, 1862-04-16

~ uAAA question LQaE-n1t Laey were at s
falling back, more elowly than lid PFentise'
regiments, or part of 8herman's, making naore
| determined because better organized feaist-
ance, occasionally rallying and repulsing the
enemy in turn for q hundred yards, then being
beaten back aeai1, and renewtng the retreat
By eleven O'clock the division was back IN a
:! line with Hurlbut's. It still did some gallant
| fighting; once its right swept around and
droye the enemy for considerable distance,
but again fell back, and at the last 1t brought
S}sion. rs oaa& ''' o'4'''D u VIII "a4'Aess a.
We have seen how PrentIsa, Sherman, and
McCle1nand were driven back how, fight as
aercely as they would, they still lest ground !;
how their camps were all: In the hands of the
which Hu1lbut and Wallace wers but the m Ne.
serves, was gone: -
THE ASSAULT on aHERMAH's LEFT.
But the fortunes of the isolated brigade Of
Sherrnan's division, on the extreme left, must
not be forgotten. It WAS doubly let alone by
the Generals. General Grznt did not arrive
on the field til after nearly all these disasters
had crowded upon Us, and each Division
OWL. eyes, and carried on the battle indepen-
dent Of the rest; but this brigade was even
left by It's Division General, Who was four
miles away, doing his best to rally his panic
stricken regiments there.
It YVES commanded By Col David Stuart Of
Chicago, and Was composed of the 55th Illinois,
Lieut.. Col Malmbonrg commanding; list
Ohio, Col. Rodney Mason; the 54th Ohio
lZouaves), Col r. z. Smith. 1t Was posted
along the circuttous road from Pittsburg Land
lng, up the river to Hamburg, some two miles
rom the Landing, and near the crossing of Lick
Creek, the blufs Oh the opposite side of which
commanded the position, and stretching on
down to join PrentIss' division on its right.
1nselecting the grounds for the encampnent
Of our army, it seems to have been forgotten
that from Corinth an excellent read led direct
to Ham mbuEg, q few miles above this left wing
Of our forces. Within fow days, the o4er-
sight had Indeed been discovered, and the de-
termination had been expressed to laud Buell's
forces at Hamburg, when they arrived ,and thus
make all safe. It was unfortunate, of course,
that Beauregard and Johnston did not wait for
US to perfect our pleasing arrangements.
When the rebels marched out from Coriuth,
couple Of bngudes {rumored to be under the
command Of Breek1nridge,) had taken this
road, and thus easily, and without molestation
reached the bluffs Of Lick Greek, commanding
6tuart's position.
During the attack Oh Prentiss, stuart's brig
ade WIS formed along the road, the left rest
Ing near the Iick-Cfeek ford, the right, 71st
Ohio, Col. Rodney Mason, {1ate Assistant Ad-
Jutant General Of Ohio, and Colonel Of the I'd
Ohio at Manassas being nearest PreAtiss.
AA0 A4oe 4ALA1HhlnA Aut3 uA4 I'll ulSASLET TO
their right was the partial cessation of firing.
An Instant afterwards muskets vera seen
gllnting among the leaves, and presently o
rebel column emerged from bend in the road,
with banners flying and moving at double
quiek down the. road toward them. Their
supports to the left were further off than the
rebels, and it was at once seen that, with but
do nothing there. They accordingly fell rap
idly back toward the ford, and were reformed
ln;an orchard near the other regiments.
lhe rebel @ column veered on further to the
aud, for brief space, though utterly isolated,
! they were unmolested.
! Before ten, however, the brigade, which had
| still stood listening to the surging roar OF bat-
tie on the left, WIS startled By tie screaming
ct a shell that came directly over their heads.
that had gained the commanding b1nffs oppo.
site, BY approaching on the Corinth and Ham.
| burg road, were in full play, and the orchards
and fields in which they were posted, Cooking
only for an attack In the opposite direction,
were swept with the exploding shells and hail.
Under cover OF this fire from the bluffs, the
rebels rushed down, crossed the ford, and in q
| moment were seen forming this side the
creek, in open fields, also, and within close
musket range; Their color bearers stepped
dehanny to the front, as the engagement
|
quick volleys Of nusket1y, and their batteries
above continuing to support them with de-
structiye fire. Our sharp. shooters wanted to
pick off the audacious rebel color-bearers,
put Co. stuart interposed: "No, no. they're
too brave fellows to be killed" Almost at
the hrst fire, Lieutenant-C Colonel Barton s.
| Kyle Of the list, was shot through the breast.
The brigade stood for scarcely ten minutes,
| when it became evident that its position was
untcnable, and they fell rapidly back, perhaps
quarter Of mile, to the next ridge; few
Lieutenant-C Colonel Kyle, in dying condition
from The field they were abandoning. Ohio
| lost no brayer, truer man, that day.
Asthey reached the next woody ridge, rebel
cavalry, that had crossed the creek lower down
were seen coming up on their left; and to re-
formed, fronting in that direction. For three
I quarters Of an hour the brigade stood here
The cavalry, finding it's purpose toiled, did moi
come within 1n1ge. In front they were hard
pressed, and the rebels, who had followed
Prentiss, began to come in On their right
Col Stuart had sent across to Brigadier Gene
raj W h I. Wallace, then not engaged. fol
support. Brigadier General McArt6ur'a brig
ade vas promptly started across, but mistak
| ing the way, and bearing too much to tht
tight, it speedily found itself in the midst o
| the rebel forces that had poured in after Prem
tiss. Gen. Macarthur could thus render Stu
arts brigade no assistance, but he vigorously
engaged the rebels to his front aud flanks, fal
back to good position, and held these troop
at buy till the rest Of his division came up Il
his aid. General Macarthur was himself disa
bled by 4 wound IN the foot, but be rode in K
q hospital, had It dressed, and returned to tn
its position. -
But this brought stuarte isolated b1igad
little help. They were soon forced to fal
back to smother ridge, then to another, an,
finally, about twelve o'clock, badly shatitere,
and disordered, they retreated to the right an
rear, falling in behind Gen. McArthurs brig
ade to reorganize. Col Stuart Was himse]
wounded by q ball through his right shoulde
and the loss OF field and company officers wa
sufficient to greatly discourage the troops.
DESPERATE CONDITION oF TIE HAT1oSA
| TROOPS.
This clears our entire front line of divisions
The enemy has full possession Of all She1
mans, Prentiss', and McClernand's camp. B
ten O'Clock our whole front, except Stuart
brigade, had given way, and the burden Of th
fight was resting On Hurlbut and VII /
i Wallace. Before twelve Stuart, too, had con,
two divisions stood between our army and d.
I struction or surrender. .rt. .5 -:
Still all was not lost Huflburt and Wa
lace began making most gallant stand; an
meantime most Of the troops from the thre
driven divisions were. still to some axter
available Many Of them bad wandered dow
the river-some as far as Crump's Landiul
aud some even to Savannah. These wei
brought back again On transports. Lines
guards we're extended to prevent skuIke'
from getting back to the landing, and esp
!: ctally to stop the Ehrewd dodge among tt
: crayens Of taking ak or eight able-bodie
: soldiers to assist some slightly wounded fe
low into the hospital; and between this CO.
don and the rear Of the fighting divisions, til
fragments Of regiments were re. organized aft
{ a fashion, and sent back to the field. Brigad'
} could not be got together again, much lie.
divisions, but the regiments p1eced togeth
from the loose squads that could be gathert
, and officered, often by men who could fiji
scarcely:a soldier of their own command
| / were hurried to the front, and many Of the
; did good service.
} 1t was fortunate for us that the accident
J circumstance that Prentiss' portion Of OF
line had been completely broken sooner tha
5 any OF the rest, had caused the euemy's ons
!, to veer chiefly to our LEFT. There We We
tolefahly safe; and at worst, If the rebe
S drove Us to the river On the left flank, IL
e gunboats could come into play. Our weake
}. point was the right, and to turning this Il
e rebels do not seem to have paid SO much 8
3 tenuon on Sunday. According to gene1
= understanding, in the event fan attack
7 | Pittsburg Landing, MnIor General Lew WI
t 1aee was to come IN ono our right and flank Il
G rebels By marching across from Crunr
: Landing below. .-;;,';s -, -; /: -.
Yet Strangely: euoagh;: Wallace, thou!
l. with his Division NIL drawn mp and ready
n | march any where at q mpmentfs notice, "
8 | not ordered. to Pitabufg Landiag till near
e # not quite twelve O'Clock. Then throu,
misdirectaon as to the way to get on the III
!, road, four miles Of marching we're lost, q,
S It's circuitous route. 1iade It twelve mil
u hof4