Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-04-18


grievance. The determination appeared un-
der the most CALLING fire, to be victory or death
The Mississippians, on the side of the enemy,
were the ruling spirits, and they we'll deserve
to be set down as among the best fighting men
of the day.
As for our own troops l shall not refer to
but few especially. The Illinois, already ia
nous at Donelsoa, fought like devils to sustain
their hard-earned reputation. The same may
be said of Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin,
and some of the Iowa regiments
In regard to those troops raised in cur own
vicinity, | must say that all acquitted them
selves most valjantly. The 49th, under COL
Sullivan was the very first whose camp was
invaded, and, even after the regiments on Ell
Their side had fallen back, they retired in good
order, lighting every step of the way to the line
of the second division. 1t should be remem-
! bered that this is the first time they were ever
| brought into battle, and, from the suddenness
| of the attack, your readers may judge that the
| Introduction was not one calculated to steady
the nerves of raw troops. At one time during
| the contest it was rumored that every field off,
Ger of the 49th was killed, but they turned up
in time to gather their men to the number of
800, and, after bivouac upon the wet ground
last night, they led them again to the field to-
| day.
| Col Sullivan returns tonight with a wound
in his left arm, not at all dangerous, although
quite painful He will be all right again in a
few days. Gen. Sherman, yesterday compli-
mented the Col, also Lieutenant Col, Parker
of Highland county, Major James Wise, Adj
jutant Robert McGill, and the men as body
by saying that the older regiments could not
have conducted themselves more nobly.
The 9th Ohio, under Lieut.. Col Anderson,
occupied dangerous position from the time of
their arrival to the close of the battle, and l
could see no difference in tn cir manner and
mode OF bearing to that of the famous 18th 1lli-
nois, who had borne the onslaughts on the left
wing the day previous. Every man did his du-
ty we'll
The LIST and I'd Kentucky, in the fight to-day
were the men for the position they occupied
They, as well as the 9Th, were under calling
| fire for no less than FIVE hours, yet, when the
enemy thought proper to turn their faces tow
ard the most sacred soil of Mississippi" they
were ready and eager to follow, which they did
with great alacrity.
The 54th Zouave regiment were at their post
in the thicke st of the fight. Also the 57th, and
remembered that Ohio wished all her sons to do
their duty.
In regard to the killed and wounded shall
refrain from mentioning anything further than
l have in former parts of this epistle. The va
rious rumors afoat without shadow of founda-
ton justify ME in this determination. As to-
| tall l would set down our killed, during the
two days fight, at nearly one thousand, and our
wounded at about thirty-fve hundred. | find
but few who have an equal opportunity ofjudg-
| ing but who set my estimate at too low figure.
Many the wounded are trivially injured, and
will soon be able to again perform the duties of
a soldiers life. No correct estimate can be
made within the next five days, as it will re-
qulre some time to gather and inter the dead.
The confusion of the hour at which l write so
early after the close of the battle, prevents any
| thop r ~ ~;
ticular
/ You will, no doubt, have learned the
names of many of the wounded officers, sent
you by telegraph, before my letter reaches you.
/ learn tonight that Gen Lew. Wallace is kill
ed, but upon investigation, that it is Col. W.
II. L. Wallace, of Illinois. who had been left in
command of the force of Gen. Smith, whom ]
have referred to previously as being confined
by sickness at Savannah. His presence would
have been great benefit on this occasion
CARRYING OFF OUR SURGEONS.
found, even at the end of the first
days fighting, that many of our surgeons
were missing. They were known to have
been at the hospital tents at the period
in which the battle opened, but after this
time they were not to be found. After
the retreat of the enemy had begun, and
those of the sick who had been left in the
hospitals were again under the protection
of our troops, they stated that the rebels
bad forced the surgeons away with them
in order that they might attend to their
own wounded. / have no doubt they great
ly needed their services.
| THE BATTLE GRoUND-ITs LOCATION
The ground upon which this most bloody
battle was fought is known as Pittsburgh
Landing, and is situated in Hardin county,
two hundred miles from the mouth of the
Tennessee river, and about ten miles from
the Alabama border. 1t occupies an en-
inenee of some fifty feet above the river,
and has but two houses, both of which
were riddled by the shells of the gunboats
when the national troops first arrived, sew
eral weeks since. 1t was the main outlet,
previous to the building of the Memphis
and Charleston Railway, for the transpor-
tation by steamer of all the produce raised
in the vicinity of Corinth and other por-
tons of the state.
The ground. beyond the eminence,
stretched away along broad ridge. winch
was pierced at intervals BY deep ravines,
running mostly in soutbwesterly direc-
ton, and covered with scrub oak, growing
SO close together that 1t was impossible
for either infantry or cavalry to press
through them and at the same time pre-
serve any kind of order. In this scrub
or I" black jack" the enemy kept them
selves hidden as much as possible. From
the river bank to the furthest end of the
national camps there were but three open
fields, of from fifteen to twenty acres each,
and it was when the enemy endeavored to
cross these, in the heavier forest on the
top Of the rid ge, that our troops were ena-
bled to do them the most damage.
The rebel loss in killed must have been
nearly double the estimate have made
as to our own. The wounded are also
very great in numbers, although perhaps
not so great in proportion, as MIME balls
are more fatal than those usually fred from
Mississippi rifles the old Harper Ferry, or
Algiers rias, of which rhey seem to have
large number. 81
| NO STAND AT CoRINTH
am of the opinion that the rebels have
fought their last grand fight in this vlcini-
ty That they will make no stand at Cor
NTH is evident from the fact that the sur
render of Island NJ, 10 must Immediately