Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-04-30

was equally the result Of tho strategic ability and
experience of the Commander-in- Chief Albert Sid
ney Johnston The idea was to form three parallel
lines-the front centre and rear-each line having
its centre and two hanks The rear constituted the
reserve and the artillery was distributed between
the first and second lines. The front was comman-
.ded by Gen. Hardee, the centre by Gen. Bragg, and
the rear by Gen. Polk-Johnston and Beauregard
being with the latter. --s
Saturday night our troops lay upon their arms,
almost within sight OF the enemy, eager, hopeful
and determined The attack commenced Sunday
morning at day-break, our advance moving warmly
forward to their bloody work. The line Of the Fed
erals, commencing ut Shiloh, extending thence to
the right, a G:ai4nce of about four miles. Their
camps were just in t"G rear arranged, so to speak,
in stratum three deep, aud to the eye presented
one of the most beautiful spectGes that could touch
soldiers heart.
From daylight until little after six c'clock, the
fighting was principally between the pickles. and
skirmlshers but at the latter hour portion Of ocr
main body appearing in sight fire opened with ar
tery, and for an hour more one heard nothing
but the inccSSant uproar OF the heavy guns. Our
men, though unaccustomed to the iron hail, received
the onset coolly awaiting the orders to arise from
their recumbent position, and advance. In due
time these came, and thencefOrward through the
day, brave and disciplined as were the Federal
troops, nothing seemed capable of resisting the des
perate valor of the ConfederateS. The enemy fell
like chat before the wind. Broken ia ranks, they
rallied behind trees and in the underbruSh, only to
be again repulSed and driven back.
1t is impossible 70 follow the several evouionS Of
the two armes-the pressing forward here, the
treating there the attempts TO outilank each other,
and the minor details Of The fight, in which we
everywhere victorious. This cannot be expected so
after the battle, and, indeed, must lie left to
the record of official reports But there are yet
few points apparent to the eye of a correspondent
which may convey some idea of the progress of the
fgat
At half past eight in the morning grand charge
was ordered upon the enemy'S camp, Gen. llardee
directing the movement Three regiments, compo-
sing part of the brigade of Gen GLADDEN., and con
ssting Of LouiSianans, MissiSsippans and Alabam.
ianS, assigned the undertaking. They did
their work like heroes. The enemy fought dcsper-
ately, and with the advantage Of immense odds in
both men and guns; but they could not stand the
trial, and after vainy endeaVoring to hold their
ground TctreaGd iii confusion, leaving in our pos
session four batteries, arms ammunition and mate
riet OF war OF these batteries, the First Louisiana
regulars took one, the Twenty first Alabama took
two and the combined brigade the fourth
Now followed a series OF daring, desperate and
successful charges, the various regiments and brig
AIDES rolling rapidly forward 90 the sound Of Cnthu-
saSc cheers. In all of these both general and field
officers displayed bravery that amOunted-tO sheer
reckeSSneSS, frequently leading the men into the
very teeth of the opposing fire. 1t was these in
spring examples of personal valOr which made our
troops inyincihe. On one occasion, Bcauregard
himself finding regiment waverinS under the rain
of death that decInating Its ranks, dashed 10
the front seized the battle flag, and waving it over
his head shouted Follow your Gcncral!' Ia an
instant every mans heart appeared to undergo a
change, which made him firm As rock, and with
wild yell, the command rushed forward, and drove
the enemy from his position.
At half past two Gen. Johnston the Commander
in Chief fell lie also was leading a charge upon
iha birl nf tl,n nfn
neSsce one of his aids, had left him few minutes
before to convey order, AMI as he was making
his report t. him Oh his return, he discovered that
he he'd been twice wounded, once iE the body by
Minnie ball ana IN tie leg with the fragment Of
shell. Still the noble General maintained his posi-
ton on horseback. Are you badly hurt?' was
the inquiry. Yes Governor, | think this is a
mortal wound" at the same time pointing to his
leg. Gov. Harris Immediately disIncuntcd assisted
Gen. Johnston from his horse, and there upon the
ground amid the of artillery and the cheers of
his victorious army, the great commander quietly
breathed his last.
Prudcnty, the information was kept from the
my, aud Gen. Bcauregard assumed the command-in-
chief So the fight went on until four o'clock, when
the enemy full retreat towards the river and
our forces were closing upon them. Gen. PrentiSS
had been captured, with some three thousand five
hundred men, flag after flag sent to the rear,
and the ground strewn with arms and muni-
tons. BY dark the FederaS were under cover Of
their gunboats and we could do no more than halt.
All that the enemy owned, except what was in their
hands, was in our poSsession-artlery, small arms,
baggage, tents, transportation wagons, &c. We ac-
cOrdngly retired 10 their camps, and here rested
for the night. 70 give you description OF the
scenes in these camps would be impossible. twas
one prolonged rcvel, bat without drink, among the
Injuries of Northern fare. Every thing that heart
could wish was in abundance There were apples,
cakes meats preserves -four, clothing butter, hams
cheese money, trinkets, letters-in word, all the
private and confidential cnjoymentS which taste and
expense could afford the soldier.
Yet we were not idle in other ways. 1t was be-
lIevcd that the attack would be resumed on the en-
suing day aud our Generals prepared for the event.
Troops assigned their positions, and every
thing made ready for the expected administration.
Our wounded, too required attention, and hundreds
were carried from the field to the hospitals in the
rear.
Our losses, great as they are, cannot be as heavy
rs those Of the emmy. Our killed outright may
possibly amount to four hundred, which think, is
Il liberal estimate. Two hundred more will die
from their wounds the balance of the casualties is
not less than three thousand One can judge, how
ever only from the terrible execution in the various
regiments. In one of the Mississippi battalionS,
three hundred out of four hundred were wounded;
in other corps, half the were injured and in all
unusually large proportion suffered from the de-
Structive fire. 1t is remarkable TACT, and one that
has generally attracted attention. that nine tenthS OF
the wounds are in the head or ext entities, and the
large majority comparatively slight Every othcr
wounded soldier you meet has either his arm in
sling, is lImping upon one foot, while scores are
moving about the camp grazed in the head. saw
one young lad of sixteen, who had been struck by
CHANGING shots upon the head four times, and had
his clothes perforated in dozen places. Imay add
here PEASANT that Breckenridge had several shots
through his dress, and lost three valuable horses
that were shot under him.
Hair-breadth escapes were numerous. One off
Ger while giving an order to his received ball
in the check, which passed entirely through to the
other side without touching tongue or tooth. An
other had his tongue shot out; another struck
in the forehead, and the ball passed completely
the top of his head of ricochet under the skin
But It is inpoSslble to detail the numerous Incl