Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-04-10


them down by scores, but tho smoke n,
sooner disappeared than the breach wa
again hlled: The most desperate fightini
took place late in the afternoon.
I Gen BnelFs forces had by this time ar
rived, on the opposite side of the river
and another portion was coming m Tn,
river from Savannah.
AT o'clock the rebels had forced on,
left wing back, SO as to occupy fully two.
thirds Of our camp, and were fighting ir
their efforts to drive US into the river, anG
right.
Up to this time we had received no rein.
torcements, Gen. Lew Wallace falling &c
come to our support until the day was
over, having taken the wrong road from
Cramps landing, aud being without other
transports than those had for the Quarter.
masters and Commissary stores, which
were TOO heavily laden to bring any con-
siderable number of Gen. Bueirs forces
across the river; the boats that were here
having been sent to bring up tho troops
from Savannah.
! We were therefore contending against
considerable odds, our forces not exceeding
$4,000 men, while that of the enemy was
upwards of 10000. Our condition at this
moment WAS exceedingly critical. Large
| numbers of our men were panic struck,
and others worn out by hard fighting, with
the average per centage of skulkers, had
struggled towards the river and could not
be rallied.
Gen. Grant and staff, who had been reck-
lessly riding along the lines the entire day,
amid an increasing storm of grape and
shell, now rode from the right to the left,
melting our men to stand firm until the re-
Inducements could cross the river.
Col. Webster, the Chief of the Staff, inn
mediately got into position the heaviest
pieces of artillery, pouring on the enemy's
| right, while large number of batteries
were planted along the entire line from the
river bank northwest to our extreme right,
! some % miles distant.
About an hour before dusk a general
cannonading was opened upon the enemy
| from along our whole line, with perpetu-
al crack of musketry For q short time
they replied with vigor and some effect,
but their return shots grew less frequent
and destructive, while ours grew more
rapid and terrible. The gunboats Lex
ington and Tyler, which lay II short dis
lance off, kept raining shell on the rebel
train. This last effort was too much for
the enemy, and ere dark the firing had
nearly ceased, when night coming On, the
SNLuOtAtHuAS IGSlGus OuE men Te6LeQ on
their arms in the position they had at the
close of the night, until the forces under
Maj Or General Wallace arrived and took
position on the right, and Buell's forces
from the opposite side, and Savannah,
now being being conveyed to the battle
ground, Gen. Nelson's division was order
ed to form in the right, and the forces un-
der Gen. CrittcndGn were ordered to his
support, early in the morning.
Gen. Buell. having arrived, the ball was
opcnel at daylight, by Gen. Nelson's di-
vision on the left, and Major General Wal
lnce's division on the right.
Gen. Nelson's force opened CALLING fire
on the rebels, and advanced rapidly MS they
fell back. The fire soon became general
along the whole line and began to tell with
terrible effect on the rebels.
Gems. McCIernand, Sherman aud HurI.
butts men, though terribly juded from the
previous days fighting, still maintained
their honors won ut Donelson. The resist
ance of the rebels was terrible and worthy
Il better cause, but they were not enough
for our undannted bravery, and the desc.
lation produced by our artillery, which
swept them away like chafF, but knowing
that defeat there would be the death blow
to their hopes, their Generals still urged
them on in the face of destruction, hopinp
by fianking US to turn the tide of battle
Their success was for n time cheering, as
they began to gain ground on us, appearing
to have been reinforced, but our left, un-
der General Nelson, was driving them back
with wonderful rapidly.
AT IL o'clock Gen. Buell's forces had
succeeded in thanking them and capturing
their batteries of artillery; they, however
again rallied on tho left and recrossed and
. Sr.1,t a.,
another desperate effort, but reinforce
ments from Gen. Hurd and Gen. Thomas
coming IN, regiment after regiment, they
were sent to Gen. Buell., who again com.
menced to drive the rebels back.
About three O'Clock in the afternoon
Gen. Grant rode to the left, where fresh
regiments had been ordered, and finding
the rebels to be wavering, he sent portion
of his body guard to the head of each Of
the FIVE regiments, and then ordered 8
charge across the field, himself leading.-
The cannon balls were falling like hal
around him. The men followed with a
sh0ut that sounded above the roar anC
din of the artillery, and the rebels fed il
disunay, and never made another stand.
Gen. Buell. followed the retreatiHg reb
els, driving them in splendid style, and Al
half past FIVE the whole rebel army was il
tull at.IO OoFlntu, Win our cavalry IN
hot pursuit.
We have taken a large amount of artil-
lery. and lost number of prisoners.
We lost a number of prisoners yesterday
and among them Gen. Prentiss. Tn
number has not yet been ascertained, bu
it is reported at several hundred.
Gen. Prentiss is reported to be wound
ed.
Among the killed on the rebel side is tn
General in Chief, Gen. A. S. johnson, by
cannon ball, on the afternoon of Sunday
Of this there is no doubt, as it is corrobo
rated by several rebel officers TIA ken to
day.
tits reported that Beauregard had hi
arm shot off this afternoon.
Gems. Bragg, Breckenridge and Jackson
were commanding the rebel forces.
Thnrn r,nunn In, I,nnr. N .,....l1.t -