Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-14
statement of major Mcdonald, of the
Eighth Missouri, who was i'm the
Battle of Pittsburg.


statement Of Major Mcdonald, of the
Eighth Missouri, who was an the
Battle of Pittsburg.
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. He confirms the killing Of Gen. A.
S. Johnston, and was told by one Of the prisoners
a Confederate Lieutenant that General Bushrod
johnson, who escaped from Donelson, was also
killed. All reports about the wounding 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 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, be told them they might as
well lay down their arms and 60 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 one of the Illinois regiments.
The Ninth Illinois suffered very severely.
The story of the escape of Gen. Prentiss is not
true. he and the greater part of his brigade,
probably $500 men, were taken prisoners early
in the fight on Sunday.
Gen. 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
III O'Clock A. NJ. In 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
we're placed up the stream where they could have
full sweep of the rebel lines, and did great deal
10 disconcert and keep back the enemy. All
Sunday night they kept up a slow fire which
harassed the rebels very much.
The beginning of the fight on Sunday morning
was 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 ravnes and hol-
lows, and could not be got out By expOstulations
or threats. When the line was at length formed
to resist the attack, it was done without much
regard to 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 well satisfied were they Of their day 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
lines on Sunday night were drawn around the
sides by 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 reinforcements was very
cheering ithe rear landing and drawing up in good
order and proceeding at once to the front, where
they were fresh cooked and primed" for the
fight on Monday. The reinforcing divisions were
Generals Nelson's, Crittenden's and McCook's.
On Tuesday Generals Woods's and Thomas's di-
vi al ~ all he -
Missouri artillery, Major Lavender. did splendid
ly, losing no officers or guns.
Major General @. F. Smith was notin 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 35 900 men. The enemy's could
not have been less than GO, 900. One of the rebel
prisoners, Quartermaster, told Major Mcdonald
that not less than ninety thousand rations were
issued before they left Corinth.
Bowen's brigade 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 as the first. The rebels soon gave way
before our fresh troops, and were pursued with
great slaughter. The pursuit was not continued
far. A few miles beyond our lines, toward Cor
NTH. there was a large creek very much swollen
by the rains, the bridges of which the fugitves de-
stroyed after them. It rained very hard during
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights.
Major Mcdonald rode over the battle field sew
eral times, and thinks our killed will amount to
at least 600. He was on the boats and at the
hospital at Savannah, and states that our wound
ed number about 5000. He can place no esti-
mate on the rebel loss, but says 400 or 500 of
their wounded were left on the field and that the
killed will go over 5000. Besides the wounded,
we did not take more than 500 prisoners.
Major Mcdonald thinks that Beauregard is not
prepared to make a stand at Corinth, and if
pushed VIII retreat south as far as jackson, Mis-
sissippi.
About foIr hundred of the wounded came
down with Major Mcdonald on the steamer
Commodore Perry to Paducah Fifty or sixty
were put off at Paducah, and the others went
up to Evansville. The Minnehaha would soon
be down with wounded.