The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1862-03-05
A Yisit 10 the Battlefield.


A correspondent of the Chicago 7imes,
wiring from Fort DoneIson Tenn, under
dale OF Feb. II, says:
was invited on Sunday morning, by Gen.
eral McCIernand, 10 take ride over the
battle field. il would be difficult to des-
cribe, in few words, The scenes which
have met my view. The battle-ground was
chiefly confined 10 the space outside the
rebei ortifcaions exieEding up the river
bank distance of two miles, 10 The roint
where General McClernand's force rallied
from the retirement which they were a,
hfst forced into by The impeuous charge of
the enemy. II must be remembered that il
was here thatthe grand sort,e was made by
the rebels up The river bank, with The in
lenilon OF turning our right flank and cut
ting their way out. Some ten or Twelve
thousand men composed the force sent out
i2r this purpose. They advanced under
cover OF deadly fire of artillery, and stead.
lily drove General McC!ernand's force be-
lore them distance OF fifty or sixty rods.
Oar troops here made stand, and, being
reinforced by one or Two regiments. began
the assault before which The enemy were
forced 10 retreat The ground was contested
with desperation, and The slaughter on both
sides was immense. The whole space of
TWO miles was strewed with dead. who Law
IN every imaginable shape and FORM
Federal and rebels were promiscnousIr
mingled, sometimes grappled in The fierce
death throe, sometimes facing each other "a
they gave and received the fatal shot. o,
thrust, sometimes lying across one another.
aud again heaPed in piles which lay six or
seven deep. could imagine nothing more
terrible than the silent indications of agony
that marked the features of lhe pale corn
ses which Law al every step. Though dead
and rigid in every muscle, they still wrh-
ed and seemed TO turn 10 catch the passing
breeze for a cooling breath. Staring ewes.
gaping mouths, ,clenched hands, and strange.
| ly contracted limbs. seemingly drawn into
The smallest compass, as if by mighty
effort 20 rend aSuDder some irresistible bond
which hold Them down 10 the torture Of
which Eey died. One sat against a tree
and, with mouth and eyes wide open, look
ed up iu;o the sky, as If 10 catch a glance
al lis fieeting spirit. Another clutched the
branch of an overhanging tree, and hung
bali suspended, as in the death paue he
raised himself partly from The ground. The
other hand grasped his faithful muske,, and
the compression of The mouth told of The
determination which would have been fatal
n a had
third cling with both hands TO a bayonet
which was buried in the ground. in the act
OF striking for the hean OF a rebel ioe.-
Great numbers lay in heaps, just as the fire
OF the artillery moved them down. manq-
lug their fofms into an almost undistin~
gnishable mass. Many of our men had
evidently fallen victims TO the rel ell sbarn.
shooters, tor they were pierced through the
head by rife bullets, some in the forehead.
some IN the eyes others on the bridge of
The nose, in the checks, and in the mouth.
This circumstance verified a statement
made 10 me by rebel officer among The
pn-onersi mat their men were trained TO
shoot low and aim for The face, while ours.
as general thing fired al random, aod slot
over their heads
The enemy, in their retreat, carried off
their wounded, and great many Of II cir
dead so that ours far ouinumbered them On
the field The scene of aclion had been
mostly IN the woods although there were
Two open places oi an acre or two where the
fight had ragged luriously, and tie ground
was covered with the dead. All the way
up their entertainments the same scene of
death was presented. There were Two
miles OF dead s'rewn ,hickly, Mingled with
tireams, artillery; dead horses, aud The par.
aPherpaii OF the battle field. Il was sceps
never to be iorgouen-neyer 10 be describ-
ed.