Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-10-23
The Battle Of Perryville.
The Part taken by thc0sth Ohio
rae KILLED and dvvoUNDEI

nv Va ssNhNM " shOvVs VO II
TIE KILLED and ndvvOUNDED.
EsHcvisi Correspondence Of the belmont Chronicle.
BA1TLErIELD NEAR PERRYvILLE,
October 9th, 1867.
The telegraph, no doubt, has informed
yon Of the desperate battle fought here yes,
terday between Roussesuis and Jacksons
divisions Of McCook's ariiy corps, about
$1,000 men, with five batteries, and the
rebel forces under Bragg, Buckner and
Smith, aud Of the terrible destruction of
life and limb on both sides. The accounts
received in that way are Of necessity meager
and unsatisfactory and the people Of each
locality from which regiments engaged in
the fight have come, arc anxious to hear
something definite from the field ofistrife
with regard to the companies and regiments
in which they are particularly Interested
and this letter is written With. view to
meet this anicty. ~ - .l-
We left Louisville on the LIST day Of o.
tcbereiu high spirits, and with the expec-
tation Of an early engagement with the en-.
emy, as report had him in large force within
q short distance Of the city. We moved
with Rousseaus and Jackson's divisions on
the Taylorsville road, whilst Wood, Mitch.
ell and Thomas moved on the Bardstown
pike. 1t Is unnecessary TO describe our
march. further than to say it was q very
hard one, and much longer than we expect
ed, as the enemy fell back as we advanced
and We were compelled to follow in light
marching order, and without tents, baggage,
&c, through very dry country, where the
men were compelled to drink toul.pool wa.
ter, and could get very little Of that. 1t ID
due. them, however, to say that they utter
ed very few complaints, and were only an
noyed at the possibility Of the enemy get
ting away from them. 1919
On the evening Of the 7th we arrived
within ten miles Of Perryvills, where, we
had lunrned, the Rebels were concentrating
and intended TO make q stand. We also
learned that Buell. was in hot pursuit oi
Bragg from Bardstown, close upon his rear,
and was likely to arrive at Perryville about
as soon rs we could On the morning oi
the 9Th we were awoke at o'clock, and
were in motion soon after daylight. Th,
9s,h vas designated as the advance regi
ment; but, as Jacksons division was com
posed almost exclusively Of new troops, Gen
McCook desired him to give the advance +
Gen. Rousseau, with his old veterans, whicl
was done; and in this order we arrived, III
ter very hard, dry, dusty march, abou
noon 10 front Of the town, after having dri
ven the enemy's pickets and advance post
several miles before US. We we're drawn u
in line, our batteries opened upon the snemy
and the engagement soon became general
Rousseau on the left, jackson on the right
with Terrill's brigade in reserve The fight
ing continued during the whole afternoon
With varied success, the enemy giving ava
on several occasions betere the murderou
6rs Of our artillery and the terrific assault
Of our infantry; but no sooner was oue req
iment or brigade driven back than its plac
was supplied by fresh one and from, th
time Of our arrival in front Of them unit
nightfall, their regiments, fresh from the
reserve, could be seen filing over tho hil
tops in our front, and moving forward, ca
ryins their black Gag, and waving II defan
ly in front Of our exhausted, worn-out b,
brave aud undaunted columns. Our men
new troops rs they were--bravely aud mob
contested every foot, every inch Of grount
making the Rebels bite the dust before the
deliberate, well directed aim, a. their ou
numbering hosts slowly and dearly purcha
I'd the ground lost in the early part Of Il
engagement. We looked long and anxious
for the expected assistance, as hour aft,
hour Of the terrible conflict passed slow
by; but no assistance came until it was Il
late TO be OF any use, although We ha
learned that Thomas's division had arrive
carly in the afternoon, and his anxious hos
chafcd for an opportunities - ~ 70 OF
assistance, as they stood NIy u pnlpg
the thunder Of our artillery aud tie Incs
SAINT rattle Of our musketsy. But .pis|
brought " relief; and tho two cont ~
armiss 1t dark occupied about III
ground they had 1t noon. But ~
contrast b the condition Of th1
~ noon and At nishei At uoon u -
drawn up In extended Ines, strong q
hopefdl; q nightthsy we're me- M
mated By tie t1f1 1Iblo
sgs, slihoutk undAd
selsssd ~ lie heard lIdll IlIIll
voppasa ard the feeble means Of III ID
In he morning our broken columns Il
again formed, and resdy for = renewal
the Hght Buell., with Crittenden, Thohl
and Wood, were also on hand; but the d
nsssd slowly away without any easai
sssnt, and at night We learn the onemy hs
fallen bask, and we are in possession Of I
town Hs''
Gcns jackson and Terrill foil early in
6ght, whilst leading and encouraging th
moan, end their loss was . fearful one to q
army. Col. Webster. conmanding the "a
brigadi, could be seen during the whole
tsrnoos in the tbichsst Of the fight, leadi
his brigade wherever the fght waged I