. Our heaviest
and most destructive fire on the enemy did
not appear to discourage their solid coll
umns. 80
The FIRE of Maj. TayIor's Chicago artillery
raked them down in scores, but the smoke
would no sooner be dispersed than the
breach would again be filed.
I The most desperate firing took place late
in the afternoon. The rebels knew that if
they did not succeed in whipping US that
their chances for success would be extreme
ly doubtful, as q portion of General
Buell's force. had by this time arrived
on the opposite side of the river, aad
the other portion was coming up the
river from Savannah. They became aware
that we were being reinforced, as they could
see Gen. Ruell's force from the river bank
a short distance above US, on the left, to
which point they had forced our left wing
back so as to occupy fully two thirds of our
camp, and were fighting their way forward
with desperate degree Of confidence in
their effort to drive Us into the river, and at
the same time heavily engaged our right.
Up to this time we had received no rein
forcements, Gen. Lew. Walloce failing to
come to our support until the day was over,
having taken the wrong road from Corinth
landing, and being without other trans
ports than those used for quartermaster and
conmissary stores, which were too heavily
ladenedi to carry any considerable num-
Der of Gen. Buell's forces across the river,
those that we're here having been sent to
bring the troops from Savannah. We were
therefore contending against fearful odds,
our force not exceeding 5000, while that i
of the enemy was upwards of $4,000. Our
condition at this moment was exceedingly
critical. Large numbers OF men panic struck
and others worn ont with hard fighting, with
the average per oentsgs of skulkers, had
struggled towards the river, and could not
be rallied. Gen. Grant and staff, who had
been reeklessly riding along the lines dur
ing the day, amid the unceasing storm of
bullets, grape, and shells, now rode from
right. To left, melting our men to stand firm
until our achievements could cross the
river. Col. Webster, chief of the staff,
Immediately got into position the heaviest
pieces of artillery, pointing on the eneIny's
right, while large number of the batteries
were planted along the entire line from the /
river bank Northwest to our extremer right
some two and a half miles distant. About
an hour before dusk a general cannonade
was opened upon the enemy from along
our whole line, with a perpetual crack OIL
musketry. Such roar was never heard on
this continent For q short timethe rebels re-
piled with Eigor and effect, their re-
turn saots were less frequent and de-
structiye, while GUYS grew more rapid
and more terrible. The gun boats
Lexington and Tyor, which lay a |
short distance of, kept raining shells on
the rebel hoFdes. This last effOrt was too |
much for the enemy, and ere dusk firing
had nearly ceased. Night coming on, all the
eombatants rested from their awful works !
of blood and carnage. Our men rested on /
their arms on the position they had occupi-
ed at close of the fight, until the forces an
der Major Gen. Wallace came up and took
position on the right and met BuelPs force
on the opposite side, and Savannah being
now converted TO the battle grou0d,
the entire right of Gen. Nelson's division |
was ordered TO form on the right, and the !