, 1862-05-17
MATTERS AND THINGS IN
THE CAMPS,
i Sharp Engagement Of General
Paine'S Division.
Death Of Lieut.. Col. Miles
JUNCTION OF GEN. MITCHELL WITH
CEN. POPE,


ere and 64~pound bowitzera found had hardly
reached Monterey yesterday afternoon, which
is yct nine miles from Corinth. The siege
train attached to Gen. Pope's Division had
been hauled few miles further towards the
front. The general impression in the army
appears to be that the rebels will not make q
stand at Corinth. This Is SO universally the
opinion, that man must possess consld-
cradle hardihood to combat it. Indeed,
number Of correspondents here have already
announced in their letters that the rebels have
actually evacuated the place, protesting to
have their information from the army scouts.
Tire eame correspondents also announced on
Monday last that Gen. Paine, Of Gen. Pope's
army corps, captured from five hundred all
the way up TO fifteen hundred prisoners in
reconnaissance on Saturday afternoon last.
One letter-Writer told me that he heard the
announcement read to the regiments in Gen.
Bucll's corps, and had himself read the order
Of Gen. Ha1leck, making the the fact known
to that portion Of the army. In my last, not
withstandiBg this direct statement, NTH
toned it merely as . doubtful camp rumor.
And 60 it turns ont to be. Indeed, at the time
vas informed by the Medical Director Of the
army that the number of prisoners captured
was but fifteen, mostly wounded men, and
that they we're under his treatment. The
truth is, our force WIS repulsed by the enemy
and compelled to tall back, the rebel officer
being enabled to carry off his killed and
many of bis wounded The prisoners cap
tured by lis were pickefs in advance
Of the main body Of the enemy.
| Still, this announcement Of our having cap
tured five hundred or fifteen hundred rebels,
has No doubt been heralded all over the coun~
try. It is the old story Of the tsthree black
crows" over again. To show how little reli-
| ance is to placed in camp ratnors, will 7ellte
a circumstance which occurred yesterday. 4
Colonel in one Of our regiments, III whom the
! General has every confidence, rode up to head
quarters and stated that he knew the rebel
army vas eyacuating Corinth; that be had
been to the front and seen them leaving, &c
Ee was perfectly sure Of it. The General was
staggered. In about half an hour afterwards,
another Colonel, in whom he had every whit
| as much confidence as tho first, rode up and
| announced that he had just come in from the
| front and that the enemy were receiviHg large
reiuforccments at Cqrinth; he was positive Of
it; he had seen them arriving BY the trains
The newspaper correspondents profess to be-
| lieye that the enemy is tyacuatipg. They get
their news from Gen. Hslleck's scouts. Now
Gen. Halleck must he strange sort Of Gcn-
cral. He has certain information from his
ating Corinth, still he takes no
measures to cut them of OF narass them in
their retreat. Gen Halleck's movements, on
the: contrary, indicate unndstaSab3y that he
believes the enemy is in Corinth. BE Is ad-
| vaucing upon the place cautiously and care
fully. He is hauling up siege guns to the
front at great expense and labor. He is forki-
flying his p0Ritions IS he ADVANCES, to prevent
8 surprise on the part Of the rebels. In 6uc,
all he docs is done with the belief that The en-.
| emy is at Corinth in large force, thoroughly
fortified, and that he means to make a despt-
| ratc stand there.
But what docs Beauregard gain By falling
back from Corinth, at least without trying con
ciusoIE with our army? Does he cpmpcl 1s
Ia lad s1n carfaees @ 4! eertainy aoes 3 but the5 @
| VIC have the use Of all the railroads which BIT
,i.lds up to uE-that running from Co1umbu:
tn Coriu1h, with branch to Grand Junction
that running from Tuscumbia to Corlnti
| the branch Of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad
between the Tennessee River and the Colum
bus and Mobile Railroad. But sunl
portions Of these roads can be destroyed b
The enemy, aud repairs can be quickly effected
upon them. By these roads We could tran:
, port our men, munitions, subsistence and fot
age much more rapidly and cheaply than W
now do. In Tctreatlng, also, Bc1uregard in
hicts a blow upon the morale Of his army
which is almost as injurious to 1t as battl,
lost. Nor has Grand Junction, upon whict
the rebel General would be compelled to fal
, back, the advantages Of Corinth. On the con
; trary, it is position much less capable o
defense in every point Of view, and much mort
= | open to attack from us.
Gen. Ha11cck, I learn, has information tha
+ The eAemy is fortifying at Grand Junction
: but this may be done with tie Intention o
| making 4 stand there in case of defeat at Cor
inth, and for the purpose Of enabling hin Il
z withdraw his troops in good order to bis las
3 eippi, and Montgomery, Alabasnn Railroad. i.
3 rttreatiug from C0rinth Beauregard may a1se
intcud doing SO By sending IF portions Of hi
: army to the South via the Columbus and Mo
8 bile Railroad, and another portion to tn
: west, via the Memphis and Charleston Rail
4 Co1inth, in case Of disaster, 1t Is ahsolutel,
necessary that he should hare more than on
track to carry off his troops with any degra
r ofspecd or eatety. Tue corps to be len a
oPcp, as long as possible, the enemy commu
nlcatlons with the country west Of the Missis
/ sippi by the railroad connecting at Memphi
:. with the Memphis and Charleston road.
c Tie roads continue to be dreadfully cut NJ
$ notwithstanding the two or three finc days {
" this week. As We advance the soil appears
Z l'e sprjngy, and even upon the up-lands j
mary places it is impossible to get the wae
q ons through with anything like respectful
- load. As consequence lay ia . scarce articl
= il the camps; many horses, artillery and CAY
:. airy, are fed almost wholly upon grain, IN
u this is brought up from the Landing q gres
l. extent upon the backs OF horses and mute
q = Let our army be compelled to advance a f.
u miles further and its means Of trausportatio
y y would be entirely iuadequatc.
~ The condition Of the old camps, abaudon.
=. ~ by the advancing troops, ia truly horrible. tt
~ ~ stencil from decaycd animal matter, refuse
II III kinds, old sinks left open &c, irnpregnat,
AZ AZ the alr for miles aronnd. In passing th1oug
he lie partially inferred, the smell is absolute
tn overpowerlDg It was well for the troops 1h
Sc they were removed, as the increase ia mort .
d ty would other&ise hare been fearful. ST.
10 there is au extraordinary amount OF sic
e5 ness in the army. It is absolutely me'ti1
e. sway from it. Ny estimate OF 5000 sick in
ne former letter, is considered too loT. It
atsestcd there arc fully twenty-five per ce
more than this number, Diasrhca and typho
, fever appear to be the prevailing disea use.
r. persons Of strongly bilious tym1sra%ens
lis often fatal. The boat Champion broug
70 up hy Governor Yates for the u
40 Of the wounded. was quickly file
60 and was dispatched down the river last Mig
NJ In the meantime, the Governor has charter
be the steamboat City OF Alton In place Of t
4n 4n Champion, and this bost will also be SO
nc filled.
oi The Governor haa been up to the fro
60 and, on the 1th inst. a review Of the Th
~ Division Of the army (the reserve(, comma1
IN cd BY Gen. Judah, took place in his hon
'ys This is Gen McC1ernandsa old division. O.
'ne Judah. being confined to his tent By illne
all Brisadier General Ross commanded Oh
oo~ occasion. The brigades were commanded
aIy fonogs: lst Brigade: Gen. Jno: A: Log
,ut End Brigade, Col n. E. Lawler; 3rd BriEa
his Col. n. Brayman. TIC artillery wcrs dra
up in line, and exhibited u front Of hal
ri nile In extent, whit the line OF cavalry
tao tended about the same distance. After
INC usual 1louors, while passing in review G
rH' Yates was introduced to the division
gro Gen. McClernand- The Governor N;
st m eloquent and patriotic speech, highly CT
up, pllmcs,ta1y Of Gen. McClernand, and the r.
.aa .s 'nents Of ,he division whlch fougot 81 spl
'efs didly At Belmont, Donelson, and Pittsbu
acir Hc spoke particularly in praise of the 1lliu
troops. At the conclusion Of the speech,
snc troops responded by cheers and hurrahs,
20 hsnds accompanying with Halt Cotunbj
me the "Stsr Spangled Banner,' aud other p
lson ctic airs. Gen. Ross then announced
u NcClernand, who also made very fine spes
YES, and one pertinent to the occasion. He cl
lion piimeIted Gov. Yates highly, aud endoi
Il. bis ofdcia1 acts in the strongest and most
!en~ ptatie nauuer; his care Of the army, his vi
ion, Gus policy In relation to the war. his tai
Ilso. the responsibility, when necessary, TO p
abi~ the troops In the field In q proper manner,
,ua" In the speeches, every allusion to the cor
res. fight WAS received with shouts, showing
the the spirit of the army is up, 8nd that it,
5 thusiasm has reached very high poiRt.