Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-04-12
Additional Details of the Bat
tie at Pittsburg.

Eighteen TO Ti0enty thousand Union
Men cnd thirty Gue TO Forty Thousand
Rebels KiHed, Wounded anil Missing.
Complete aad Overwhelming Victory Of
he Union Forces TIE Union CauaGy
ia Pursuit Of the Flying Eaemy.-Sc.,
&C., &C.,
Pitisburg. Via Fort Henry, April 9, $40 A. M
One of the greatest and bloodiest bat.
ties of modern days has just closed, re.
sultng in the complete rout of the enemy,
who attacked us on Sunday morning.
The battle lasted without intcrmission
during the entire day and was again re-
newed on Monday morning, and continued
until four clock in the afternoon, when
the enemy commenced their retreat, and
are still flying towards Corinth, pursued
by a large force of our cavalry.
! The slaughter on both sides is immense.
\ We have lost in killed and wounded and
missing from eighteen to twenty thousand;
that of the enemy is estimated at from
thirty-Gve to forty thousand.
J 1t is impossible, in the present confused
state of affairs, to ascertain any of the de q.
tails; therefore give you the best account
possible for observation, having passed
through the storm of action during the
two days that it ragged,
The fight was brought on by body Of
three hundred of the Twenty fifth Missouri
regiment. ofGcn. Prentiss' division, at
tacking the advance guard of the rebels
which were supposed to be the pickets ofthe
enemy in front of our camps.
The rebels immediately advanced on
Gen. Prentiss' division on the left wing,
pouring volley after volley of musketry,
and riddling our camps with grape, can
lister and she'll. Our forces seon formed
into line and returned their fire vigorously
and by the time we were prepared to re-
| ceive them had turned their heaviest fire
on the left centre, Sherman division, and
drove our men back from their camps,
and bringing up fresh force opened fire
on our left wing, under Gen, McClernand
This fire was returned with terrible effect
and determined spirit by both infantry
and artillery along the whole line for a
distance of over four miles.
General Hulburts division was thrown
forward to support the centre, when a
desperate conflict ensued. The rebels
were driven back with terrible slaughter,
but soon rallied and drove back our men
in turn. From about o'clock, the time
your correspondent arrived on the field,
until night closed on the bloody scene,
there was no determination of the result Of
the struggle. The regiments exhibited
remarkably good generalship. AT times
engaging the left with apparently their
whole strength, they would suddenly open
a terrible aud destructive fire Oh the right
or centre. Even our heaviest and mo It
destructive fire upon the enemy did not
appear to discourage their solid columns.
The fire of Major Taylor's Chicago artil-
cry raked them down in scores, but the
smoke would no sooner be dispersed than
the breach would again be filled.
The most desperate fighting took place
late in the afternoon. The rebels knew
that if they did not succeed in whipping
US then, that their chances for success
would be extremely doubtful, as a portion
of General Buoll's forces had by this time
arrived on the opposite side of the river,
and an other portion was coming up the
river from Savannah. They became
aware that we were being reinfo ced, as
they could see Gen. Buell's troops from
the river bank, short distance above US
on the left, to which point they had forced
their way.
At five o'clock the rebels had forced our
left wing back so as to occupy full two
thirds of our camp, and were fl hting their
way forward with desperate degree Of
confidence in their efforts TO drive US into
the river, and at the same time heavily
engaged our right.
L p to this time we had received no re.
inforeements, General Lew. Wallace fail
ing to come to our support until the day
was over, having taken the wrong road
from Crump's Landing and being without
ether transports than those used for Quar-
termasters and CommiSsary stores, which
were zoo heavily laden TO ferry any consid-
cradle number Of General Buell. forces
across the river, those that we're here having
been sent to bring up the troops from Sa
vannah. We were, therefore contesting
against fearful odds, our force not exceed .
ing thirty eight thousand men, while that
OF the enemy was upwards of sixty thou,