The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-04-17
THE GREAT BATTLE OF PiTTSBURG.
A SIGNAL FEDERAL VICTORY.
Complete Details Of Roth Days
Fighting.

=
of the battle OF Pittsburg Landing:
THE FIRST DAY.
Our forces were stationed in the form |
of semi-circle, the right resting on a
point north of Crump's Landing, the CEN
tire being in front Of the main road to |
Corinth, and the left extending to the
river in the direction of Hamburg, four |
miles north Of Pittsburg Landing.
At2 O'Clock on the morning OF the 9Th, |
(Sunday,) 400 men from Gen. Prentiss'
division were attacked by the enemy, half
mile in advance of our lines. Our men
fell back on the 10Th Missouri, swiftly
pursued by the enemy.
At 6 o'clock the attack had become
general along the entire front OF our lines.
The enemy in large force drove in the
pickets of General Sherman's DIVISION,
and fell on the 48th, 10th and I'D Ohio
regiments. These troops, having never
before been in action, made a brief resis-
tance, but were, in common with the
forces Of o en-. Prentiss, compelled to seek
support on the troops in their rear.
At one o'clock, Z. NJ, the entire line
of both sides was fully engaged. The
rebels made a desperate charge on the
! 18th Ohio battery, and not being suffi-
GENTLY sustained bv infantry, it fell into
their hands Another severe fight occur
red for the possession Of the 9th Ohio
| battery, and three Of its guns were taken
by the enemy.
| BY eleven o'clock commanders of reg
iments had fallen, and in some cases not
single field officer remained yet the
fighting continued with an eainestness
which showed that the contest on both
sides was for ''dcath or victory" Foot
by foot the ground was contested, and
finding it was impossible to drive back
our centre, the enemy slackened their fire
and made vigorous effort our left
wing, endeavoring to outiank and drive
it to the river bank. This wing was under
Gen Hurlburt, and was composed Of the
I4th, sd, 44th and 57th Indiana, Sth,
18th, and 21st Illinois. Fronting its line,
however, were the 54th, 57th and 18th
Ohio, and 9Th Ohio cavalry of Sherman's
division.
For nearly two hours a sheet of fire
blazed from both columns, the rebels
fighting with a valor that was only equallcd
by those contending with them. While
the contest ragged the hottest, the gunboat
Tyler passed up the river to point oppo-
site the enemy and poured in broadsides
from her immense guns, greatly aiding in
forcing the enemy back. Up to three o.
clock, the battle ragged with fury that
defes description The rebels had found
their attempts to break our lines unavail-
ing. They had striven to drive in our
main column, and finding that impossible,
had turned all their strength upon our
! III
made another attack on our centre, and
made every effort to rout our forces before
the reinforcements which had been sent
for should come up.
At five o'clock there was a short cessa-
ton in the firing of the enemy, their lines
falling back for nearly half mile
They then suddenly wheeled, and again
threw their entire force upon our left
: wing, determined to make final struggle
in that quarter but the gunboats Taylor
I and Lexington poured in their shot thick
and fast with terrible effect.
In the meantime Gen. Lew. Wallace
a who had taken a circuitous route fol
: Crumps Landing, appeared suddenly cI
d the enemy's right wing. In the face o
o this combination of circumstances, tn
rebels felt that their enterprise that da.
- was failure, and as night was approach
/ ing, fell back until they reached an ad
y vantageous position somewhat in the rea
: of, yet occupying the main road to Go
+ rinth.
;, The gunboats continued to send the:
= shell after them until they got out c
u range.
3. After a weary watch of several hours c
|. intense anxiety, the advance regiment {
+, Gen Buell's army appeared on the oppC
site bank Of the river, and the wJr
$ of crossing the river began, the Thirty
a. sixth Indiana and Sixty eighth Ohio b'
4 ing the first to cross, followed by tn
+ main portion Of Nelson's and Rruce's d
10 visions.
~ Cheer after cheer greeted their arriva
lie and they were immediately sent to ii
advance, where they rested on their arm
IN Al night long steamers were engage
+ in ferrying Gen. BuelPs forces across
i. When daylight broke it was evident tn
''' the rebels, too, had been strongly rel
III forced.
Ut THE SECOND DAY.
Is The battle was opened by the rebels
I o'clock, from the Corinth road, and
,st half an hour extended along the who
a line.
~ At 9 o'clock the sound Of artillel
e and musketry fully equalled that of Il
~ previous day. The enemy was met
ell tbn reinforcementS and the soldiers