The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-04-17
Battle Of Pittsburg
Desperate Conflict OF Fifteen
Hours
Of rhs oInoinnati Times.

Of The Cincinnati Times.
PITTsBURG, April 6,
In nv last letter / stated that | did not be-
lieve that any battle would take place for the
next ten days between our forces and the rebel
troops at Corinth. [ was led to this belief by
the opinion current among our officers, that the
enemy would entrench themselves and await an
attack at their cherished stronghold named
above, and known as the junction of the Mobile
and Ohio and Memphis and Charleston rail,
ways. This being the policy heretofore adopted
by the rebel forces il was supposed 1t would be
adhered to in the present case. The sequeIs
shows that they have changed their tactics and
prefer an offensive rather than defensive mode
of warfare. This arose, in part, from the fact
that they knew of the approach of the divisions
from Gen. Buells column, and from their design
to destroy or conquer the force already IN the
field before their arrival.
Under these circumstances matters have gone
On rather loosely for few days past on our
side,our commanders feeling confident that even
Secession audacity would never dare to assert
an opposition in an open field How often they
NAV have been warned as to these facts, can
not say. Yet no longer than yesterday, "se-
cesh" prisoner, who died on the steamer Hla.
watha assured them with his last breath that
to-day the battle would take place. Yet no extra
measures were adopted to guard against sur
for defense in case such an attack should be
made. Thus matters rested until an ea.ly hour
this morning.
The battle-ground chosen for the struggle Of
to day occupied a semicircle of about three and
a half miles from the town Of Pittsburg, our
forces being stationed in the form of a semicrcle,
the right resting on point north Of Crump's
Landing, our center being directly in front OF
the main road to Corinth, and our left extend
ing to the river, in the direction Of Hamburg
a small place four miles north of Pittsburg Land
ing.
1t has been known, for some days past, that
proper attention had not been paid to the pac-
ing Of pickets sufficient distance from our front
| lines to insure against surprise, and IN some
cases it had even been negle cted altogether
! No pickets, it is said, have ever been placed in
front of Gen. Prentss' division, although it was
known that the secesh spies aud scouting parties
were continually lowering even near to the out
side row of tents of his regiments They were
to be met by every scouting party which left
our camps, and the rencounters of the last few
| days have proven so disastrous TO them, that
they determined TO repay them with Interest.
THE FIRST ATTACK
At two o'clock this morning, Col Peabody ,oi
Premises Division, fearing that everything was
not right, dispatched body of four hundred
p,
ing after any force which might be lurking in
that direction. The step was wisely taken, for
a half miles advance showed heavy force APP
preaching, who fred upon them with great
| slaughter. Those who escaped fell back to the
Twenty-ffth Missouri regiment. swiftly pursued
by the enemy. The contest had been of bu'
short duration and the advance of the secession
lists reached the brigade of Col. Peabody just as
the long roll was sounded and the men were
(. i
| awares, was of but short duration, and they re.
treated in as good order as was possible under
a CALLING fire, until they reached the lines of the
| Second Division.
At six o'clock the attack had become general
along the entire front Of our line. The enemy
in large force had driven in the picllets of Gen
Shermans Division, and fallen with vengeance
on the 18th Ohio V. NJ, Col. Sullivan, the 70tt
Col Cockerell, and the I'D, Col. Buckland.-
The troops here, had never before been in ac
ton, and being SO unexpectedly attacked, ere
they could finally understand their position, OF
get into file they made as able a resistance as
was possible, but were, in common with the for
ces Of Gen. Prentiss forced to seek support on
the troops Immediately in their rear The 9TH
Ohio Cav, formerly belonging 10 this Division
had been removed to Gen. Hurlbut's command
the day before yesterday, and their places sup
piled and camp occupied by the 2nd Ill. Cava
ry These latter knew nothing of the approach
OF the enemy until they We're in their midst, fir
ing into their tents and applying the torch as
they came.
The slaughter, on this first onslaught Of the
enemy, was very severe, scores falling at every
discharge of the enemy's guns, anu all making
their best effort to escape, or repel the foe. |
however, soon became evident that The seces
sion force was overpowering, and nothing wa
left for the advance line but retreat. This was
done ia considerable disorder both officers ant
men losing every particle of their baggage, it 0
course falling into the enemy's hands
At half past eight clock the fight had becom
quite general, the second line of divisions hay
ing received the advance in good order; ant
made every preparation for suitable reception
of the foe.
As your correspondent reached the third O
our forces, he met several thousands of straggler
mary OF them from the hospitals. but many mor
who had never before witnessed the service 0
the battlefield, and who SO far had not found i
much to thir liking. Their faces were turned t.
the river, and neither persuasion nor threat
could induce them to change their course.
must say, that at this juncture, your correspond
ent was strongly reminded of the great panic a
Bull Run, for appearances indicated that tn
same scenes were likely to be re-enacted up0l
this occasion. Men and women came promiscu
} ously, singly and by dozens, filing the read
limping, staggering along, in some cases sup
ported by their comrades or others, but all hay
ing the same destination, and bent on the &C
2 complishment of the same purpose, viz To es
cape from the sound of the whizzing ball, which
were flying in every direction.
The timely arrival of Gen Grant, who haC
fastened up from Savannah, led to the adoption
/ OF such measures as put termination to this TN
called for flight from the battle field. A strong
A strong guard was posted across the thorough
fares, with orders to halt every soldier whose
face was turned riverward. Some few of the
: wounded were all to proceed, but the self-eon
, stituted guard who had chosen that as a mean:
of escape, were made to keep within the lines
under penalty Of a stronger admonition at the
hands of the established line of Sentries
All the wagons and other vehicles of trans.
portation on their way to the camps weae turned
back, and the road given as far as was pracfica
4 Bile to the use of the ambulances, which were
now getting to be very plenty. They were not
however, sufficient for the demands of the occa
sion, there being in many cases but two to each
regiment, and heavy army wagons were used to
make up the deficiency. These ratified along
over the jagged road, thro' the mud, over roots
aud stones, filed to the top with the wounded
and such OF the sick as were unable to leave the
regimenta hospitals without assistance.
At ten O'clock the entire line on both sides
was engaged in one Of the most terrible battles
ever known i'll this country. The roar of the
cannon and musketry was without intermisson
from the main centre to point extending halt
way down the left wing. The great struggle
was more upon the gatherered forces which had
fallen back Sherman's position into the next line
of troops a desperate charge had Just been
made upon the l4th Ohio battery, and it not be-
ing sufficiently sustained by force of infantry,
it was at last relnquished and it fell into the
hands of the enemy. Another severe fight oc-
Cured for the possession of the 9th Chic battery,
which resulted in three of its guns being taken
by the secession troops.
BY IL o'clock quite number of the command
ers of regiments had fallen, and in some cases
not single field officer remained; yet the fight
ing continued with an earnestness which plainly
showed that the contest on both sides was for
death or victory The almost deafening sound
OF artillery, and the rattle of the musksTy, were
all that could be heard as the men stood silent
! lv daliVarp0 their fire. arz;dap+i, Lo,4 - -