Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-04-10
Onr Troops Occupy COrinth,
60 c. co. Go O.
Battle at Pittsburg Landing.

| Battle at PittsbuIg Landing.
PITTsBURoH LANDING, via Fort Henry, Apri
., 3.2O A. M "A special displtch TO the HeraI,
says: One of the greatest aud bloodest battle
OF modern days has just closed, resulting in th,
complete ront of the enemy. who attacked III
at daybreak on Sunday. The battle lasted
without intermssion, during the entire day
was again renewed on Monday morning, ant
continued until four O'Clock in the afternoon
when the enemy commenced their retreat, anC
are still flying toward Corinth, pursued BY q
large force Of our cavalry.
The slaughter on both eides is immense We
have lost in killed, wounded and missing from
eighteen to twenty thousand; that of the enemy
is estimated from thirty-fve to forty thousand
IL Is impossible in the present confused state OF
affairs 10 ascertain any details. | therefore
give you the beet account possible from obseE-
walton, having passed through the storm of &C
tion during the two days that 1t ragged The
fight was brought on by body of three hun.
dred Of the 25th Missouri Regiment of General
Prentiss's Division attacking the advance guard
OF the rebels, which were supposed to be the
picketS of the enemy, in front Of our camp.
The rebel army advanced on Gen. Prenties's
division, on the left wing, pouring volley after
volley Of musketry and riddling our camps With
grape, canister and shell. Our forces soon form
ed into line and returned their fre vigorously,
and by the time we were prepared to receive
them, they had turned their heaviest fire on the
left and center OF Sherman's division and drove
our men back from their camps, and bringing
up fresh force, opened FIRE on our left wing,
under Gen. McClernsnd. This FIRE was return.
ed with terrible effect and determined spirit by
both infantry and artillery along the whole
line for distance Of over four miles. Gen.
Hurl0uFt's division was then thrown forward to
support the center, when desperate conflict en-.
sued.
The rebels were driven back with terrible
slaughter, but soon rallied aud drove back our
men In turn. From about nine O'Clock, the
time your correspondent arrived on the field,
until night closed on the bloody scene, there
was no determination Of the result of the strug-
gle. The rebels exhibited remarkably good
generalship; at times engaging the left with OPP
parently their whole strength, they would
suddenly open a terrible and destructive fire on
the right or center. Even our heaviest and
most destructive FIRE on the enemy did not ap-
pear to discourage their solid columns.
The fire Of Maj, Taylor's Chicago Artillery
raked them down In scores, but the smoke
would no sooner be dispersed than the breach
would again be filled. The most desperate flr-
els knew that If they did not succeed In whip
ping then that their chances for success would
be extremely doubtful,
As portion of Gen. Buell's force had BY
this time arrived on the opposite eide of the
river, and the other portion was coming up the
river from Savanab, they became aware that
we we're being reinforced, as they could see
Gen. Buell's troops from the river bank a short
distance above US on the left, to which point !
they had forced their way. At O'Clock the |
rebels had forced our left wing back, 90 as to
occupy fully two thirds OF our camp, and were |
fighting their way forward with q desperate de- |
gree of confidence In their effort to drive us
into the river, and at the same time heavily en- |
gagged our right
Upto this time, we had received no reinforce
ments, Gen. Lew. Wallace failing to come to
our support until the day was over, having TAX
en- the wrong road from Crump's Landing, and |
being without other transports than those used |
for the Qnartermaster'a and the Commissary's g |
stores, which were too heavily laden to ferry |
any considerable number Of Gen. Buell's forces |
acroes the river. Those that were here having |
been sent to bring the troops from Savannah,
we were therefore c0ntesting against fearful |
odds, our force not exceeding thirty y-eight thou
sand men, while that Of the enemy was upward |
Of sixty thousand. Our condition at this mo. |
ment was extremely critical.
Large numbers OF men were panic struck |
while others, worn out by hard fighting, with |
the average percentage of skulkers, had slraR- |
gled toward the river, and could not be rallied. |
Gen. Grant and staff, who had been reckleesly |
riding along the lines during the entire day, |
amid the unceasing storm of bullets, grape and |
shell, now rode from right to left, inOitpg the
men to stand firm until our reiRfoTcements could
cross the river
Col. Webster, Chief of the Staff, immediate
y Rot into position the heaviest pieces of artl-
lery, pointing on the enemy's right, while a
large number of the batteries were planted
along the entire line, from the river bank north
west to our extreme right, some two and hall
Iiles distant.
About an hour before dusk, o general can
nonade was opened upon the enemy from along
our whole line, with perpetual crack OF mus.
kerry. Such roar was never heard on this |
continent. The rebels replied with yigor and |
effect but their return shots grew less frequent
and destructive, while ours grew more rapid |
and terrible. The gunboats Lexington and ~ |
Ter, which lay short distance off, kept raining
shell on the rebel hordes. This last effort was
too much for the enemy, and ere dark the firing
had nearly ceased, when night coming on, ali |
The combattants rested from their awful work
Of blood and carnage.
Our men rested on their arms In the position
they had at the close of the night, until the
lorces under Mejor-GenerR Wallace arrived
ana 2 took position on the right, and met Buell's
Iorces from the opposite side, and Savannah
now peing converted to the battle ground, the
enure rignt OF Gen. Wallace's division was Or
iered 10 form on the right, and the forces un.
der Gen. Crittenden were ordered TO hia ann.
port early In the morning.
SECOND DAY'a BArTLE.--Gep, Bos,l L.,,oo
arrived the following evening, on the morn,nss
the ball wasopened at daylight, simultaneonsIs
by Gen. Nelson's division on the left and NJ
or-GenerAl Wallace's division on the right.
General Nelson's force opened most "a Ilino
Ere and advanced rapidly as they fell back. Ths
are soon became general along the whole line
and began to tell with terrible effect on the en-.
MaHIa.anoI