Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-05-02
The Pittsburg Battle Ground.
From our Correspondent In the I'D Regiment.
CANP SnLoH NEAR PTTsBuRo, Tenn,
Monday Morning, April ID, go.

than now. You doubtless have, ere this, learn
ed somewhat of the details of the battle, though,
like all first reports, those already sent, are, for
the most part, quite incorrect. 1t shall be my
endeavor to send you tolerably full and accur-
ate detail of the battle, though Of course could
see very little, and actually knoW very little of
a contest Of such magnitude, ranging over a ter
ritory ofat least twenty square miles. Official
reports, and subsequent accounts, will, no doubt,
place the public pretty fully in possession of the
general facts, but the details never can be half
told, and scarcely two viii tell their tales alike.
One hallucinationone whichnigh involved the
loss Of 10000 men, seems to have been over the |
minds of our Generals viz that the rebels would
not attack us-that they would bidc our own
chosen time to attack them. The neglect of
our Commanders to guard against surprise, and
to hold their forces in readiness for defense
seems most culpable, and should not be quietly
passed over by the War Department Full ac
counts of the battle will plainly show that the
men or things commanding our advance proved
their utter unfitDess for command by allowing |
an army Of 10000 men to form line of battle |
but three miles in front of our camp, and TO |
make every disposition necessary without even
u
pose. We were completely surprised, and very |
nearly whipped, and we have to thank only the
gallant soldiers those in the ranks who fought |
with bravery and desperation that knew no |
defeat, that we were not completely. There !
was little generalship worthy of praise, but much
deserving censure, up to the hour of attack
There had been considerable skirmshing
along the lines for some days. Our piekets
were continually harrased by the enemy's cav
airy, and on Saturday they reported seeing
large rebel force not more than mile from our
camp, with artillery To insure the complete
safety (f) of our pickets Gen. Sherman on Sat
urday withdrew them to within about 60 rods
of campl Thus, when the enemy chose TO make
his attack, we must be taken by surprise for the
pickets being so close, could not possibly give
us the alarm. From prisoners we learn that the
enemy arrived in force before our lines on Fri |
day, and employed Saturday in making his ar
rangements for the attack, bringing his lines
nearer TO ours. In the evening be sent up rock
cts which fairly illuminated our camp, but
which was altogether too trifing matter to |
break the stolid repose and security ofour Gem
erals. The Union troops lay down to slumber,
and possibly to dream Of battle, grim and terri
BILE, so completely were they wrapped in the
treacherous security of their leaders,
Sunday morning opened most beautiful. A
more charmingly beautiful morning never be-
held. Sharp firing was heard some distance |
from our quarters, which l since learn was the |
attack upon Gen. Prentiss' division, or upon an
advance part of it. About A. NJ. before we |
had eaten our breakfast, the "long rolf was
beaten throughout our division and in a twink |
Inf the men were under arms, though little ex-
pecting so terrible battle as we were in a few
moments involved in. We had scarcely formed
in line when the enemy was found to be almost
upon us, and we barely had time TO advance
few PAGES forward of color line, into the
woods front of our camp, when the battle OPEN
n a W hnl 10 ina with har e..
By this-and the time was much less than |
have taken to relate the facts-the fight was |
fairly opened along the whole extent of our
front. The enemy was rushing in overwhelmn-
ing force, bringing his artillery to bear with ter
rible effect and as fast as his ranks were thin
ned filling them with fresh troops.
There ragged the deadly conflict of fercest
war; for full two hours. We were contending
with terrible odds, without support and for over
an hour without the help of artillery which
however did us little good when brought for
ward. Reluctantly, our line began to waver
and presently TO give way, after holding the foe
full two hours in check and doing him great
damage. Many had fallen, half of the field Off
GERS were numbered with the wounded or slain
The cowardly, of whom there are always more
or less, had ingloriously fled TO the river Great
ing the utmost confusion and panic. Col. Buck |
lands Brigade was the last to fall back aud the,.
only arhen ordered By Gen. Sherman, when near
surrounded and about to be cut off, Our posi- |
tion was upon the right of our front, and as we
fell back, the enemy directed his attack more
directly upon the centre, which had been
strengthened by Gen. McClernand's command. |
The enemy came rushing impetuously and |
bravely inspired by the success which thus far
attended him. On the other hand the Union
troops, though sorely pressed by vastly overpow-
ering numbers, seemed stung and maddened by |
their repulse, and made new and herculean ex-
ertions to save the day, and repel the foe. They
rallied along the whole line, and made one gall |
liant and successful stand. The contest ragged |
with unabated fury and obstinacy, our forces |
maintaining the stand they had taken, with
firmness and determination, The enemy now
concentrated all his energies upon our left and
centre, in a fierce effort to make his way to the
river, but the gun-boats Lexington and Tyler
coming to aid our troops, he was fairly foiled
in this attempt. Thus ended the first day 8
terrible encounter We had been driven from
one to two miles, and the rebels occupied good
portion of our camp. But the DAYS conflict
though apparently in their favor had been an
exceedingly sore one to them. They had suf-
fered heavily, and had by no means gained the
easy victory they had counted on. Late in the
afternoon portion of Gen. Buells army (un-
der Nelson | think) had got across the river
and engaged in the fight. During the night
other renforcements came up from Buelrs col
umn under forced marches, and were ready to
take part in the expected contest ofthe morrow.
Gen. Lew Wallace also arrived on the ground
Just after dark, We took new hope. Help was
at hand, and we felt assured that ere another
sunset glorious victory should crown our arms
Darkness came on and both armies rested on
their arms but a little distance apart. The dead
and awful silence of the night was continually
broken by the groans of the wounded and dy-
ing on the battle field There lay men, felled
down in the awful storm Of common butcherY
torn, mangled, shattered and disfgured, suffer-
ing all the tortures of wounds, the most CHASTITY
writhing in the most excruciating pains, left to
agonise and die, without the ministration of the
least relief, whose solemn pitifu meanings, filled
the still night, with a sad solemn presence. As
if to drown the cries Of the wounded a violent
thunder storm came on about ] o'clock in the
morning, which farely deuged the face Of dame
nature in sheet of water.
With the dawn of morn on the 7th it was
found that the rebels had withdrawn their lines
somewhat, and taken up an advantageous po-
sition on the Purdy road and waited for us TO
make the attack. They waited not long. Gen.
Wallace and Sherman went against the enemys
right Gen. Buelps forces against the center and
left with McClernands, Prentiss and Hurberts
commands. Our artillery was much better serv-
ed than the previous day. The enemy was OBJ
stinate. He appeared 10 fully estimate the con-
sequences of a defeat and fought with desperate
herceness. Slowly but surely We drove him
back. Our men all fought nobly, but none
more SO than those Of Col. Buekland's Brigade,
who had suffered so severely the day before