The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-04-19

gun. Col, Apler's SD Ohio Is loudly com
planned Of on this score, and others are mention.
ed. Il Is certain that parts Of regiments, both
here ana In other divisions ran disgracefully.
Yet they were not wholly without excuse. They
we're raw troops, just from the usual idleness OF
our "camps Of Instruction. hundreds Of them
had never heard \ gun fred in anger their Of
ficers for the most part, were equally inexperi-
enced; they had been reposiDg in fsnced securi-
ty. aud were awaked, perhaps from sweet dreams
Of home and wives and children, by the stunning
roar of cannon in their very midst, and the
bursting of bomb shells among their tents, to
see only the serried columns of the magnificent
rebel advance, and through the binding, sitting
smoke, the hasty retreat of comrades and sup
ports, right and left Certainly, it is sad enough
but hardly surprising that under such circum-
stances some should run. Half as much caused
the wild panic at Bull Run, for which the ma
tiop as one man, became q loud-mouthed apol.
ogist.
But they ran--here 81 in Prensiss division, Of
which last more in moment-and the enemy
did not fail to profit by the wild disorder. As
Buckland's brigade fell back, McClernand threw
forward his lett to support it, Meanwhile Sher-
man was doing his best to rally bis troops-dash.
ing along tho lines, encouraging them every
where by his presence, and exposing his own
life with the same freedom with which he de-
msnded their offer of theirs, he did much to save
the division from utter destruction. Hidebrand
and Mcdowell were compelled to retire their
brgades from their camps across the little ravine
behind; but here, for Q time, they made gal
| liant defence while what was left of Buckland's
was falling back In such order as it might, and
leaving Netherlands left to take their place,
aud check the wave OF rebel advance.
THE REBEL PLAN OF ATTACK.
During Friday and Saturday the rebels had
- 80 cfnfl ahn,,t otrA In
three great divisions. Sidney johnson had gen.
eral command Of the whole army, and particu-
larly Of the centre. Braxton Bragg and Beau
regard had the wings Hardee, Polk, Breckn.
ridge, Cheatham and others, held subordinate
commands On Thursday. Johnston issued a
proclamation to the army SSannouncing to them
in grandiloquent terms that he was about to lead
them against the invaders, and that they would
soon celebrate the great, decisive victory Of the
war, in which they had repealed the invading col
umn, redeemed Tennessee, and preserved the
Southern Confederaey.
Their general plan of attack is said by prison.
ers to have been to strike our centre first (com.
posed, as the reader will remember, of Prentiss'
and McClernand's divisions pierce the centre,
and then pour in their troops to attack on each
side the wings into which they would thus cut
our army.
TIN CLOSE OF SUNDAYS FIGHT.
We have reached the last act in the tragedy of
Sunday. 1t is half past O'clock Our front
line Of divisions has been lost since half past 10.
Our reserve line is gone, too The rebels occupy
the camps Of every division save that of W. II.
L. Wallace. Our whole army ia crowded in the
region of Wallace's camps, and took a circuit of
half to two. thirds of mile around the Landing.
We have been falling back all day. We can do
it no more. The next result puts US into the
-, AhAa sol 49, IL 40
cross a single division till the enemy would be
upon US.
Lew. Wallace's division might turn the tide for
us-iti made of fighting men-but where is it!
Why has it not been laundering on the right for
three hours past? We did not know thst it
was not ordered up till noon. Buell. is coming,
but he has been doing it all day, and all last
week. His advance guard is across the river
now, waiting for ferriagc; but what is an advance
guard with sixty thousand victorious foes in front
| of US?
We have lost nearly all our camps and camp
equipage. We have lost nearly half our field ar
| tilery. We have lost division General and two
or three regiments of our soldiers as prisoners
We have lost--how dreadfuly we are afraid to
thnk-n killed and wounded. The hospitals are
apart for surgical uses 1t ia covered with the
manned, the dead and dying. And our men are
discouraged by prolonged defeat Nothing bu!
| the most energetic exertion, on the part of the
officers prevents them from becoming democrat
| ICED. Regiments have lost their favorte field Of
| ticers, companies the captains whom they have
| always looked to, with that implicit faith the
| soldier learns, to lead them to battle.
Meantime there is lull in the firing. For the
first time since sunrise you fail to catch the angry
rattle of musketry or the heavy booming Of the
| field guns. Either the enemy must be preparing
for the grand final rush that is to crown the days
success and save the Southern Confederacy, or
| they are puzzled by our last retreat, and are mo
| wing cautiously lest we spring some trap upon
| them. Let us embrace the opportunity and look
about the Landing. We pass the old log house,
lately post Office, now full Of wounded and sur
geons which constitutes the Pittsburgh" part oil
the Landing. General Grant and staff are in a
group beside it. The General is confident
1--WE can hold them off til tomorrow; then
they'll be exhausted, and wen 60 at them with
fresh troops" great crowd is collected around
the building-al in uniforms, most Of them with
guns. And yet we are needing troops in the
| front so sorely.
| EDWARDS.
On the bluffs above the river is a sight that
may well make our cheeks Jingle with shame for
some of our soldiers. There are not less than
three thousand skulkers lining the banks! Ask
them why they don't go to their places in the
line, ooh, our regiment is all cut to pieces."-
| why don't you go to where it is forming
again" 81 can't find it," and the hulk looks as
| if that would be the very last thing be would
want to do
! Officers are around among them, trying to
hunt up their men, storming. coaxing, command
| ing-cursing am afraid One strange fellow
Mpjor, if | remember aright-is making a sort
| rs al afolr -
every body that will listen to him. He means
well, certainly: men Of Kentucky, of Illinois,
of Ohio, of Iowa, of Indiana, implore of you,
beg of you, come up now. Help US through
two hours more. By all thatyou hold dear, by
the homes you hope to defend, by the flag you
love, by the States you honor, by all your love
Of country, by your hatred of treason, coniure
you, come up and do your duty now!" And so
on for quantity. ''That feller's good speaker y
was the only response I hear l. and the fellow
who gave it nestled more snugiy behind his tree
| as he spoke.
knew well enough the nature of the skulk-
ing animal in an srmy during battle. l had
! seen their performances before, but never on SO
large a SCALE never with such an utter sickness
of heart as | looked, as now. Still, do not
| believe there was very much more than the av.
erage per centage. 1t was big army, and the
runaways all sought the Landing
ARRIVAL or GEN. BUELL.
Looking across the Tennessee we see body
OF cavalry awaiting transportation over. They
are said to be Buell's advance, yet they have
| been there an hour or two alone. But suddenly
there is a rustling among the runaways. 1t is!
| it is You see the cleaning of the gun.barrels,
you catch amid the leaves and under growth
down the opposite side of the river glimpses of
the steady, swinging tramp of trained soldiers.
DIVISION of Buell's army is here! And the
men who have left their regiments on the field
send up three cheers for Baell Iney cheering |!
May it parch their threats, as if they had been
| breathing the Simeon!
Here comes boat across with Lieutenant
and two or three privates Of the Signal Corps
Some orders are instantly given to the officer
and as instantly telegraphed to the other side
| by the mysterious wavings and rasings and drop.
| pings of the flags. A steamer comes up with
pontoons on board with which bridge could
be speedily thrown across. Unaccountably
enouge to On.lookers, she slowly reconnoters
and steams back again. Perhaps, after all, it ia
better to have no bridge there. 1t simpliiies the
question, takes escape out Of the count, and
leaves it victory or death-to the towards that
siuk behind tho hlufna vvou 40 81 a. -.