Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-04-17
The Battle Of Pittsburg Landing,
Desperate Conflict of Fifteen Hours.

Inc baCCle Oh FltCsDurg Landing
Desperate Conflict of Fifteen Hours,
Immense Slaughter on both Sides-Auack and Re
pulse Of The Enemy--The First Day's Fight
Orcr 100000 Troops Engagcd--7he Battle O.
! The Campaign.
We condenso the following account o.
the great battle from the army correspon
dence of the Cincinnati Times!
PITTsBuRo, April 6-Midnight.
POSITION OF THE FORCES.
Tho battle ground chosen for the strug
gle of to-day occupied a semi circle Of
about three and half miles from the
town of Pittsburg, our forces being sta.
toned in the form of semi-circle, the
north resting on point north of Crump'l
Landing, our centre being directly in from
of the main road to Corinth, and our left
extending to the river, in the direction ol
Hamburgh-a small place four miles
north of Pittsburg Landing.
1t has been known for some DAYS past
that proper attention had not been paid
to the placing of pickets sufficient dis.
tance from our front lines to insure against
surprise, and in some cases it had even
been neglected altogether. No pickets
it is said, have ever been placed in front
of Gen. Prentiss' division, although il
was known that the Secesh spies and
scouting parties were continually hover
ing even near to the outside row of the
tents of his regiments. They were to be
met by every scouting party that left oul
camps, and the rencounters of the last
few days have proven so disastrous to
them that they determined to repay them
with interest.
THE FIRST ATTACK.
AT two o'clock this morning, Col. Pea.
body, of Prentiss' division, fearing tha,
everything was not right, despatched a
body Of four hundred men beyond the
camp, for the purpose Of looking after
any force that might be lurking in that
direction. The step was wisely taken,
for half miles advance showed heavy
force approaching, who fired upon them
with great slaughter. Those who escar-
ed fell back to the 25th Missouri reg't,
swiftly pursued by the enemy. The con.
test had beon OF but short duration, and
the advance of the secessionists reached
the brigade of Col. Peabody Just as the
long roll was sounded and the men were
falling into line. Their resistance, taken
by unawares, was of but short duration
and they retreated in as good order as
possible, under calling fire, until they
reached the lines of the second division
AT six O'Clock the attack became gen.
eral along the entire front of our line
The enemy in large force had driven il
the piekets. of. Gen. Sherman's division
and fallen with vengeance on the 4Stl
.reg't, o. V. NJ, Col. Sullivan, the 10th
Col. Cockerell, and the 72d, Col. Buck
land. The troops here had never been in
action, and being so unexpectedly attack
ed, ere they could fully understand theil
position, or get into file, they made as
able a resistance as was possible, bu,
were, in common with the forces of Gen.
Prentiss, forced to seek support on the
troops Immediately in their rear. The
9th Ohio Cavalry formerly belonging to
this division, had been removed to Gen.
Hurl5ut's command the day before yes.
terday, and their place supplied and camp
occupied by the I'd Illinois Cavalry
These latter knew nothing of the ap-
proach of the enemy until they were in
their midst, firing into their tents and
applying the torch as they came.
The slaughter, on this first onslaught
OF the enemy, was very severe, scores
falling at every discharge of their guns,
and all making their best effort to escape
or repel the foe. 1t, however, soon be-
came evident that the Secession force was
overpowering, and nothing was left fol
the advance line but retreat. This was
done III considerable disorder, both off
GERS and men losing every particle of lheil
baggage, it of course falling into the en-
emy's hands.
THE PROSPECT AT THAT HOUR.
AT half past eight o'clock the fight had
become quite general, the second line of
divisions having received the advance in
good order, and made every preparation
for favorable reception of the foe.
AS your correspondent reached the
third line of our forces he met several
thousand of stragglers, many of them
from the hospitals, but many more who
had never witnessed the service of the
battle field, and who so far had not found
it much to their liking. Their faces were
turned to the river, and neither persua-
sions nor threats could induce them to
change their course.
The timely arrival of General Grant,
who had hastened up from Savannah,
led to the adoption of such measures as
put termination to this uncalled for
flight from the battle field. A strong
guard was posted across the thorough
fares, with orders to halt every soldier
whose face was turned riverward. Some
few of the wounded were allowed to pro-
ceed, but the self-constituted guard who
had chosen that as a means of escape,
were made to keep within the line under
penalty of strong admonition at the
hands of the established sentries.
AT ten o'clock the entire line on both
sides was engaged in one Of the most ter
rlble battles ever known in this country.
The roar of the cannon and musketry
was without intermission from the main