The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-04-24
The Battle at Pittsburg Landing...Gen
Grants Official Report.

u
Grants Official Report.
HEADQUARTERS DIsr. OF WEST TENN,
PITTsBURG, April 1862.
Capt. H. n. Mclean, A. A. Gen. Dept of the Mis-
sissipp st. Louis, Mo. i
CAPTAIN 1t becomes my duty again
to report another battle, fought be-
tween two great armies, one contend
ing for the maintenance of the best
Government ever devised, the other
for its destruction. 1t is pleasant to
record the success of the army contend
ing for the former principle.
On Sunday morning our pickets
were attacked and driven in by the cne-
my. Immediately the five divisions
stationed at this place were drawn up
in line of battle ready to meet them.
The battle soon waxed warm on the
left and centre, vary ing at times to all
parts of the line.
The most continuous firing of mus.
kerry and artillery ever heard Oh this
continent was kept up until nightfall,
the enemy having forged the entire line
to fall back nearly half way from their
camps to the landing. At late hour
in the afternoon desperate effort was
made by the enemy to turn our left and
get possession of the landing, trans
ports, etc. This point was guarded by
the gunboats Tyler and Lexington,
Captains, Gwynn and Shirk, U. S. NJ,
commanding, four 2O-pounder Parrott
guns, and battery of rifled guns. AS
there is a deep and impossible ravine
for artillery or cavalry, and very diff.
cult for infantry at this point, no troops
were stationed here except the neces-
sary artilerists and small infantry
force for their support. Just at this
moment an advance of Major General
Buell's column, IA part of the division
of General Nelson,) arrived, the two
Generals named both being present
An advance was Immediately made
upon the point of attack, and the ene-
my soon driven back. In this repulse,
much is due to the presence of the gun.
boats Tyler and Lexington, and their
able commanders, Captains Gwynn
and Shirk. During the night the diyis.
ions under Generals Crittenden and
McCook arrived.
! Gen. Lew Wallace, at Crump's
Landing, ak miles below, was ordered
at an early hour in the morning to hold
his division in readiness tob moved
i'm any direction to which it might be
ordered. At about ii o'clock, the
order was delivered to move it up to
Pittsbnrg, but owing to its being led by
a circuitous route, did not arrive in
time to take part in Sundays action,
4 Before the close of the action the ad
vance of Gen. Woods division arrived
in time to take part in the action. M,
force was too much fatigued from TIVE
days hard fighting, and exposure in tn.
open air TO a drenching rain during thu
intervening night, To pursue immedi
ately. Night closed in quietly ant
with heavy rains, making the roads i'm
practicable for artillery the next morn
ing. General Sherman, however, fol
lowed the enemy, finding that the maiI
part of the army had retreated in goo6
) order. Hospitals of the enemy
wounded were found all along the roat
so far as pursuit was made. Deat
: bodies of the enemy and graves were
r also found. / enclose herewith the re
ports of Gen. Sherman, which will ex
. plain more fully the result of the pur
suit. Of the part taken by each sepa
: rate command, | cannot take specia
notice in this report, but will do SO more
fully when the reports of divisions
commanders are handed in.
During the night all was quiet, ant
feeling that great moral advantag,
: would be gained by becoming the at
tacking party, an advance was orderet
as soon as day dawned. The resul
9 was gradual repulse of the enemy a
' all positions of the line, from mornin;
until probably FIVE o'clock in tho after
! noon, when it became evident that tn
!. enemy was retreating.
: General Buell., coming on the fiel
1 with distinct army under his com
0 mand, and which did such efficient SCI
b vice, commanded by himself in persol
4 on the field, will be much better able I
: notice those OF his command who pai
n ticularly distinguished themselves tina
s ! possibly can.
J. ] feel:it duty, however, to gal,an
e and able officer. Brigadier- General ]
r w. Shep5fan, to make special mer
ton. He not only was with his CON
K mand during the entire of the tw
l. days action, but displayed great jnds
/ ment and shill in the management {
n his men. Although severely wounde
in the hand the 6rst day, his place W