Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-04-17
THE BATTLE OF PIrrsBuRG LANDING
0ffieial Report Of Gen. Grant.
HEADQUARTERS,

~.
one contendng for the maintenance OF the best
government ever devised, and the other for tts
destruction. It's pleasant TO record the success,
OF Ine army contending for the former principles,
On SUNDAY morning our pickets were attached
ana driven In bv the enemy. 1mmedietelyrthe
i've divisions stationed at this place we re drawn
up In line Of battle to meet them. TEE battle
soon waved warm on the left and centre VARYING
at times to all parts OF the line IL was the most
continuous firing Of musketry and artillery ever
heard on this continent, and was kept up until
night w hen the enemy, having forced the
entire line to fall back nearly half way FINN their
camps to the landing, at late hour In the afer-
noon. desperate Effort was made by the enemy
70 turn our left and get possession of the landing
transports, &c.
This point was guarded nv the guuboats TYLER
and Lexington, Captains Gwyn and Shirkusen
commanding, with four 20 FOUNDER Parrot guns
and battery Of ri6ed guns. As there 10 deem
and impossible ravine for artillery or cavalry
and very difficult for infantry, at this point no
troops were stationed here except the necessary
arulleriss and small infantry force for their
| support. Just at this moment the advance Of Msi
General Buell's column, part Of the division of
General Nelson, arrived, and the two Generals
named, both being present, an advance was i'm
media'e.y made upon the point Of attack, and the
| enemy were soon driven back. In this repulse
much is due to the presence of the boats TYLER
and lexington and their commanders, Captains
Gwyn and ShiTkusen, u. &. Navy
During the night the divisions under Generals
Crittenden and McCook arrived
General Lew. Wallace, at Crump Landing six
miles below, was ordered az an early hour In the
morning to held his division In readiness to be
moved in any direction to which II might be or
dered. At about eleven O'Clock an order was de-
livered to move II up to Pittsburg, but owing to
Its being led by circuitou: route, did not arrive
In time to take part in Sundays action.
During the night all was quiet, and feeling that
a great moral advantage would be gained by be-
coming the attacking party, an advance was
ordered as soon as day dawned, and the result
was the gradual repuse Of the enemy at all points
Of the line from till probably O'Clock in the
afternoon, when 1t became evident that the enemy
were retreating.
Before the close of the action the advance of
General J. ]. Nord's division arrived In time to
take part In the action.
My force was too much fatigued from two
days. hard fighting aud exposure in the open air
to drenching rain during the intervening night,
to pursue hmm ediately, aud the night closed in
cloudy and with heavy rain, making the roads
impossible for artillery till next morning
General Sherman, however, followed the enemy
finding that the main part OF the enemy had re-
treated In good order. Hospitals Of the enemy's
wounded were found all along the road, az far
the pursuit was made. Dead bodies Of the enemy
and many graves were also found.
enclose herewith the report Of Gen. Sherman,
which Will explain more fully the result of the
pursuit. snd the part taken by each separate com
Tnand. cannot take special notice In this report.
but will do so more fully when the reports of the
division commanders are handed in
Gen. Buell. commanding In the field with a
distinct srmy, long under his command, and
which did such efficient service, commanded by
himself IN person, on the field, will be much
better able to notice those Of his command who
particularly distinguished Themselves, than l
possibly can.
feel II a duty, however, TO a gallant, an able
officer, Brig. Gen. w. T.. Sherman, to make
special mention that he not only was with his
command during the entire Of the two days, ac-
tion, but displayed great judg ment and skin, and
management Of his men. Although severely
wounded in tie hand on the first day, his place
was never vacant He was again wounded and
had three horses killed under him.
In making this mention Of a gallant officer no
disparagement Is intended 10 the other division
commanders-MsjoI Generals John A. McCler-
nand and Lew. Wallace, and Brigadier Generals
s. A. Hurlbuf, b. NJ Prentiss and w. II. l.. Wal
lace-all Of whom maintained their places with
credit to themselves and the cause. Gen. Prem
tss was taken prisoner in the first days action
and Gen w. III. l.. Wallace was severely and
probably MORALLY wounded. His Assistant Ad-
jutant General, Capt VIM. Mem ichael, is missing,
and was probably taken prisoner
NV personal staff are all deserving OF particular
mention, they having been engaged during the
entire two days In carrying orders to every part
chief Of staff; Lieut.. Col J. b. Mcpherson, chief
Of engineers, assisted by w. L. B. Jeremy and
VIM. Rasher; Capt. J. A. Rawlings, Adjt Gen
w: 5: Hilyer: w: r. Rawl and c. b. Lagow,
aids de-csmp; Col q Bride, volunteer aid and
Cap. J. z. hawkins, chief Of the commissary
de partment, who accompanied me upon the field
The medical department, under the direction
Of Surgeon Hewitt, medical director, showed
great energy In providing for the wounded and
in getting them from the field regardless Of
danger.
Col. Webster was placed in special charge Of
all the artillery, and was constantly upon the
field. He displayed, az he always has heretofore
both skill and bravery, and at least In one
he was the mean: OF placing an entire regiment
In position for doing themost valuab BILE service
and where 1t could not have been but for his ex,
ertions.
Lieut.. Col Mcpherson, attached to nv staff an
chief Of engineers, deserves more than a passing
notice an fbo
ground beyond our cam ps for miles has been re-
connoitefed by him, and plans carefully prepared
under bis supervision, giving accurate informa-
During the two days. battle he was constantly IN
the saddle, leading the troops they arrived to
points where their services were required. Du-
ring the engagement he had one horse shot under
him.
The country will have TO mourn the loss of
many brave inen who fell at the battle of Pitts
burg, or Sniloh more properly.
The exact loss In killed and wounded will be
known in day or two. At present | can only
give II approximately at 1. 500 killed and $500
The loss Of artillery was great-many pieces
being disabled by the enemy's shot, and some
losing all their horses and many men. There
were probably not less than 200 horses killed
The loss OF the enemy In killed and left upon
the field was greater than ours. In wounded an
estimate cannot be made, az many Of the n must
have been sent TO Corinth and other points The
enemy suffered terribly from decentralization ard
desertion
flag Of truce was sent to day from General
Bea uregafd enclose copy OF correspondence.
am respectfully, your obedient servant,
U. 3. GRANT,
Major General Commanding.
CoRkEkPcNDENcE BETWEEN GENERALS RsAURE-
GARD AND GRANT.
The following Is the CORE spondence referred
to above, between Gen. Beauregard and Gen.
Grant
Headquarters, Department of Mis.issippi,)
Monterey, April etb.
SIR:-At the close Of the conflict Yesterday nv
forces being exhausted by the extraordinary
length Of time during which they were engaged
with yours on that and the preceding day, and
1t being apparent that you had received and were
still receiving reinforcements, / felt Ii nv duty
to withdraw my troops rom the immediate scene
OF conflict.
Under these circumstances, In accordance with
the usages Of war, shall transmit this under a
nag OF truce, to ask permission to send mounted
party to the battle field Of Shiloh for the purpose
Of giving decent interment TO my dead. Certain
gentlemen wishing to avail themselves of this
opportunity to remove the remains Of sons and
friends, must request for them the privilege of
accompanying the burial party, and In this con-
nection deem IL proper to say that am asking
try hat hasa Ia