Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-04-16
From Burroughs Battery.
PITTSBURG LANDING, TENN,
March 2Sth. 1862

| March 18th, lS62-
Chronicle r. lends Upwards of a month
has elapsed since the writing of my last
letter to you at Fort Donelson. In that
time but little has transpired that seemed
worthy of communication. We made q
stay of two weeks at that fallen strong
hold, and in common with the gathered
thousands there congregated, left for Fort
| Henry, March 5th. The wretched wealth
er of the preceding month, with the vast
amount of travel between these two
points, had rendered the roads almost i'm
passable, so that we were three days most
busily engaged in traversing distance of
twenty miles. The last day we marched
till midnight, making our own roads to q
great extent during the last eight miles,
having TO go that distance above Fort
Henry to get a place for embarking on
the transports on account of the swollen
state of the Tennessee River, then at food
tide.
There embarking on the City of Mem
phis we were transported up the river to
Savannah, the most extreme point in our
possess. on. Remaining there but three
days we again changed quarters going up
the river ten miles and have been en-
ing we were at once drawn up in battle
array, tie pieces brought to an ''action
front" and the men eagerly waited the
onset of the foe, but the shelling of the
woods by the Gunboat which acted as
convoy had proved all sufficient for the
admonition of the rebels. Skirmishing
between our pickets and the rebel SEN
tries was of nightly occurrence till a re-
I.-s r
Infantry which advanced ten miles be-
yond camp limits without obtaining even
glimpse of the enemy, suddenly put
stop to this jay-hawking sport
When we shall leave here and to what
point we shall move, is still matter of
conjecture merely. Rumor points to Cor
NTH, the nearest point at which the rebels
are IN force, distant only twenty-five miles.
The latest advices that have reached US
indicate that the left wing of our forces
it still at Nashville under command of
General Buell., numbering, it is stated,
10000 Infantry, 80 Batteries of Artillery
and due proportion of Cavalry, formid-
able force truly. We occupy the centre
near the Mississippi and Tennessee bound
ary line. Our numbers he. e are not
known to us, of course, it being a matter
of policy not to permit intelligence of
that nature becoming general where there
is such near communication with the en-
emy. The right wing under Pope and
and Foote is still laundering for admis-
sion at the portals of the fortresses on
Island No. 10, Judging from last reports
A glance at the map will show at once
that we are at the extreme southernmost
point of the arc formed by this bow shap-
ed line of operations. With the rebels
in force at Fort Pillow, Randolph, Mem
phis and Corinth on onr right, at Chatta-
nooga and Decatur on the left, and Rail
road connection between these points it
will be apparent that offensive operations
on our part could only be undertaken at
the imminent hazard of a flank attack by
the combined forces of the rebels, entire
ly out of supporting distance of either
wing. a reverse at this mcst important
state of affairs may well be considered as
of too serious import to be even hazarded.
The men, unknowing and uncaring. what
ever may be the odds are eager and impa-
tient for the onward move. Nv impress
sion is that for little while we will abide
as we are, thus obeying the apostolic in
junction. When there is a movement
wewill be in the second line of the advance,
that being the position assigned the lst
Brigade, 4th Division, of which we are a
part, under the command of Gen1 Hurl-
burt.
Sickness, like vengeful fate, still fol-
lows us on our way. We had been at
Fort Donelson but a few days when it be-
came necessary to send two of our men
down the Cumberland for Hospital treat
ment. On leaving, thirteen were left be-
hind, of whom FIVE only have since re-
joined the Battery. Four-all residents
of Ashtabula county, are in the Hospital
at Mound City. The other four are con-
valescents, who have for two weeks past
been sharing the hospitalities of Captain
Spears Battery, at Paducah, KY. Three
Of them are from Warren.
Five more names have been added to
the list of ''our dead" Messrs. Allen of
Vernon, L. c. Sprague of Bloomfield, and
4. Philips OF Green, died in the Hospital
at Camp Dennison after our DEPARTURE
George French of Geneva, one of those
sent back from Donelson, has since died
News arrived to-day of the death of Wat
son Jones of Garrettsvilie.
Two OF our men were sent to the ST.
Louis Hospital from Fort Henry, and one
has been taken to the sick transport at
this place. Twenty-Five more are at home
on sick furlough, and ten are now lying
sick in camp, reducing our force from
l56 to 1l8.