Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-05-23
From the Army of the West.
NEAR LICK CREEK, Tenn, April 20.
To tie editor Of the Boston Journal !:
THE ADVANCE.
THE ADVANCE,

THE ADVANCE.
To-day the army begins its advances
upon Corinth--the place where it is sup
posed Beauregard will make a stand
He has strong Notifications, it is said, and
Notwithstanding the depressing news from
New Orleans, he will fight. That is the
present aspect. He has large force
and it is said that inasmuch as no troops
are needed at New Orleans, he hopes to
concentrate the entire force of the South
to insure an overwhelming defeat to us
and thus recover in Northern Mississippi
what has been lost in the Gulf. | pro-
pose to give, as far as | may be able, an
outline of this movement begun to-day.
The army is organized into three corps
Parmee-the first commanded by Gen.
Grant, the second by Gen, Buell., the
third by Gen. Pope. Gen. Grant has
the right wing, Gen. Buell. the center,
and Gen. Pope the left wing. Corinth
is eighteen miles distant. Gen. Grant
moves along the upper Corinth road
Gen. Buell. the lower Corinth road, and
Gen. Pope the Hamburg road. From
the extreme right to the extreme left Of
the army, as it leaves the river, is about
ten miles. Nominally the army moves
by three roads, but in reality it sweeps
right through the forest irrespective of
roads. There are no fences, no natural
obstacles. The ground is undulating, but
the declivities are not abrupt. The roads
are simply paths, and serve to guide the
divisions.
1t is strange that no engineering has
been done-no roads constructed, no
bridges built. The advance of the army
came to Pittsburg the first week in
March, yet nothing has been done TO
made the roads passable. The soil at
the surface is clay, resting on a gravelly
subsoil. 1t would have been an easy
matter to construct corduroy roads thro'
the forest, or at least TO bridge the sIoughs
which are numerous, but nothing of the
kind has been done, and the army must
move at a snai's pace. At this season
of the year the moisture of the atmos-
phere is so. great that soon after sundown
the sky is clouded and we have showers
Just enough watar desc ending by night
to make the clay into thick mortar by
day.
But the army is in motion, and in time
will reach Corinth-eighteen miles dis
tant--just a days march.
A RIDE THROUGH TIE DIVISIONS.
How futile to attempt to convey an
adequate conception of this army! One
hundred thousand men, and fifty thous-
and horses ! How many men and hor-
ses there are | shall not Indicate. Ihave |
just returned to my quarters from ten
mile ride through the divisions. ] have
struck straight through the forest, un-
mindful Of roads or paths, relying upon
my wood craft--my "bump Of locality"
TO bring me out somewhere. | have seen
perhaps thirty thousand men in motion,
and fifty thousand at rest. Divisions
which were in rear have moved through
those in front and taken up new positions.
I am three or four miles beyond Shiloh
Church, near Lick Creek, which empties
into the river between Pittsburg and
Hamburg. Pope is south of it, advanc-
ng upon Monterey, little village six or
seven miles from Corinth. The creek
runs north of Corinth, in a northwest
direction, and Buell. must cross it. He
$ plump up to it, and his sappers and
miners are constructing bridges tonight.
Grant, too, must cross it. l hear the
thunder of his wagons mile or two on
he right. l am near the center, in a
position to gallop right or left as may be
advisable. There is evidence all around
hat Beauregard gradually threw for
ward his army upon Pittsburg, just as we
ire now doing upon Corinth, There are
scres of old camp grounds. Th ere are
also evidences of their hasty retreat
blankets, knapsacks, haversacks, here and ,
here are muskets, wagons, one over s
urned in slough, one with its tongue &
broken, tents, harnesses, oats, corn, -four, t
ent poles, are scattered along the way. I
The carcasses of dead horses taint the
air. There are piles of earth newly b
leaped above those who died from their
wounds. They fed in fright on Mon
day night. came Unexpectedly upon
little log hut on by-path leading TO {
Monterey. Two of McCook's cavalry .
rode up in advance of me. A widow
woman, middle aged, with a little girl
aud two little boys, occupied it. She I
,indly gave ne a drink of water, and /
me that there were three Con I