The New York herald., 1862-03-19


rife balls In one place lay the fragments or battery
wagon, wherein shell had exploded utterly idestroy-
ing the wagon and killing mules which had been It's
motive power. ruined casson and hve cannon wheels
were lying it, Two dead artlerymen were stretched
on the earth each killed by grapsshot, ana oy 'he
side was third, gasping his last, with his siae iaa
open by fragment Of she'll On the hill, where Inc
cannonade had been severe trees rocks and eah poo
witness to its nercsness. Fifteen wounded rebels lay In
one group, and peousy mploring each passer py
for water and relief for their wounds few rods from
them was another, whose arm had been torn OIL by
shot, leaving the severed member on tho ground
few feet distant. Near him the dead body OF
REBEL whose legs and had been shattered by
single shot. Behind tree q few yards distant was
stretched corpse, with two-thirds Of it's head blown
away by the explosion Of . SHE'LL and near
It musket broken into three pieces. Still fur.
ther along the body Of rebel soldier who had
been killed by grapeshot through the breast letter
had fallen from his pocket, which, examination,
proved to be long and well written love epstle from
his betrohed in East Tennessee. It addressed to
Pleasant J. Williams, Churchs regiment, Fayetteville.
Arkansas. Around him in all directions were his dead
dying comrades stretched at full length the
turf and others contorted in extreme agony. Tho
earth was thcky strewn with shot and fragments Of
SHE'LL
THE WOODS ON FIRE.
The bursting OF shells had set fire 10 the dry leaves on
tho ground and the woods burning in every drec
on. Efforts made to remove the wounded before
the flames should reach hem and nearly all we're taken
TO places Of safety Several afterwards found in
secluded spots, Of them still alive but horribly
burned and backened by the confagration.
STRIPPING THE DEAD.
The rebels, in nearly every instance, removed the
shoes from the dead and mortay wounded both Of their
own army and ours OF all the corpses saw do not
think one-twenteth had been left with their shoes
untouched. In pantaloons were taken and
occasionally over coat . blouse was missing.
large number Of the killed among the rebels shot
through the head while tho majority Of our dead were
shot through the breast The rebels, wherever it was
possible, fred from cover; and often head ap
pearei from behind tree or bush II became a mark
for our The Union troops generally stood in ranks.
and except whom skmshng, made NO use OF objects Of
protection.
AN INCIDENT.
Adutant Sullivan Of the Third Illinois cavalry, passed
through the entire action unhurt. His horse was
shot under him, but will probably recover from the
wound. Adutant Sullivan s the Sergeant Sullivan who
received in tho charge at Dug Spring. August last Eve
severe wounds two of which supposed to be mortal
Tho horse which was wounded yesterday is the same
that he rode at Dug Spring, and now carries fourteen
balls received on that occasion.
RBGIxENrAL AND INDIVIDUAL BRAVERY.
Where all the troops did well, Il is difficult to partieu-
arize Of special regmental valor The Iowa
infantry came from the Aeld covered with blood and
glory and the two batteries from the same State are
equally deserving OF praise The Twelfth Missouri was
successful bayonet charge for the capture Of bat
terry, aud the Indiana regiments, BY their determined
bravery moro than treby atoned for unpleasant memo
ries OF Buena Vista.
Colonel Hendricks OF he Twenty second Indiana, was
killed while calamity leading his in the action Of the
7th under Coone. Davis Two Of the German regiments
illustrated the Teutonic love Of music BY singing ono
songs Of Faderand while they stood under Gre OF tho
rebel batteries the morning Of the Sh The Illinois
regiments prominent in the action with the
ception Of the Thirty y.nfth, Colonel wm Smith (wound
and the Thirty SIXTH Colonel Greuss but they werc
all prompt execute every order which they received
The Forty Illinois in the pursuit Of the rebels
and returned. bringing nearly hundred prisoners and
as many horses. Colonel Phelps, Twenty fifth Missouri
was prominent the action Of the 7th, and lost nearly
thirty per cent Of the number that went into battle Cor
| porai j. H. Rowles, of Hayden's Dubuque bat
1 terry, was attached to ono Of the guns taker
by the enemy. While the gunners were retreating h
rushed back and spiked the piece, which was nearly sur
| rounded by the rebels. He received o musket ball IL
each leg and is now lying in the hospital. In battle
such magnitude there numerous deeds OF ndvidua
daring and personal hardihood rvang the romantic ex
p!os Of the pamy days Of chivary, that will requir
| DAYS and weeks around the camp fires TO learn thei
| history.
| CAVALRY UsELEss-ITs LOSS.
The wooded nature of the country where the battle wa
fought rendered cavalry Of comparatively little value
The Of the Third Illinois, the First Missouri and tn
Third Iowa cavalry regiments WIS., nevertheless, quit
heavy Lieutenant Colonel II. II. Trimble, Of the Thir
Iowa. and Colonel A. Ellis, Of the First Missouri,
wounded the former severely and the latter slightly
The loss Of rank and file Of the cavalry in killed an,
| wounded is about onc-twcnteth their strength
THE REBEL LOSS.
There are no data yet by which can estimate th
loss Of tho enemy. Their dead and wounded on thu
| ground were much more numerous than ours; at cas
one half or two.thirds more For ten miles the
| by which they retrcated the houses full O
| wounded. The whole line Of buildings on the route
hence to Keesvc is grand hospital Our entire los:
is estimated at little than thousand, Of whom
| about oncfourth are killed. The full returns viii
| not be in for several days. flag Of truce thai
has just arrived with reference 10 the burial Of the
dead and exchange Of prisoners, reports that Brga
| der Generals Mcintosh, Slack and Mcbride were
| killed. BY prisoners we have report tha
General SIcCuloch was also killed; but the rcdoubt
| abls ranger been slaughtered on so man,
occasions and afterwards, like the first husban,
Of poor Picoddys wife, turned up again, that we ar
all skeptical Perhaps BENJAMIN has been "gahered
his fathers ;" but nobody present appears TO it,
| AFTER THE BATTLE.
At present all s confusion with reference to tho con
ct and the various statistics inse arably connected
| with an engagement. We hardly know what we hav
accomplished, whittier the enemy has fed, what Is tn
extent Of his calamity his present position. his strength
| and his designs for the immediate future
Neither are VIC fully acquainted with condition
our casualties our deeds Of daring and ability aga
10 enter the and cope with enemy nearly treb
our strength When the smoke shall have cleared ava,
from tho battle hed and the clouds that obscure
are dspeed by tho clear sunshine we can speak NOR
definitely Of Its losses its gricfs its incidents Of knight,
bravery, its triumphs and it's accomplished results.
Our number Of killed, wounded and missing Is not yc
known but II IL estimated that entire casualty lis
will not exceed thousand The reports will not be IL