The Shasta courier., 1862-04-19
Progress of the War.

OF one OF the Df6Cdiest anu nfosi siSnlncaIt
battles, by all' odds, ever fought on this con-
tinent-- In whatever light it is viewed,
whether in relation to the immense bodies Of
men engaged in the struggle, in relation to
the great numbers destroyed, its bearings on
the future Of he Republic, or, indeed, il
any of its many aspects,-it can be truly said
that it establishes an ineffaceable landmark
in our history. Victory crowned the efforts
Of the loyalists, and the cohorts of disso-
lutte and vagabond treason. have again been
driven into their Businesses. with. an unpar-
allelled loss, their il-starred banners going
down in disgrace before the resistless Yalor
of men to whom life was nothing without a
country, their leaders killed or taken prison
crs, save such as in the shadows of dis
graceful flight prolong, for time, an exist
ence no longer worth the having. Loyalty
and Treason have measured swords on an
open field, and triumph crowns the Right,
and Wrong again goes down. Nothing is
needed to give point and signilicancy to this
triumph. The numbers engaged were, as
far as can be learned ABOUT equal, the occa-
sion and the field were selected by the ma
tion's adversaries. This notable battle oc.
CURED in few days of one years time from
the capitulation of Fort Sumter, when seventy
Of our soldiers sari rendered, after standing
in hail of iron for days, to seven thousand
determined and enthusiastic rebels. Beau
regard commanded. at both Sumter and
Pittsburg Landing. Little did he dream,
when one year before the order issued from
his lips for the batteries to open on the flag
of his country, that its anniversary would see
him defeated, manned and disgraced leader
Of band, so shorn of its pretensions and
plumage as to scarcely amount to respect.
able mob. Then he thought and believed
that the nation would tamely submit to the
insult and outrage, that he, at the bidding of
his masters. inflicted on it. What thinks he
nocs Is not the idea beginning to perco
late through his and the rebel mind general
ly, that this is a nation in very fact and
deco. that knows how to deal with traitors
armed resistance, and to maintain and
.llo.eate itself in the eyes of the world
The Sacramento Bee has the best descrip-
ton we have seen of the locality of the little
village of Pittsburg Landing, near which
this battle was fought:
This now famous place is landing ON the
Tennessee river, in Hardin county, Tennes-
see, and is south of >avannah and north of
Hamburg-places of some little note on the
river, and in the same county. Pittsburg
Landing cannot be more than two or three
miles north Of Hamburg, nor more than ten
miles south of Savannah, Crumps' Landing
lies between Savannah and Pittsburg L nd
ing. Savannah is on the east or right bank
of the river, while Hamburg is on the west
or left bank, and the term Landing, as used
in this case, includes, we think, both banks.
but it was on the west bank that the battle
took place. Our forces had crossed ut this
landing, and probably at Crumps' also, and
were attacked near to The bank. From Ham.
burg and from Pittsburg Landing, there is
county road to Pennington, in Tishamingo
county, Mississippi, the distance between the
two being not twenty miles, and Pennington
is near the Memphis and Charleston railroad,
on which is Corlnth; and in direct line.
Bennington is within three and half miles
OF Corinth, while the route by county road
and railroad cannot be over FIVE miles. Cor.
NTH, Mississippi, where Beauregard was
gathering his great host, is distant from
Pittsburg Landing not more than twenty
five miles, and to this place were the fving
and defeated host betaking themselves. botly
pursued by the Federal cavalry. '"bey
would have to travel afoot all the wav or -
the railroad, which if they strike where tho
Farmneton road crosses it, would give them
lift of about two miles into Corinth.
The Carson City Silver Age has a de,cr;n.
ton of the location of Corinth and lis snr.
roundings, which we copy in the same con
ncction. 1t is evidently written by some one
familiar with the localities named:
Corinth is situated on the line of the Mon,
phis and Charleston railroad, about ons brn
dred' and fifty miles cast from Memnb;s
and about two hundred and twenty m;,ss,
west from Stephenson, the junction of the
Memphis and Charleston railroad with the
Nashville and Charleston railroad. Corintb
is a town Of from three to FIVE hundred in,
habitants, in fact nothing more than a dininp
station on the railroad. Its natural strength
and stratagetic Importance may be thus
enumerated: 1t is-the centre of fiat coun
Try tii'tt stuoruS no ocuinnlanulng nigh grounds
is located on the head of a swamp shaped
like a horse shoe. that forms an impenetrable
barrier on theee sides, north south and
west. Six miles west from Corinth. the rail.
road is built on piles through a lake or pond,
the water waverying ON a few inches tc
several feet in depth. For thirty miles out.
side of this pond the ground is low, swampy,
and heavily timbered, impracticahle except
on the line of the railroad. which will be
torn up the moment Memphis falls into the
hands of the Federals. To the east of Cor.
inth the country is level. the soil rich. and is
the finest cotton district In the State To-day
Corinth is in connection by railroad with
New Orleans, Mobile. Charleston, Nashville,
and vast number of intermediate towns.
and large scope of productive county. The
conquest of Island No. 10 opens the way to
Memphis, and the possession af Mem phis
implies possession of the junction of the
Nashville and New Orleans railroad with the
Memphis and Charleston railroad. shutting
off the communication between Corinth and
New Orleans, and Mobile as well as all that
section Of country in the possession of the
rebels along the line ofthe road, north of the
junction toward Nashville.
We are not Of tie opinion that another