Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-04-25
THE BATTLE OF PITTSBURG.
OFFICIAL REPORT.
Pirrsnvne. April 9 1862

~
To CAPT n. II. MCLEAN, A. A o., Department Of he
Mssissirpt, ~. LOUIS
CaptaiH, becomes my duty again TO report another
battle fought between two great armicsune cOntcudng
for the best government devised and the other for
It's destruction. II is pleasant TO record the success OF
the army contending for the former principle.
On Sunday morning our pickts were attaosed ana
driven In by the enemy Immediately me h'v divisions
stationed at this place were drawn up N ne ~ pse 70
meet them The battle waNcd warm on the eit and
centre VARYING to all parts Of the line There was the
most continuous firing Of muskciry and artillery ever
heard on this continent IL was kept up until nighuN,
the enemy having forced the entire line fall back
iy half way from their camps TO the landing.
AZ late hour In the afternoon desperate effort was
made BY the enemy to turn our left and get possession
Of The landing transports, &c This point was guarded
by the gunboats Tyler and Lexington. Capts. Gwynne
aud shark, commanding, with four 2ipounder Parrot
guns, and battery Of riAed guns As there is deep
aud impossible favine for artillery cavalry and very
difficult for infantry this point troops station
ed here, except the necessary aIueriss and small -
fanuy force their support Just At this moment the
advance Of Major General Buells column and part Of
the division Zen. Nelson arrived.
The two Generals named, both being present, an adj
Immediately made the point OF attack, and
the enemy were soon driven back In Ih,s fepuiie nuen
Is due 20 presence Of the gunboats Tyler and LeAhg
ton, aud their able commanders Captains Gwynnc and
shirk.
During the nigh, the divisions under Generals Crtten
den and McCook arrived
Gen. Lewis Wallace at Crump Landing, six miles be-
low, ordered at early hour in the morning TO hold
his division in readiness TO move in any direction il
might be ordered At eleven O'Clock, the order de-
hyered up Pttsburg but owing to its being
lcdb circuous route 1t did not arrive IN time to take
part In Sundays action.
During the night all quiet, and feeling that great
moral advantage would be gained By becoming the az
tacng party, an advance was ordered as soon a. day
dawncd The result the gradual epuse Of the enc
my all points Of the lines, from nine until probably
five o'clock in the Afternoon when it became evident the
Before the close Of the action the advance Of General
I J. Woods division arrived in time to take part in the
action.
Ny force was too much exhausted from two days hard
fighting and expose in open air to drenehng rain dur
Night closed in cloudy and with heavy rain, making
the roads impraotosbe for artillery by the next morn
ing Gen. Sherman, however, folio we'd the enemy, find
ing that the main part Of the army had reeatedn good
order
Hospitals with the cncmy's wounded were found all
along the road far as the pursuit made. Dead
bodies Of the enemy and many graves were also found
enclose herewith report OF General sherman which
will explain fully the result Of the pursuit and VI
the part taken by each separate command.
cannot take special notice in this report Of the
oral commands, but will do so more fully when the re-
ports Of the division commanders are handed in
Gen Buell., commanding IN the field with adstuct arr
my long under his command and which has done such
cient service will be much better aole to notice those
OF his command who particularly distinguished them
selves than possibly feel it duty, however 10
make special mention Of gallant and able OH SER Brig
Cen W. I. sherman. He not only with his COIN
mand during the entire two days Of the action, but dis
played great judgment aud skill in the management OF
his men although severely wounded in the hand.
His place vacant lie was again wounded
aud had three horses Killed under him. In making this
mention Of gallant officer no dispaagemtnt Is intend
4 Mrcicnaud and Lew Wallace, and Brig Gems 5 A.
Huthur, =. NJ. Prentiss and W. II. l.. Wallace, all Of
whom maintained their places with credit to themselves
and their
Gen. Prentss taken prisoner in the first days
ton, and Gen W H. L. Wallace was severely dprob-
ably MORALLY wounded His Assistant Adutant Gcncr-
al Capt VIM Michael, is missing and was probably Ia
NJ personal STAFF are all deserving Of particular men
ton, they having been engaged during the entire two
days In carr, ing orders every part Of the field II
ssts Of Col J. D. Webster Chief Of STAFF, Lieut. j. b.
Mcpherson, Chief Of Engineers, assisted by Leuts W.
l.. y. Jenney and WIN. Cossac Capt J. A. Rollins As
ss,ant Adjt. Gen W. S. Hger, w. X. Rawley, and e.
Lagune, Aids de Camp, Col G Pride, Volunteer Aid,
and Capt J. p. Hawkins, Chief Commissary, who ae-
companed me on the field.
The Medical Department, under direction Of Surgeon
Hewitt, Medical Director showed great energy in pro-
rding for the wounded and getting them from the field
regardless Of danger.
Oo. Webster placed in special charge Of all the
artillery and was constantly upon the field. He dis
played always heretofore, both skill and bravery
At least in instance he the Of placing
outfe regiment In position Of doing most valuable
vice and where 1t would not have been but for his exer
tons.
Lieut.. Col Mcpherson, attached to my staff as chief
Of engineers deserves than pa ssngnotice for his
activity and courage. All the groundsbeyond camps
1T nes have been reconnoitered by him. and the plans
carefully prepared under his supervision give
Information Of the Of the approaches
our lines. During the two days battle he constant
ly in the saddle. leading the troops they arrived TO
points where their services required. During the
engagement he had a horse shot under him.
The country will have TO mourn the loss Of many
loah, more properly The exact loss in killed and
wounded will be known in a day two Al present
can only give it approximately at 1870 killed and $500
wounded.
The loss OF artillery great. Many pieces being
disabled by the enemys shots and losing all their
horses and many men. There were probably not less
than 200 horses killed.
The loss Of the enemy killed and left upon the field
greater than In the wounded estimate
cannot be made many Of them have been Cor
inth and other points The enemy suffered terribly from
democrat zAtou and deserton.
flag OF truce was sent in to-day from General Beau
regard nelose herewith copy Of the correspondence
am, respectfully Your obedient servant,
u. S. GRANT, Maj. Gen. Commanding