Washington telegraph., 1862-04-02

r~,- We have received several letters from
DIR. Jennings, Surgeon Of Col. Gautts regi-
ment. One dated march 18th. from New Mad
rid, was written during the days the battle
was raging. Its contents have been anticipa-
ted. We give one extract only, and hereby
announce the fact, at last, on the authority of
the doctor, to which We add the sentiment ;hat
judicious. Honest effort, and faithful devotion
to any cause should be encouraged:
'.Col. CAN'T yesterday received his commits
sion as a Brigadier General. lie is in fine
health, and bears this new honor with becom-
ing1lignity, though burning with impatience
to meet his country's invaders
A postscript on the envelope, dated next
day, runs as follows:
':We have beeu fighting all day. The enc
my having thrown up n redan directly in front
of the fort, under the cover of which they
have shelled us all the day. Two only iaslled:
one lieutenant of artillery, and DR. Bell. our
medical director, had both his legs shot off.
We sleep on our arms, and are in good fight
ing SPIRITS"
subsequent letter of March 18th, we pub
lish in full
Gayoso HOUSE, MEMPHIS, TENS.,f
March 10th. 1862, (
Col. JOIN Il. EAhIN-Dedr Sir-l wrote
you short letter, just before our general fight
| on Thursday last, and even endorsed on the
back of it, the result of our hard days work.
I never felt more hopeful than did that light.
Yet not ever three hours elapsed, before infor-
nation arrived that Gen. Seigel had reinforced
the enemy with an additional 20 900 men, and
20 odd pieces of artillery. This news decided
our fate, and the order soon came for the i'm
mediate evacuation of the place. Here. again,
| We were to contend with serious dlihcultleS, as
| all our transports were so crippled by the shots
of the enemy's batteries, that we only had
the gun boats on which to embark. The rain
descended in perfect torrents, the lightning
played around US fearfully. and with an in
cessant play of '.heaven's artillery" we ST.
lently, and with all the dispatch possioie:
succeeded in getting upon two gun ooa's anu
| an old crazy wharf-boat. Thus leaving all
| our tents cooking utensils, forses, rhu'es'
| wagons, and in fact. clothing blankets. every
| thing pertaining to camp equippage.we' uhoGr
cover of light and the raging elements maue
| our way past the enemy's batteries below Point
Pleasant, without obs ervation, and reached
Tiptonyille by daylight The enemy thought
| they had US so fast it was impossible for us TO
escape We had not been gone long before
they opened upon the fort from five different
batteries. thus rendering it impossible for us
| to have held our position half hour, when
morning come. Four men, by accident, we're
left behind, and when the enemv's guns open
ed. they ran to the fort and finding no one
there, and the guns spiked and dismantled,
they made their way to the rife pits, AMI still
finding no one, they followed down the bank of
the river. and as morning dawned, one of them
pulled off his white shirt, and waving it upon
a pole, which citizen discovering from the
other side. went over in a small skif, and
brought them safely across, and they soon
made their way to US.
Thus, when cur hopes seemed brightest, we
were compelled. to yield to the pres
sure of the immense force of our foe. Ii was,
when take into consideration our condition
at the time, our only alternative. Our men
were completely exhausted, they could
hardly let themselves down the steep banks
into the boats. Only three horses were saved.
We have lost our all. and [ was Immediately
sent here by order of Gen. CAN'T. with the
sick and wounded. | left our men entirely
exposed to the elements. DR.. Bells body
came with me on the bosJ to this place.
In haste your friend, L.. g. J.