The New York herald., 1862-04-16
the BATTLE OF PlTTSBuRG.
The Full Details Of the
Great Struggle.
The Defeat on Sunday and the
Victory on Monday.
A<o>Yooo~o~~>~~~~r~~c
NOBLE vALOR OF OUR TROOPS.
THE MORNING SURPRISE.
THE BATTLEFIELD PHOTOGRAPHED
INCIDENTS. LOSSES, SCENES.
&C.. &c., 60.
NOBLE vALoR OF OUR TROOPS
THE MORNING SURPRISE.
Icorrsspon dence Of the Cincinnati Gazette
FIELD OF BATTLE,

[Correspon dence Of the Cincinnati Gazette
FIELD OF BATTLE,
Pn1sBuRa LANDING, Tenn, April o, 1862.
Fresh from the field Of the great battle, with it's
pounding and roaring Of artillery and its keener voiced
rattle Of muskstry still sounding in my weared ears
with all its visions Of horror still seeming scared upon
my eysbas, while Of pancstrcken rout and bril-
liant charges and obstinate defences, and succor and
intoxicating burned alike confusedly and in.
debly upon the brain, essay to write what know Of
the battle Of Pittsburg Landing.
Yet, how bring order out Of such chaosS How deal
Justly writing within twenty -four hours Of the closing
the hght with all the gallant regiments Of the hundred
present, that bravsy a. bravsy lost and with
oil that ignobly fed in panic from the Aeld9
How descrbs, 20 shat one man may leisursy
fellow ahe simultaneous operations Of hundred and
atty thousand antagonists, hshtng backward and for
ward Tor two long days. Eve miles line and over four
milss retreat and advance, eight division COM
mandsrs on one side, and an unkuowD number on the
ethers How in Short picture 30 nscsssari
" small panorama 80 grandly great9 Tho task i'm
possible. ,8s
But what one man, diligently using all his powers OF
observation through those two days, might see, saw
and that faithfully set down. For the rest after
riding carefully and the ground asking ques
tons innumerabe Of those who knew and sitting conss
tent truth from the multiplicity Of replies with whatever
tho concurrent testimony Of the actors
THE SITUATION BEFORE THE BArnA
Our great Tennessee expedition had been up the river
eomc four weeks We had occupied Pittsburg Landing
for about three weeks had destroyed railroad con-
uecton which the rebels had restored in day or two
and had failed in similar but more important attempt
on another. Beyond this had engaged in no active
operations The rebels, alarmed by sudden appear
ance began massng thoir troops under our eyes Pre-
wa ad
waited for Buell. who crossing the country from
Nashville by easy marches The rebels had apparently
become restive under our slow concentrations, and
General Grant had given out that attack from them
seemed probable Yet We had lain at Ptsbure Landing,
within twenty miles OF the rebels that attack
rs in superior numbers, without throwing up a single
breastwork or preparing single protection for bat
from extreme right extreme Of our line while four
other divisions had been crowded in between they
arrived
On the evening Of Friday, April T. there was prelim
nary skrmish with the enemy's advance. Rumors came
into camp that some Of ocers had been taken prs
oners by considerable rebel force, lines and
that pickets had been firing brigade the Seventeen
Seventy second and Forty eighth Ohio regiments was
rebels, perhaps thousand strong, and after sharp
little action drove them or, losing Major Crockett Of the
the ssvsnsth prisoners taking IN return some sixteen
and driving the rebels back 10 battery they found
our lines General Lew waces reops a. c@s ,pD%
Landing were ordered out under arms and they marched
70 Adansvilie, half way between the river and Purdy
ton The night passed in dreary rain, but without far
ther rebel demonstration and was generally supposed
Ging nothing Major General Grant had indeed said
there great probability OF rebel attack but there
such an unlocked fOs event and 70 the matter was dis
missed. Yet on Saturday there was more skrmishing
along our advanced lines.
There can be no doubt the plan Of tbs rebel leaders
70 attack and demosh Grants army before Bues rein
foreements arrived. There were rumore that such 4
movement had been expressly ordered from
~ Richmond being absolutely necessary last bold
STROKE 70 save the railing fortunes Of the onsdsracy in
che West though Of that no one, presume knows any
thing.
they largely outnumbered Grant, that no measures
had been taken TO- strengthen the position at Ptsburg
Landing while they knew equally well that when Buels
entire Kentucky army arrived and added Grants
forces they could not possibly expect To hold their vitality
important position at Corinth against Their only
rived, and defeating In detail Fortunately they
timed their movements q day too late.
THE WARNING or DANGER.
The sun never rose n more beautiful morning than
that OF Sunday April O. Iuled by the general security
had remained IN pleasant quarters at crumps, below
by tho cry, "Theyre fighting aboveu volleys OF mus
kctry could sure enough be distinguished and occasion
ally tho sulen boom OF artillery schoing down the
stream. Momentarily the volume OF sound increased
till II became evident that was skrmish that was
in progress aud that considerable portion Of the army
must be already engaged. Hastily springing on The
guards OF passing steamboat, hurried up
The sweet spring sunshine danced the ripplinr
waters, and softly III up the green Of the banks few
0eecy clouds alone broke the above rht breezo
murmurcd among the young leaves tho buebirds were
singing their gentle treble - the stern music that still
camo louder and deeper TO us from the bluffs above
the frogs croang their feeble imitation from the
marshy islands that studded the channel.
Evcn thus carly the west bank OF the river lined
with tho usual fugitlves from action burredy pushing
onwards they knew not where except down stream and
away from the fight An officer board hailed numbers
of them and demanded their reason but they all gave
she responss "We'fe clean pieces and every
imam must save himself"
Al the landing Appearances became still more ominous
Dur two Cincinnati wooden gunboas, Taylor and exng
On were edging uneasly aud down the banks eager
~ put In their bfoadsdee Of heavy guns, but unable
n,d whero they could do IL. Tho OF battle was
STAY tingy close and showed that the rebels wero In
nai Sos attempt 10 carry out thor threat OF driving
into ehe river The landing and bun above covered
With towards who had fed from their ranks the rear
FOR safety and who were telling the fearful stories
of heTebe onset and the sunerings of their own par
ticuar regiments. Momentarly fresh fugitives came
back often guns In hand, and all giving the same ac
count of ,thickcning disasters In front
.HurrynN out toward the Of action I was soon
convinced that thcre too much foundation for the
tales of the runaways Shermans and prentss, entire
we're falling back In disorder sharply presrod
|by the rebels ~ overwhelming numbers al ali points
had already lost part OF its oamps and
100 was fai,ing baNk. There was one consoationon,v
ns-I could soc us' then History, so tho diyincs say
d positive on tho point bat no attack ever made on ~