Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-05-01

and bush to bush, until ne arrived WITHIN tty yerCS OF
the enemy and there co0ly loaded, fred and brought
down his victim at every shot Several men, seeing his
critical position went up to induce him to return but
he had bis paddy up and ohstinatey refused to bulge
Fortunately the enemy made no advance, and though
the little hero bit in his clothing several times, he
escaped harm and has of the proudest reputa
tons that can follow him through life wish had bis
to give to the public, but it has escaped my memo
ry.
It is not generally known that we left one hundred
and fifty of wounded upon the field, who were too
dangerously Injured be carried the rear. These
have accordingly been captured by the Federals. Cor
respondence the subject has passed between General
Breckenridge and the Federal commander and it has
been agreed that likewise have a considerable
number of the Federal wounded, they SHALL their
covery be exchanged man for man. Our number of
uninured prisoners in the enemys possession is proba
bly, not more than three hundred.
[ was informed to Gay by an officer high in command,
that bad pursued the Federas to the river brink
Sunday night we might have bagged thousands mora.
Major Gimer, of the Engineers ard party rode down
to within musket shot Of them and describe their con-
fusion to have been immense. They were huddled to-
geber like covey of cartridges, and making their way
as best they could On board their transports The pre-
of the gunb0ats and the desire to economist life
doubtless the prudential considerations which pre-
vented this step, and probably it well that no ad
vance made.
[ am more than ever satisfied that on both days we
obtained vict0ryon the first decided physical vic
tory and the second a moral one We have not
only captured three four thousand prisoners ncud-
ing General, large amount of artillery fifteen thou
sand stand Of arms, all their transportation wagons and
destroyed considerable portion of their tents, clothing,
and personal effects but we have demorazed the Fede-
raj army, bighed the prestige OF invincbility with
which they into the fight, and have caused
cenraon of the enemy in front of U.s. where if they adj
vance at all, they must leave the water courses and
staQd upon equal footing with ourselves. Nothing
but the Intervention Of their daboca gunboats and the
river Tennessee prevented complete route, and if they
will only afford Us opportunity to try their mettle
without these adjuncts they will speedily learn that
Beauregard and his army match for all he troops
! that are likely to be brought against us.
The enemy Still remain where we put them--upOn
the river bank, and perhaps small portion of the field
Occasionally their rocOnnoieriDg parties out two
three miles, bat they generally manage to see some
thing of John Morgan about that time and leave
Their tight with Morgan and Forrest, referred to in my
last letter. taught them lesson which they will proba
! bly, rot forget
! Among the trophies of the battle have seen are
of the Federal shields with which the courageous
officers and men, who afford it, wont 10 envelope
their valuable personal Identities. They are made o.
Steel and completely the body from the neck
Tie thigh joints, being supported by adjustable bands
which pass the shoulders like suspenders One O
them, taken from the body of an officer, had dent il
it, made by minnie bullet deep enough to embrace The
head OF your thumb yet the metal not pierced anC
the lie OF the was reserved to be sacrificed to
unchatitabe bullet in the head Their weight il
thoroughly incOnvenent, and must prove a terrible
back to the Yankees when they Probably th
! next invention will be bomb and buet-proof helmet
aud possibly a complete personal masked battery. Ont
of soldiers put the shield to which have refer
red and allowed another to strike him with an iron bal
with all his strength, but it produced more effect
except to bend the bar than the blow had been amet
at solid rock. They are undoubtedly great nven
tion-f0r towards.
OF other trophies have abundance. Fully 9
l0ths OF our army wearing Federal hats ant
overcoats, aud look like very aristOcrac Yankees, bu
woe to them if they should show themselves during
fight. They would be killed by our own people whou
a scruple OF elaboration. Needle books, hair OIL pot
of preserves and eles, handkerchief daguerreotypes
letters, watches and Federal money, floating abou
On the curious of camp life in abundance and ma
ny of our men have added really valuable acquisition
to their heretofore limited stock of uxures Much mor
might bave been supplied to the army could it hav
been been brought away, but this being impossible th
plunder was consigned to the memorable flames Nam
of the officers trunks were found packed with the fues
of clothes, as If they had come to stay and expected
make a brilliant dash in the streets of some of GU
cities. How they must have been disappointed
Speaking OF trunks, some appreciave rascal has beer
unknd enough to relieve Of every article pertaining
to my integumentary welfare thatI own, including
borrowed pOrtmanteau. This makes the third time tina
have suffered wholesale landslide Of my earthly pos
sessions within the last four months and begin to fee
very much like Adam when he wore only one suit o
clothes Ii they have been taken by accident won
somebody send them back II designedy will the THE
allow his benevoence to stretch sufficiently far to com
municate the terms on which he is willing to make al
exchange. PERSONNE.