The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-04-17
The Battle of Pittsburgh
Landing.
Desperate Conflict of Twenty
Three Hours.
The Firstand Second Days Fight
The Rebels Forced to Retire.

Lie SGduu OcCO1lu LAY Il y NJ
The Rebels Forced to Retire.
PITTsBURG, April .6-Midnight.,
In my last letter stated thatI did
not believe that any battle would take
place for the next ten days between our
forces and the rebel troops which were
concentrated at Corinth. / was led to
this belief by the opinion current
among our officers, that the enemy
would intrench themselves and await
an attack at their cherished stronghold
named above, and known as the juno
ton of the Mobile and Ohio and Mem
phis and Charleston Railways. This
being the policy heretofore adopted by
the rebel forces, it was supposed it
would be adhered to iii the present
case. The sequel shows that they have
changed their tactics, and prefer an of
fensive rather than defensive mode of
warfare. This arose, in part, from the
fact that they knew of the approrch OF
the divisions from Gen. Buell's column,
and from their design to destroy or con-
quer the force already in the field be-
fore their arrival.
Under these circumstances matters
have gone on rather loosely for few
days past on our side, our commanders
feeling confident that even secession
audacity would never dare to assert an
opposition in the open field. How Of
ten they may have been warned as to
these facts l cannot say: Yet no longer
than yesterday " secesh" prisoner,
who died on the steamer Hiawatha, as
sured them with his last breath that
"to. day the battle would take place"
Yet no extra measures were adopted to
guard against surprise, or allow the
troops to prepare themselves for de-
tense in case such an attack should be
made.
POSITION OF THE FORCES.
The battle ground chosen for the
struggle of to-day occupied semi
circle of about three and half miles
from the town of Pittsburg, our forces
being stationed in the form of a semi
circle, the right resting on a point north
of Crump's Landing, orr centre being
directly in front of the main road to
Corinth, and our left extending to the
river in the direction of Hamburg
small place four miles north of Pitts
burg Landing.
1t has been known for some days
past that proper attention had not been
paid to the placing of pickets sufi-
cient distance from our front lines to
insure against surprise, and in some
cases it had even been neglected alto
gether. No pickets, it is said, have
been placed in front of Gen. Prentiss'
division, although it was known that
the secesh spies and scouting parties
were lowering even near to the outside
row of the tents of his regiments.
They were to be met by every scouting
party which left our camps.
THE FIRST ATTACK.
At two o'clock this morning, Colonel
Peabody, of Prentiss' division, fearing
that everything was not right, dis
patched a body of four hundred men
beyond the camp, for the purpose Of
looking after any force which might be
lurking in that direction. The step
was wisely taken, for half miles ad
vance showed a heavy force approach
ing, who fired upon them with great
slaughter. Those who escaped fell
back to the Twenty-ffth Missouri reg
iment, swiftly pursued by the enemy.
The contest had been of but short du.
ration, and the advance Of the seces-
sionists had reached the brigade of Col.
Peabody just as the long roll was
sounded and the men were falling into
line. Their resistance, taken SO una
wares, and they retreated in as good
order as possible under CALLING fire,
until they reached the lines of the Sec
ond Division. T
At six o'clock the attack had become
general along the entire front Of our
line. The enemy in large force had
driven in the pickets of Gen Sherman's
division, and fallen with great ven
geance on the 4Sth Regiment, o. V.
NJ, Col. Sullivan, the 10th, Col. Cock
erell, and the 72d, Col. auckland. The
troops here had never been in actian,
and being so Unexpectedly attacked, ere
they could fully understand their posi-
ton, or get into file, they made as able
q resistance as was possible, but were,
in common with the forces of General
Prentiss, forced to seek support on the
troops Immediately in their rear. The
5th Ohio cavalry, formerly belonging
to this division, had been removed to
Gen. Hurlbut's command the day before
yesterday, and their place supplied and
camp occupied by the Cd Illinois Cav
airy. These latter knew nothing of
the approach of the enemy until they
were in their midst, firing into their
tents and applying the torch as they
came.
The slaughter on the first onslaught
of the enemy, was very severe, scores
falling at every discharge of the ene-
my's guns. and all making their best
effort to escape, or repel the foe. 1t,
however, soon became evident that the
secession force was overpowering, and
nothing was left for the advance line
but retreat. This was done in consid-
cradle disorder. both officers and men