Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-03-13
fcOrespondenee ofthe Cincinnati oaset.e.I
A GLANCE At THE FIELD OF FORT
D0NELSON. -.

A GLANCE At THE FIELD OF FORT
DoNEES0N.
The two leading features of the bat
tie were the stormipg Of the enemy,
works by Gen. Smiths divisiopSon oul
extreme left, and their attack on our
! extreme. right, where they advanced
from their works and attempted to cut
their way out, and where the conflict
ragged with~varying fortunes during the
most Of the day. )
In the former ease the woods are
open and with but lttle undergrowth-
the felled trees. however. much obstruc.
ting our advance pb bthe hill. It was a
gallant and fearless charge and reflect
ed the highest hoaes on the Iowa and
Indiana troops who made it. It's sue
cess was a yits hs;e gained and cor
tributed largelysto lfs glorious result,
In the latter. (tbat their attack on
our right, the locality of the conflict IS
some distance outsidesfh works, the
ground not so predbiious, while the
woods are thick and dsthe underground
dense. =
8 The appearance ofsfhe timber here
presents a curious add extraordinary
spectacle. 1t is litersAy riddled with
balls. and looks as il ithad been subjec-
ted both to generals eblazing" process
and the passage Of hurricane. For a
space of several hunds ssd yards in width
by nearly a mile in length there is
scarcely tree that BULLETS have not
barked or passed through or lodged in,
or a twIg that is not Hiehed, split skin
ned. or cut of. Hundreds Of trees have
hall dozen to dozen bullets each in
them. and many twigs may be found
with as great number Of gashes.-
Saplings from three to four inches In
diameter have been SO nearly cut in
two that they have fallsh to the ground.
The terrible power of tbe minnie bullet
IS here strikingly displayed. Il has
performed feats of dex{ {uction which il
would be thought impossible for any
gun Of less cal iber ths9 field piece
The enemy appeared to be mostly
armed with smooth bore rifles and
shot guns, from the eatter OF which
they fred heavy charges of buck shot
and small bullets. witch were very
effective at the short range at which
the fighting had to u done in these
dense woods. Nearly ssl the balls from
both sides have swept along within six
feet OF the ground, SHOWING the accu-
rate character Of the 6rikg. The track
of the leaden storm is as distinctly
marked as that OF a Iorfzsdo. ,s..;
Scattered over the ground in every
direction - notwithstanding the relic
hunters have been busy ever since
are still to be seen coats. hats, panta-
looms. shoes. pieces of blankets, haver-
sacks, canteens, cartridge boxes, re-
mains Of rations. plates. knives, forks,
spoons, &c. The frequency that car
fridge boxes are met with is fearfully
suggestive of the number who fell, for
a soldier has no occasion 10 throw away
his cartridge box either in a fight or
panic, nor is it likely to be taken off Of
him in moving him from the field; so
every cartridge box may be regarded
as the representative OF one upon whom
the deadly missiles did their work.
THE GRAVES.
The dead are usually buried where
they fall You stumble upon them in
all parts of the woods, sometimes
singly and sometimes in rows. Gen
orally little piece Of board at the head
contains in pencil marks the occupants
name, his company and regiment. In
one row Of graves in the edge of the
only open spot near by IA liltls field
surrounded by woods. are laid 35 of
the 9th and 41st Illinois. They all fell
in the skirts OF the woods surrounding
it. The friends of some have already
had the bodies Gisinterred and sent
home for burial. AS l passed through
the woods at dusk on my return, |
found several members of regiment
taking up that of their Lieutenant for
this purpose. and as they scraped the
last handful Of dirt off the piece of
blanket that covered his face. and lift
ed it off, | almost expected 10 see his
features start into lie, so natural did |
the form look as he lay in his military
garb.
This promiscuous burying Of the
dead impressed me very unpleasantly. !
and as not ft mode Of disposing OF
the remains Of those who have perish |
ed in the service Of the country. Why
not rather adopt the method upon such |
occasions of collecting them together
in some convenient and eligible spot.
adjacent to the battle-ground, and inter
them iu distinct graves, and in one
common ground, which shall forever
remain sacred and under the protection
Of the Government as the resting place
of the brave men who have offered up
their lives in its defense?
AN INCIDENT.
Colonel Kinney, of the Fifty-sixth |
Ohio, related to me one Of those strange
and melancholy incidents which the
fortunes Of war sometimes bring to
pass. As he was riding along the
breastworks day or two after the sur
render, and while many Of the dead
we're still unburied. he observed before
him a private in his regiment. named
Bowman. strolling along. As he came
up. he noticed the latter suddenly start
back. as if transfixed at the sight of a