Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-04-18
THE BATTLE AT PrrTsBURG.
Further Details Of the Engage.
-eF memt.
Special to the Missouri Democrat.

Special to the Missouri Democrat.
Gen. Beauregard, with his whole command,
made the attack 81. -
Our forces were completely surprised.
Great blame is attached to Gems. Prentiss
and Sherman, who, it is said, had no scouts
out and only very small picket guard.
Information of the approach of the rebel
army is said to have been gwen to those
Generals by persons from the country, but it
was disregardcd, and no preparations made
to receive the enemy.
Sherman was on the left; Prentiss next to
him. Gems. Hurlbut and McClernsnd occu-
pied the center; Gen. Sherman held the
right. sa
The onset of the rebels was terrible. It
was received first by Prentiss and Sherman.
BY 10 o'clock A. n, our whole line from right
to left, was engaged. Our line was five miles
back of Pittsburg, and we were driven back
to the river. The slaughter was great. and
officers who participated in the fight at Dom
elson, say that it in no way compares with
this in ferceness. -
Itraged all day Sunday, and by 10 o'clock
A. NJ, three steamboats,, lying at the river,
were loaded with the wounded.
Our loss would have been much greater,
but for the gun-boats Tyler and Lexington,
which, when our men had been driven to the
banks Of the river, poured hot fire Of shot
and shell into the enemy's ranks, and held
him at bay. l- -
The confusion Of our men is said to have
been great. l
Gen. prentiss and two regiments Of hia
command were taken prisoners.
The gun-boats continued firing all Of Sun
day night. At o'clock Sunday afternoon,
Gen. Buell marched from Pittsburg to Savan.
nah. About this time part of his command
reached the river opposite Pittsburg, and
rent the air With their cheers. This inspired
| our men who had been driven back with fury
during the day, and the tide Of affairs soor
changed.
A large body Of Buelrs force were crossed
Monday evening and night by fifteen or TWEEN
| ty transports, which we now have at that
place. g,,
Monday morning at fifteen minutes befor.
six the engagement was renewed BY us, ane
continued until r. n, by which time al
ground lost Sunday was regained, and tn
enemy were precipitately driven back farther
than we had been the day before.
| Six batteries of artilleries, which had beel
taken from us by the enemy on Sunday wer
lrecaptured. and forty peices of their ewn fel
into our hands.
/ One ravine between Hurlbut's and Prem
tiss's divisions is said to have been literAll,,
filled with dead rebels. :,
4 The suffers were all bankrupt on Sunday
1 A Aigreat many of our officers were killed
Our loss m killed is estimated from six hun
ldred to one thousand, and in wounded frou
three to four thousand. The, enemy's
Thought to be the same, with greater pei
centAge killed.
Il Sunday night Eve hundred prisoners ha
been brought in, and they still continue
arrive. They say Beauregards force wa
12O, 900
II General McClernand is ssasid to have cor
Quoted himself with great coolness and cou
age in the crisis Of Sunday.
!. The disposition of the Confederates in Il
I attack was in the form Of letter Y. II
point penetrated Prentiss' division, whi<
| consisted Of raw recruits, who could n,
+ stand the shock, and fell back, causing gre
al confusion Among our troops on the left.
Il This charge would have resulted in turl
+ ling our left wing, and the capture Of : lar
Iportion Of Prentiss' and Sherman's division
e but tor the gun-boats Tyler and Lexingto
2 which beat the enemy back BY firing in
Il his ranks shot and shell.
a Rebel prisoners say they had orders to I
3 % many of our officers as possible. Th'
"a Iofficers fought in disguise. ours in their vi
n forms, which was the cause Of their bel
.t distinguished and 50 many Of them killed.
iP