Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-04-30
The Battle at Pittsburg Landing--Letter
from the Commissary Serg't of the 10th
SAVANNAH, TENN, April 9, '62 !
On board steamer. John J. Roe.

W IsCOuSiHs f
SAVANNAH, TENN, April 9, '62
On board steamer, John j. Roe.
Our regiment was in the left
brigade of the left division of Grants army
and our regiment was one of the farthest
advanced OF the whole army. We were
awakened on Sunday : orniDg, the 7th,
by the sound of the long roll, and the cry,
1.-THE Secesh are upon usl" resounded
through the camp. Our camp is in the
woods, and runs to the edge of them,
where commences parade ground of some
six hundred acres, on which there are no
trees, but which is surrounded on all sides
by dense woods. Our regiment was or
dered To fall i'm on the parade ground at
double quick, which we did. We had
barely time to form q line. before the re.
bells opened on us with artillery and infant
ry. Our men were moved down like
sheep, but they stood up to their work
like men. The 18th Wisconsin had Just
reached our camp the night before; they
had not got up their tents before they
were called into the fight. There were
seven or eight regiments on the advance
line with ours. We kept the rebels back
for a few minutes, long enough for our
sick end wounded to get out OF camp,
and then they comm enced falling back
among our tents and fighting from behind
trees ard tents. No requirements reach
ed US until we had fallen back Ealf mile.
BY that time our Lieut Col had been
wounded and about three or four hundred
of our regiment had been killed or wound
ed, and the 18th had lost as many, with
their Colonel wounded, (since died) Major
killed, Lieut.. Col. wounded, and Adjutant
killed. After our regiment had fallen back
half a mile, we received reinforcements,
and made stand We were gradually
losing ground, until about three o'clock,
when Col. Allen was wounded Our left
was forced to fall back to the steamboat
landing. Gen. Nelson crossed the river
with his men about six O'Clock, and then
the fighting was fearful; the fight at this
time had got to oe within half mile of
The landing, at which distance the rebels
were Our men were at the top of the
hill immediately above the landing; our
forces got three large siege guns off one of
the boats, and ok them up and planted
them on the top Of the hill, and when the
rebels came they opened on them. This was
three miles this side of our camp. One of
the guns was a 81 psunder howtzer,
throwing shell, aud it tore the ranks of
the rebels like the m )wiug of grass. We
drove them back about half a mile, and
the fighting ceased for the night. We
were G tting reinforcements all night, and
early next morning they commenced.
Our for ces drove them back foot by foot
until about four o'clock OF Monday after
noon, when the rebels received lot of
reintorcenents, and made last grand
stand right amongst the camps of the 10th
and 18th regiments, and then the fight
ing was tremendous, and we could get
them no further; bat in a few minutes
Gen. McCook's division arrived, with
three fresh batteries of artillery, and a
regiment of cavalry, and about ten thous-
and Infantry. Our batteries and men fell
back within McCook's; the "sscesh
supposed we were retreating, and came
after US pell nell: all OF our batteries
opened upon them with grape. and our
cavalry and infantry made charge, and
the battle qoas so0n. The loss on their
side was fearful, and they threw their guns
and knapsacks away, and the fight com
menced; it broke their whole line, and
yesterday our men were chasing them up
six miles beyond our camp. Our regiment
lost all they had in their tents. lost
every thing except a coat and shaw, which
| tore up to bind wounds. Coils. Allen
and Fairchld are here at Savannah. came
down here to get a provision return signed,
which accounts for my being here.