Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-04-23


HshiIat vHh RI desperate determination
tb8i p.upel.Ci olr foIIw t1 i0eaio 0fnds
uaIIv hIafe th0m The p.uualHhIp 0n
tho r5ii oi ihe Crn0uluri.s wins c1lsnmt
maj, nrrNHodnp ours. ind dcsoitinN
nom a military point ul view, of high Ub-
p,irai.an Tho most unexpected moto'
mopis were made When No attacked %
,srla|u point. $50 mHi with resistance
from new quarters whom wow went TO lhe
.right. wc were attacked hum tho lpiii
when we advanced to the centre, o. dead.
IN fire was opened on us from the right
and go we were constantly deceived Toy
the skill and strategy OF our foes.
Constant Efforts were madc TO Hank our
regiments, and i'm many instances the
rebels narrowly escaped success $50 much
SO was this the case that We were again
and again put upon the defensive, when
the offensive was the need Of tho hour. -
By this time the enemy had occupied n
large portion of the ground on which we
had been encamped when the action be-
gan, and we were still falling back before
the Coafederates who seemed to be fight.
ing with more and more determination,
and who were doubtless chccrcd and en-,
couragcd by their early success.
/ The Union centre gave unmisWkable
symptoms of giving way, for it was sorclY
pressed, and the fortunes of the day ap.
.pcared to be against US, when Gen. Ilurl-
butts division was ordered to its support
and well and brayeIy WIS it supported.
TERRIBLE STRUGGLE.
Hotter and hotter grew the contest (;
fcrcer and tiercer the struggle, Each
man fought as if sucuess or defeat depend'
ed on his own right arm and charge af.
ter charge was made upon the rebels to
regain the ground we had lost They
stood firm as rock, and though our ar
tillery often swept down their ranks, and
left fearful gaps in their columns, they
manifested no trcpidalion, nor did they
waver for a moment. The living sup
piled the place Of the dead. The mus.
ket that bad fallen from lieless hand
was seized at once, and the horrid STRIFE
swept on as before The force Of the enc
my appeared increasing, and where the
greatest havoc was made, there the strong.
est opposition vas shown. llaud.to,hand
contests were innumerabe. Every strug.
gle was for life. Quarter was asked on
neither side and the ground drank up the
blood ofhundreds OF brave fellows every
hour.
INTENsITY or TIE EXCITEMENT.
. The balance of victory ever varied. 1t
now inclired to this side, and now to that
Here the Unionists gained an advantage
there the Coniederates. Advance was
followed by retreat success by repulse.-
: At this point we drove the enemy back
r but were driven back in return Success
t vas always shifting, but never settled -
Hope and fear, JOY and sorrow, seized the
soul 10y tugns-eyely Lour held a month 0
emot ons. All consciousness of time ceas
: ed all thought Of the future, all recolec
ton Of the past. Everything vas absorb
ed in the sanguinary present, and eXter
nal nature assumed the hue of blood
T Men glared at each other rs atwIld beasts
! and. when . SHE'LL burst with fatal eilec
, among a crowd Of tie advancing foe, an,
arms, legs and heads were torn of, grin
smile OF pleasure lighted up the smoke
bcgrmed faces Of the transformed being
who Witnessed the catastrophe.
! Soldiers weie wounded and knew il not
so intense was their excitement, and oitel
mortal hurt WAS announced to the vic
tim only bv the cessation of vitality Me
r with knitted brows and flushed cheek
@ fought madly over ridges, along raylnes
, and up steep asCents, with blood and per
Q spiration streaming down their faces. .-
D Men with shattered fingers changed thoi
~ muslets to the left hands, and still fire
their pieces It's best they could.
@ Evcrvwhcve Uas mad excitement, ev
crywherc was horror Commanders gal
lgpcl wildly to the front Of their req
ments, and checred them on, using thei
Y, sabres on each and every foe, and urgn
their spirited s,eeds whenever the troop
were falling back careless Of their ow
life, as if they had million souls to spare
RECELEsSNEss OF LIFE.
Il No life was worth a iarthing for be VIII
lifted his muskst this moment fell tn
l. next stiiiened corpse. Youder n rreSI
C regiment rushed bravey forward, and er
" they had gone twenty yards, n charge q
e graue sent the foremost bleeding to tn
j. earth, Whole heaps of corpscs lay upor
=. the murmurng ground, and fixed eye
> stared at the surrounding strife with d.
- awful stare Of death.
PANIC STRICKEN REGIMENTS.
During Sunday afternoon eleven {
twelve Of the Union regiments, after fght
ing DlANeIN LOT Two nOulS, were THROW
into disorder by number Of shells whic
burst above and around them, and at tn
same moment a rebel battery opened uI
on them at Il distance Of half mile wit
terrible devastation. They could not er
" dure the murderous fire. They turre
q and fled and several Of their officers II
=, deavcred in vain to rally them. The
~ were utterly panic stricken at first, an
they would have run if the Internal pt
had opened beneat tn their hurrying fee
3 No appeal, no ccnsure affected them. -
}. Many threw away their arms, and sped
Y a country school boy who thinks he hj
u seen a ghost in the village churchyard.
;. A number Of flying soldiers recovete
c their alarm and their pride, and returne
J. to their posts, fighting more bravely tina
|. before to wipe out the stain but tn
greater part ran beyond the reach of n
e human voice, even crossing the river an
!. going to Savannah.
r ARRIVAL or GEN. BUELL..