Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-14
statement OF ,raior Mcdonald. Of the
Eighth Missouri, who was I'm the
Battle of pfttsburr.

W
Major John Mcdonald. of the Eighth Missouri,
arrived here yesterday afternoon direct from
Pittsburg Landing. having left the battle field ON
Wednesday evening.
He says the Eighth was in the fight on Mon
day, but only lost about six or eight killed. and
about twenty five wounded. none of the officers
being hurt. lie confirms the killing of Gen. \.
> Johnston, and was told by one of the prisoners.
Confederate Lieutenant that General Bushrod
Johnson. who escaped from Donelson, was also
killed. All reports about the woundng OF Beau
regard he thinks are unreliable An officer of
the New Orleans Creole Battalion who was taken
prisoner. says that Beauregard, who was then
commander. made them speech on Saturday.
before the battle. in which he told them that the
result was a sure thing, they could not fail, they
would capture Grant and his army, then whip
Buell. and by this means hold all their railroads.
/ II they lost the day, he told them they might rs
well lay down their arms and go home.
Lieut.. Col j + st. James, of the Thirteenth
Missouri, was killed. also Lieut.. Col Gerber. of
\ the Twenty fourth Indiana; also Lieut. Col. or
/ Major Fitzpatrick of Que of the Illinois regiments.
! The Ninth Illinois suffered very severely.
/ The story OF the escape of Gen Prentss Is not
/ true. He and the greater part OF his brigade,
/ probably $500 men, were taken prisoners early
/ IN the fight on Sunday.
Cen Grant was at Savannah on Sunday NOR.
ming. and hearing the firing made his way to
! Pittsburg in all haste, and got on the field about
! II O'Clock a. NJ. la the action on Monday he
was considerably hurt in one of his legs by being
/ crushed against tree.
! The gunboats did fine work and probably saved
our army from total disaster on Sunday. They
were placed up the stream where they could have
| full sweep OF the rebel lines and did great deal
to discomfort and keep back the enemy. All
Sunday night they kept up slow fire which
harassed the rebels very much.
! The beginning of the fight on Sunday morning
was a complete. surprise, many OF our officers
and soldiers being overtaken in their tents, and
either slaughtered or taken prisoners. Some Of
the companies scattered into the ravines and hol-
lows, aud could not be got out by expostulations
/ or threats. When the line was At length formed
/ TO resist the attack. il was done without much
regard 20 company or regiment. BY night time
/ the rebels had driven our army entirely out OF its
camps and was in full possession OF tents, equip
/ age and everything.
So we'll satisfied were they of their days work,
/ and so confident OF the morrow, that they de-
stroyed nothing. They got six of our batteries,
all of which were recaptured on the following
day. and about forty of their cannon taken. Our
/ line. on Sunday night were drawn around the
landing in a semi circular shape, protected on all
sides bv our cannon: but. If they had been hard
pressed after dark by the rebels. they would have
been penetrated, and our entire army overcome.
/ The arrival of the reinlorcementS was very
cheering !the landing and drawing up in good
order and processing at once to the front, where
they were fresh cooked and primed' for the
fight on Monday. The reinforcing divisions were
/ Generals Nelson's Crttendens and McCOok :.
/ On Tuesday Generals WOOds's and Thomas di.
visions. also of Buels army, came up. The lst
Missouri artillery Major Lavender did splendid
ly, losing no officers or guns.
Major General G. T. Smith mott the fight
at ALL lying sick at Savannah and not able to get
out of his bed
Our forces at Pttsburg on Sunday morning
were not over 30 900 men. The enemy's could
not have been less than 80 900 One of the rebe
prisoners. a Quartermasier. told Major Mcdonald
that not less than ninety Thousand ratlOns were
issued before they left Corinth.
Boweus brigade was heard from Two or
three OF the prisoners belonged to il. but the Ma
jor though he tried TO see them, was unsuccess
full
The second DAYS fighting was not half SO des
perate a the first. The rebels soon gave way
before our fresh troops and were pursued viii
great slaughter. The pursuit was not continued
far \ few miles beyond our lines. toward Cor
NTH. there was a large creek very much swollen
BY therains the bridges OF which the iugitiyes de
stroyed after them. Ii rained very hard during
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights.
MAJOR Mcdonald rode over the battlefield seN
eral times. and thinks killed will amount C
at least 600 lie was on the boats and at Ill,
hospital at Savannah and states that our wound
Ell number about ; 900. He place NO esti
mate on the rebel less, but SAYS 400 or 500 o
their wounded were left on the fl Id, and that III,
killed will 20 over 1000. Besides the wounded
We did not axe more than 800 prisoners.
Major Mcdonald thinks that Beauregard Is no
prepared to make stand az Coriuth, and 4
pushed will retreat south as FAR as Jackson, Mis-
sls>ippi
About foar hundred of the wounded cam,
down with Major Mcdonald on the steame
Commodore Perry to Paducah. Fifty or sixty
were put of at Paducah. and tie Others wen
up % Evansville The Mnnehaha would soon
be down with wounded