Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-04-25


durance, and more hurting of his forces
upon the inferior force in front, and the day
would be his. lie waited for his approach
ing reinforcements--wa waited 10 refresh his
men--waited and lost the golden hour
The musketry gradually died away as the
sun sunk in the west, but the deep boom of
the cannon still shook the earth. But at
dark this ceased along the lines, broken on
ly at intervals through the night.
OPERATIONS AT NiGiif.
Although the din of battle was hushed
save the boom from the lunboats, there was
no elaxation of effort on both sides. The
/ rebels occupied the federal camp, and looked
forward exultingly to the morrow. 0sr
weary troops threw themselves upon the
ground in their places, ready 10 repel the
foe should he attempt night attack. AT
midnight the rebels were detected in plant
ing battery Of heavy guns within three
| hundred yards of our lines. Their position
was made known TO the gunboa,s, and shells
were hurled upon the position, forcing them
to abandon the project.
Col. Webster, chief of Gen. Grants staff,
with great energy and activity brought up
battery of heavy guns and placed them
in positions bearing upon the same point,
and all the efforts of the rebels to gain new
advantages under the cover of the dark
ness were frustrated. Occasionally the
pickets fred upon one another; but the
two armies lay upon their arms waiting for
the dawn, both bringing up reinforcements.
Beanregard received large additions to his
army, whether by the advance of his re-
serves, or whether by new troops from Ar
kansas, is not known, bat the number Is said
to have been from twehty to thirty thous-
and. With this force he hoped to crush
out Grant completely.
/ But he was mistaken. Late on Sunday
afternoon Gen. Nelson's division of twelve
thousand men reached the opposite side of
the river, In forced march from Savannah.
The transports which mad been collected,
Immediately commenced ferrying them to
the opposite side. They were all brought
over during the night, and brought into po-
sition upon our left. During the night also,
Gen. Lew Wallace arrived with an equal
number from Crump's Landing, having
made forced march over the m uddy roads,
fording Snake creek aud several other small
streams. The other divisions came on as
the nature of the roads admitted till at day
light the force under Grant was equal to
that of Beauregard Let us look at the
!, positions Let it be remembered that our
forces had been driven in and occupied on
" narrow strip of land along the west
bank of the river "a strip hardly two miles
in width and three or four miles long. On
Sunday Beauregsrd was the aggressor, but
Gen. Grant concluded TO try the initiative.
THE FIGHT OF MONDAY.
At day-break Gen. Wallace move TO the
attack upon the enemy's left, supported by
the Chicago battery. They advanced on
the double-quick with loud hurrahs, and a
charge which made the rebel column reel
as if stru ok by thunder-bolt. They quail
ed before the terrible onset and yielded the
ground they had occupied ddring the night.
But the enemy were in too great force TO be
routed by one shock, even so staggering as
that. They rallied and advanced, pouring
a terrific fire upon our advancing forces
Gen. Wallace, gallantly leading his men,
was wounded at an early hour of the morn
ing, and the division losing its leader was
forced to retire for the moment. The ac-
tion soon became general along the line
The roar of artillery was continuous and
terrible. At intervals the musketry joined
shaking the earth with thunder peals, dark
ening the sun with smoke and strewihs the
ground with dead. In addition to Mitchelrs
division on the left was that Of Gen. Mel
son. These troops, which had formed a
portion of Gen. Buell's ARMY, after win
: ter of inaction, at last stood before the ene-
emy. Some OF them had been at Mill
Spring, and they were eager to move to the
attack. Not less gallant than their COM
rades on the right wing, under Wallace
they advanced upon the enemy, while the
batteries in the centre played right and left
and in font, supported on either hand and
rear by the masses of infantry.
: No pen can describe the scene-the de-
liberate advance-the close holding Of the
ground-the contesting Of every inch-ihe
fearful slaughter-the brave determination
the surging of the dense masses of men
the shouts, cheers, groans, the plunging Of
wounded and frightei ':horses-the sinking
down of whole ranks of men at a voley =
How madly it ragged. Through the fore.
noon ebbed and flowed the tide of victory.
The success of the previous day had flush
the eneny with hope. To be thwar;ed
now-to see victory slip through his fins-
ers at last was not to be thought Of. Again
ana again the rebels dashed 10 to- our lines.