Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-04-18
THE GREAT BATTLE OF THE
SOTTH- VEST.

Ddllt
Our forces were stationed in the form Of a
semicircle, the right resting on point north
of Crump's Landing, our centre being in
front of the main rUad to COrIuth, and our
left extending TO the river in the direction
of Hamburg, 1 miles north Of Pittsburgh
) Landing. At > O'elJek on the morning Of the
6th, 400 men Of Gen. Prentiss' division were
attacked by the enemy, half mile in ad-
vance Of our lines. Our men fell back on
the 25th Missouri, swiftly pursued by the
enemy. The advance OF the rebels reached
Col. Peabody's Brigade just as the long roll
was sounded, and the men were falling into
line. Resistance was but short, and they
retreat d under a CALLING fire, until they
reached the lines OF the Second Division
At O'Clock the attack had become geuer-
al along our whole front. The enemy, in large
nun rs, drove n the pickets Of Gen. Sher-
man Division, and fell on the 4Sth, 5Oth
and 72l Ohio Regiments. These troops were
never before in action, and being so unex-
pectedly attacked, made ss able a resistance
as possible, but were, in common with the
forces of Gen. Prentiss, forced TO seek sup
port OF the troops Immediately in their rear.
1T O'Clock the entire line on both sides
was fully engaged, The roar of cannon and
musketry was without ntermissOn from the
the main centre TO Il POINT extending half
way down the left wing. The rebels made q
desperate charge on the l4,h Ohio Battery,
which not beng sufficiently supported BY
infantry, fell into their HANDS. Another So
we're tight occurred Tor possession Oi the 9TH
Ohio Battery, and three Of It's guns were
taken by the enemy. by ii O'Clock a num-
Der OF commanders OF regiments had fallen,
and in some cases not single field officer re-
manned yet the tight clatinued with an
elrne,tness which showed that the contest
On both sides was Tor death ur victory. Foot
/ by foot tie ground was contested, aud, find
Ins II impossible to drive back our centre,
! the enemy slack keIod thcu fire. and made
/ vigorous etiJrts on our Iefl wing ,endeavOring
/ t. outllnk aud driving It 70 the river bank.
I This wing was under Gen. uuriburt, and
was composed Of the l4th, 32i, 4ith and 57th
Indiana, Sth, 18th and Dist Illinois Front
ing Iis line however, was the l4th ,j7th, and
71th Ohio, and 9TH Ohio Cavalry, Of Gen.
Shermans Division. For nearly hours a
sheet Of fire blazsd from both columns, the
the rebels fighting with a vis0r that was on
" tqualled by those c0ntendlng with them.
While the contest ragged the hottest, the gun
boat Tyler passed up the river % a point
opposite the enemy, and poured in brOsdsdes
from her immense guns, greatly aiding 10
forcing the enemy back. Up to 3 O'Clock
the battle ragged with fury that deiies de-
,cription. The rebels had found every at
tempt 70 break our lines uuayailIng. Iuey
had striyen to drive In our main column, aud
finding that impossible, had turned ali their
strength upon our left Fooled in that quar-
ter, they now made another attempt al our
ceEIe, and mads every effort to rout our
fore before the reinforcement which had
been sent for should come up.
At five 'cl1cs there was q short cessation /
in the fire Of the enemy, their hnes falling
back for nearly half % mile, when they sud
denly wheeled, and agIin threw their entire
forces upon our lett wing, determined to
make a iaai struggle in that quarter. but
the Gunblats Tyler aud Lexington poured in
their shot thick auG ,.st, with O. rin.e effect
Meanwhile Gen. Wallace, who had tax-n a /
circutt,us route from Crump'- Landing, ap- /
p-arrd suddenly on the enemy's right wing I.
Ia the face OF TINS combination ut circum- /
stances the rebels felt that their enterprise /
for the day was failure, and as night was |
approaching tell back until they reached an /
advantageous position somewhat II the rear, /
vet oc upyIug the main road 10 Cur.nth.
The gunboafs continued To throw shells I
after them until out OF range. After a we.- /
ried watching OF several hours of intense aux- /
iety, the advance regiments OF Gen, raj Buell. 1
appeared on the opposite bank Of the river. /
The work OF passing the river began, the /
Both Indiana and 6Sth Ohio being the first I
to CT followed by the main portions Of /
Generals Nelson and Bruce's divisions |
Cheer after cheer greeted their arrival, and /
they were Immediately sent 70 the advance. !
where they rested on their arms tor the night. /
All night long, steamers were engaged ferry /
ing Gen. Buell's force across, and when da7- /
light broke it was evident the rebals too had /
been stron gly reinforced.
TIE FIGHT on MONDAY.
The battle was opened by the rebels at : |
O'Clock from the COrinth road, and in halt /
an hour extended along the whole line. At
9 O'Clock the sound OF artillery and musket-
ry fully equaled that Of the previous day
The enemy was met by our reintcrcements
and the still unwearied syliiers of yesterday
with an energy they certainly could not have
expected. Il became evident that they were
avoiding the extreme OF our lets wing and
endeavoring with perseverance, and determin-
alton to find some weak point by which 10 |
turn our force. They left one point but u
return to it Immediately, and then as sud-
denly would, by some masterly stroke of
generalship, direct most vigorous
attack upon some division where they FAM
cied they would not be expected but the
fire of our lines was as steady Us clockwork,
and it soon became evident that the enemy
considered the task they had undertaken
hopeless one. Further reinforcements now
began to arrive, and took position on the
right Of the nam centre, under General Wal
lace.
C,,s Cr,r4 p,oU NIL, SL,-,.,... II I
CrIttenden, were everywhere present. direct
ing movements for q new stroke on the enc
my. Suddenly both wings of our army were
turned upon the enemy with the intention
of driving thsm INTO an extensive ravine at
the same time powerful battery, stationed
in tie open field, poured volley after vOlley
of canister into the rebel ranks. At half
past ii the roar of the battle shook the earth.
The Union guns were fired with all the ener-
gy that the prospect of the enemy's defeat
inspired, while the rebels fire was not 50
vigorous, and they evinced a desire to with>
draw. They finally tell slowly back, keep
ing up a fire from their artillery and musket-
~ along their whole column as they retreat
cd. They went in excellent order, battling
at every advantageous point, and delivering
their fire with considerable effect but from
all the divisions of our lines they were close
ly pursued, a CALLING fire beng kept upon
their rear.
The enemy had now been driven beyond
our former lines, AMI were in full retreat for
COrinth, pursued by our cavalry.
The forces engaged on both sides in this
days battle are estimated at about 10000
each.
LATER ACCOUNTS.
CAIRO, April 10.
An arrival from Pittsburg Landing says
that the rebels, IN making the first attack
or Sunday morning, carried the Stars and
Stripes, and wore the federal uniform
Gen. Prentiss' battery, consisting of the
6lst Illinois, 18th Wisconsin, 24th Indiana,
and list Ohio, were attacked while eating
their breakfast by what seemed to be the en-
tire rebel force. Gen. Prentiss had no artil-
lery, and his brigade was cut to pieces and