The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-10-24

Of his corps of negro (slave) Sappers and
Miners, and constructed two reverted re-
doubts during the night The Yates Sharp
shooters, Of Illinois, and the Burgess Sharp
shooters, rolled up mass of logs, and
made a passable breastwork in front Of
Bolivar Road. Gen. Rosecrans and his
staff were on the field all night, making
preparations to receive the enemy, and
nothing was neglected that seemed neoes-
sary to insure victory. eil6,e ......: 7it-s',l'
The features of the field of battle are
all necessary to correct view of it. On
the north and east sides of the town there
is alternate hill and swampy ground, gem
orally heavy-timbered, but now and then
a field on the left of the railroad. Our ar
my faced north Fronting our right cen
tire there is heavily thicketed swamp, al
most impossible for masses of infantry.
On the left centre the ground is quite
billy on the right, where our. right wing
was posted, it was rolling, but fell back in
front into heavily timbered ground
swampy in rainy weather. The Chevalli
road enters the town on the left, the Boil
ivar Road about the right centre. Except
ing in the right centre, COrinth was APP
proachable in unbrOken line of battle from
that side. W. p' n p +. pm p.
Our new line of Notifications consisted
of four revetted redoubts, covering the
whole front of Corinth and protecting the
TANKS. The fort on the extreme right was
strengthened by Beauregard's old works.
Fort Richardson, new five-gun battery,
constructed during Friday night, was at
the left of Hamilton's division, which held
the extreme right, and was in direct range
of the debOuch into the town of the Boil
ivar Road the former redoubt f1anking
that road Fort Williams, mounted with
twenty pound PARROTS, commanded the
hills over which the Chevalli Road de-
scribed its course into town Fort Robi-
nett, on high, narrow ridge, which, with
Fort Williams, enfiladed both the Chevalli
and Bolivar Roads. Another fort on the
extreme left, near the COrinth Seminary,
protected our left and strengthened the
centre The several forts in the rear were
all so located that they played a conspicu-
GUS part in the battle, their pieces being
reversed and turned to the centre at a
critical period
THE ARMY POSTED.
, The gallant Hamilton's division was as
signed to the post of honor on the extreme
right, has right resting near Beauregard's
old works, and at Fort No. l, stretching
from the south side of the famout Purdy
Road, his left resting behind Fort Richard
son. Gen. Davis division joined him on
the left and in consecutive order, six COM
panies of the Yates Illinois Sharpshooters,
Burke's Western (Mo.) Sharpshooters,
Stanley's division, consisting of two bri-.
gades, and McKeon's division, with Near
thurs brigade on the extreme left. The
cavalry, under command of Col. Misener,
was posted on the right and left wings,
and the rear, and competent forces were
held as reserves and to protect the rear.
The front line was carefully covered by
crests of undulations on the tOwn-plat,
and the various batteries, commanded by
Lieut.. Col. Lathrop, Chief of Artillery,
were generally covered by Notifications,
one of them being protected by an apron
of hay and cotton bales. .. e. ~.
Z Friday night the non-combatants of Co
rinth were uneasy. Some of the troops
were not altogether comfortable. The fact
that the enemy had driven our forces back
into the town was not re-assuring. But
it was remarked that General Rosecrans
was in magnificent humor 1t is said that
he encouraged the lads by quoting Barkis,
assuring them that ''things is workin." 1t
might be SO, but non-combatants couldn't
see it. They were told that the rebel line
of battle was formed within one thousand
yards of our line. Thus it was apparent
they could shell the town. Civilians, you
know, have lively horror of shells. It is
assumed that there was not much sleep in
Corinth that night 20. ..
THE BATTLE.
Before daybreak the Ohio brigade (Stan-
ley's division), commanded by Col. Fuller,
which rested it's left on Fort Robinett,
heard the enemy placing battery on the
hill in front, not over two hundred yards
from Fort Robinett. Gen. Rosecrans, it
is reported, said, "Let em plant it," Be-
fore streak of dawn, Saturday morning,
they opened furiously upon Corinth
"They saw our breakfast fires, :" said SOL
der, ''and got range upon u.s." Shell
flew about, exploding over the houses, in
houses and in the streets. Our own bat
teries did not reply for an hour or more.
At sunrise non-cOmbattants were ordered
to the rear. Suffers, storekeepers, en-
ployees ofdepartments, teamsters, negroes
and all, retired precipitately; but they
were behind the troops, and their example
was not contagious. Meantime the sharp
shooters of both armies had worked into
the swamp thicket in front of the town,
and were fighting sharply. Captain Will
Jams Gu. s. A. had opened, at daylight,
his thirty FOUNDER Parrots in Fort Will
Jams on the battery which the enemy had
SO slyly posted in darkness, and in about
three minutes it was silenced. This was
why Gen. Rosecrans said, "Let EN- plant
it." The enemy dragged off two pieces,
but were unable to take the other. Part of
the SD Ohio, and squad of the LIST Unit
ed States Artillery, went out and got the
deserted gun, and brought it within our
lines.
Skirmishing had also opened at various
points in front as soon as it was light, and
it was constantly thickening into the mag
nitude of battle. Now and then there
were brief intervals of quiet, but swiftly