Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-04-29

lIhe following letter la addressed to DR..
Todd of this city by nephew, who.is
Chaplain of the 18th Ohio Regiment. We
are permitted to copy it. ~ .a4l .,al
PITTsBURGH LANDING, Aprill4, 1862.
Dear Uncle:
TIlad yiatsnded to have written to you
sooner, but we have had so many things to
claim .opr time and attention. that I. have,
overlooked you. AS intimatedto you in
my last letter We have had the "battle of
battles" SO far. also intimated to you
that tge might be attacked; in this was
uot- deceived. Our brigade was pushed
out on the extreme right wing to place.
called Adamsyflle on the Purdy road. And.
IL was the opinion of all that the attack
would have been made then. Even as late
as Friday night before the battle COM
menced, after there had been whole days
hard skirmishing, Gen. Grant sent word to
Gen. Lew Wallace, our Major General, that
1t was only feigned attack upon Pitts
burgh whilst the point of real attack was
AdamsYille. On Saturday morning Gen.
Wallace had brought up to the support of
our brigade most of his forces, and all day
Saturday and Saturday night Wallace with.
his eagle eye was watching the approach
of the ,fOem0nS. but none came. Early on
senses by a tremendous cannonading. We
now knew when the great battle was to be
fought. AT IL N, on Sabbath Wallace with
his forces was ordered from Adamsville
to the scene of action. Two hours were
consumed in getting our long train of bdg-
gage in motion and hence ut 2 o'clock p.
n. we started, and in 4 hours marched l3
miles over roads which in places were per-
tectly execrable.A We arrived upon tho
battle field aboutdar and were placed in
cotton field supperless and IN battle line
We lay,upOn the ground under the pelting
ram most of the night, and about daylight
the battle opened again, and. having slept
in battle order We were at once put in mo-
tion and were kept in motion untilth close
of the battle. But must go back little.
During Friday and Saturday there had been
quite severe skirmishing, aud yet strange
to say our forces were completely surprised
or Sabbath morping.e This no doubt was
owing in a great measure to the fact that
Adamsville was believed TO be theIreal
point of attack, and also in part from the
fact that our forces had become careless
dreaming that Beauregard would not at
tack them. Hence, quite number of reg
imeuts were surprised, and very many Of
our soldiers were slain in their tents, and
quite number were taken prisoners. Gen.
Prentice seems 70 have been fearfulIy crimi-
nalip his searelessuessin not having asolitary
picket out in front of his forces. He and
quite large number Of his men paid the
penalty Of his rashness by now gracing a
rebel prison. q Great erin inality is attached
to this neglect, Many valuable lives have
been needlessly sacrificed, and our noble
! army came well nigh being Destroyed
Our forces though heroically disputing
every inch ofthe ground were compelled to
fall back all day on Sabbath, until nearly
nearly two thirds ofour camps were occl-
pied by the enemy. Such was the state of
things when Gems. Wallace and Bue'ls for,
ces appeared upon the ground, and ltwas
evident to all, that on them rested the ardu-
Gus work of driving back the proud rebel
army, aud retrieving the 'misfott6Ies Of
the day, and of snatChlng from the hands
of our foemen what seemed to, 1themiau
easy and certain victory, How nobly they
have performed, their duty the events of
last Monday testify. i am glad our bril-
gade and our little General had nothing, TO
do with Sabbath's bungling work. .
Early on Monday morning the contest
opened Immediately on our lsft, the balls
of the ,enemy passing over US, aud in less
than fifteen minutes the whole line of some
three miles was engaged. There seemed
to be bot one sheet. Of fire, and perfect
ayalanche of balls aud shells. The river
here makes crescent form, with its points
blocking soutbwest and northwest, Our
forces. were drawn up in nearly straight
line, some three fourths of mile inland,
iextending from point to point.
Il was the design of ;BsaureRaFd,, by
making "a furious charge upon our right
right, to drive us back upon. the river, and
then capture. our feet lying at Pittsburgh,
and thus cutoff our retreat. Gen. Wal
lace's forces occupied the extreme right all
day as We. nOEldO1B Yo1 may CORN some
fidea of .onr battle as it opened on Monday
morning, from the rough sketch have
l drawn. Gen. Wallace commenced from
the very Hrst (5 A. n. to flank the ene-
Iny's left wing and there was not a mo
Ement during the entire day which he did
not succeed. think that 4 vas mainly
owing TO the fact that he so steadily push
led buck their left and so completely faux
SdfAem, that our victory was secured
| Our forces pressed the enemy's left by. opr
circuitous route Of. from ten 10 twelve
4 miles, whilst the forces under Buell. only
pressed them back. from two and a halt 70
three miles. BneIl's forces fought 6Eayslya