The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1862-10-24

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having been sent home by the Surgeon Gene
raj, from whom we obtained some, details of
the battle. Colonel4P. was himself wounded
by the conclusion of an exploding shell. which
struck near him, killing two men and knock
ing him down, and considerably: inliuring
him. From his statement and other informa-
ton, we make up the following narrative:
+ The battle was opened on Friday last, COM
mencing at s O'Clock in the morning and con-
tinuing without cessation until O'Clock at
night. Our forces numbered about 20,00G
fighting men, Under command of Major Gene
raj Van Dorm, and they fought with a despe-
rate valor not exceeded BY any troops during
the war. - = go
It now appears that our Generals or at
least the General In command, were terribly
deceived, having been lured by the enemy, into
a trap carefully prepared for them, and made
to fight against heavy odds without the hope
of any substantial advantage for this wasteof
blood and life. The movement on Corinth
was made from the West, the enemy with
drawing his pickets at our approach, destroy
ing camps, strewing the way with knapsacks,
guns, clothing ETC., until he reached his first
line of entrenchments, where he made q reso-
lutte stand. Our men rapidly pursued what
they supposed flying enemy, counting on q
.bloodless victory, some of The Generals even
expecting to obtain possession of the town
without firing gam Their eyes were open
ed when they saw the serried ranks Of the
enemy prepared to receive them. and they
then knew that hard and bloody fight was
at hand Moore's brigade of Maury's diyi-
sion led the advance and the battle soon
ragged hot and furionsly.t The enemy foaght
well-better, it is said, than ever befnre in
the West--lbut they could not withstand the
furious charges of our gallant men, who
steadily gained upon them driving them from
entrenchment to ertrenchment until night
closed upon the scene. n, :. t.fs siis IL
The next day the fght,w resumed, the
enemy meantime, having been heavily re-
inforced, but our troops again pressed for
ward, gaining the town Of Corihth, and the,
gallant 42d Alabama planting its colors with
in a square of the Tshimipge Hotel Itsbe-
came evident, however, that the. struggle was
too unequal to be continued to advantage by
our forces, whose ranks were becoming fear
fully thinned and worn down by fatigue and
hunger, while the enemy were being con-
tinually reinforced. The order, was then
given to fall back, and our troops withdrew
from the field, leaving many Of Our dead and
enemy. Meanwhile the Eederals had thrown
heavy force, estimated at 10000 men, from
Bolivar, to the south Of Corintl,, with the
design to cut off our retreat and bag our whole
army These fresh troops were anet with un7
exampled bravery and vigor by our jaded
men in the sanguinary engagements of Sunday
at Pocahontas, which resulted in the discom7
future of the foe, and thanks to the genius and
experience Of General Price, in The escape of
our army by an improvised road to q point
west Of Ripley, where they made a stand,
The battle on Friday is said to have been
the hottest and most desperate of all. Sol.
diers who were in the battle Of Shiloh say it
was more terrible than that memorable cor
fict.. The. enemy appear to- have been, tho
roughly posted with regard to, aIiopr move
ments.. They knew when q given division
passed a given point, what was It's strength,
the direction of its march, how, when and
where the attack was to be made; in short,
everything they wished to know, and of course
could make all the preparation they desired
to meet us.
We have not been able to obtain particulars
of the casualties, but the record, we fear, will
be sad enough The Forty-Second Alabama
went into the fight Of Friday five hundred
and thirty strong. On Saturday it mustered
about three hundred, and on Sunday evening
a staff officer met the Major, whos had been
wounded in the breast, with only eight Or
ten men, who were ALL be said, he had been,
able to gather of the regiment The rest
were either killed, wounded. prisoners, OF had
fallen by the way from weakness. 80
On Sunday an order was sent to Gen Mau-:'
nv to make charge with his division, but this
gallant officer was forced to reply that he had
scarcely two regiments left fit for duty. IS, u
Sengstake's artillery was badly cut up,
being at one time nearly surrounded by the
enemy. Dowdelps (35th Alabama) Regiment
was also roughly handled, but nobly sustain
ed the reputation Of Alabama in the unequal
strife. IS
Such is The brief, but we believe in the
main, truthful narrative of our recent move
ment towards Corinth. It is not our purpose
here to comment upon the facts related
They are too painful todwell upon, and call
loudly for prompt and searching inyestiga-
ton by the Government. IF it shall be found
that our gallant little army has been led into
the claws of death" and thus cut up thro' the
Ignorance, stupidity or mismanage Of COM
manders, the country viii demand that an
example be made that shall prove at once an
assurance to the people and warning to in
competent or self-suf6cient Generals.
The situation in Mississippi demands the
prompt and earnest attention of our military
authorities. They cannot act too soon or too
vigorously Reinforcements should at once
be sent forward and as rapidly as possible,