Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-05-06
A ReeonnoIsance--ReBeI Rout--HOW they
bury their dead.


OAMP sH1oH, Near Pittsburg Landing, l
April 2b, 1852.
Yesterday one of the divisions Of this army
was to advance on the road to Oorinth, ant
take up a new position two or three mile
farther In that direction. In order to cleal
the coast q large body Of cavalry and two
or three batteries of artillery were sent for.
ward in the early part Of the day. They
soon found the enemy posted on the road
about three thousand strong, and immediate.
u opened fire on them. Heavy reinforce
ments were promptly sent forward, among
them this regiment, (4sth OhiO). Therebsli
played their old game, and soon began a
very fast retreat.
We took fifteen or twenty prisoners, and
burned their entire camp, with all it con-
tanned. The main body Of our force then
returned, without single casualty. In this
reconnaissance We extended our lines beyond
one Of their hospitals, in which they have
about seventy badly wounded men. Thii
hos oital visited, and eonversed freely with
the men, all of whom, or nearly all, feel az
if they had been engaged in disreputable
business. One poor fellow begged rs to send
an ambulance and take him away, assuring
us that he would never lift his hand against
the old government again. Another, (an
Irishman) badly wounded in the leg, said he
wished to God the ball had passed through
his heart. They have their own surgeons
of whom we saw three.
Beauregard In his report Of this ggeat bat
tie may claim GLORIOUS victory" and so
may thousands Of his deluded followers, but
ifthe world could see what we have seen this
day, every one would exolaim-'sit this be
victory give Us defeat" For long miles the
road and woods on either side are streWn
with dead horses, caissons, baggage wagons,
ambulances, tents, ammunition, provisions,
blankets, clothing, So. From FIVE to ten
thousand wooden blankets, and a proper
tionste amount Of other articles Of clothing,
could be picked up on an area of Eve miles
square, along a single road over which they
retreated Besides all these thousands OF
tents, blankets, guns 80, were burned. The
rout was terrible. That it was improved by
our cavalry is another question.
They are too low in the scale of humanity
TO give even their own dead decent sepui-
chre. We saw three where they pretended
to bury many Of their men, and found that
they had invariably laid them on their
blankets on the surface Of the ground and
thrown little dirt over them, and in most
cases not enough to cover their poor bodies.
We were shocked at seeing the feet and 9TH
er portions Of their bodies wholly exposed.
If they thus treat their own brethren in
arms, what can the Union soldier expect
should be fall into their hands. They are
undoubtedly capable Of any atrocity.
Wevisited a number Of their old camps
occupied on their return to Oorinth. The
ruin is awful. They destroyed all they
could, but great many things escaped, as
they had but little time to devote to such
things. We picked up few little trophies;
among other things the paper on which
this Is written. You will observe that It is
Of poor quality, and yeS 1t is the best they