Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-23

fought with determined courage, snd c0ule5t tel
every inch Of ground Here il was that the gal
liant Blythe, colonel Of the Mississippi regimen
bearing his own name, fell under my eye
/ pierced through the heart, while charging bat
terry. It was here that Brig.-Gen johnson
while leading his brigade, also fell, it was
feared, moTtally wounded and Gen. Clarke, too
\ while cheering his command amid a shower Of
I shot and shell, was struck down, and 50 Sc
verely wounded in the shoulder as 70 disable
him from further service, and compel him to
turn over command he had taken into the
/ 6ght with such distinguished galautry. Aud
/ here also fell many officers of lesser grade.
among them the gallant Captain Marshal T.
| Polk, Of Folks battery, who lost leg, as well
as large number of men. We nevertheless
drove the eneny before us, dislOdgsd him from
/ his strong positions, and captured two Of his
| batteries. One Of them was taken By tho 18th
| regiment Tennessee volunteers, commanded BY
Col. Vaughn; the other by the 154sh regiment
| Tennessee volunteers, commanded by Colonel
Preston Smith. the former OF Col. Russslrs, the
latter Of Gen. J0hnsOn's brigade.
After these successes the enemy retired in the
direction Of the river, and while they were being
pressed, I sought out General Bragg, to whose
support l had been ordered, and asked him
where he would have my c0mmsud. He Te-
Piled; % If yOG viii take care Of the csnter,
Wll 60 t0 the right" II was understood that
General Hsrjee was attending 70 the left I ac-
eapted the arrangement, and took ehsrge Of ths
operations in that part Of the general line for
the rest of the day It was fought by three Of
ny brigsdes only-Generai Stewards, General
JohnsOns, afterwards Colonel Preston Smiths
and Colonel Russels Ny fourth brigade, that
of Colonel Msney, under the command OF Gen.
Cheatham, was on the right with Gems. Bragg
and Bfechinridge. These bngades, with occa-
sionslly regiment Of some other corps which
became detached, were fully employed in the
6eld assigned me They fought over the same
ground three times, IS the fortunes Of the day
varied, always with steadiness, siogle instance
only excepted, aud that only for moment, and
with occasional instances Of brilliant courage.
Such " as the csse with the 33d regiment Ten
nessee volunteers, under Colonel a. w. Camp
bell, and the 5th Tennessee, uHder Lieutenant
Colonel Vsnable, both for The moment under
Colonel Campbsll Shortly after they were first
brought forward as q supporting force, they
found themselves ordered 10 support two regi-
ments Of the line before them, which were lying
down and engaging the enemy irregularly. On
advancing they drew the fire of the euemY over
The heads Of the regiments IN their front It
was of so fierce a character that they must
either advance or fall back. Campbell called to
the regiments before him to charge. That they
declined to do. lie then gave orders to bis own
regiment TO charge, and led them in gallant
style over the heads of the regiments lying in
advance Of him, sweeping the enemy before
hin, and putting them completely to rout In
this charge Colonel Camphell was severely
wounded, but stiH retained his command.
Such also was tho charge made by the 4th
Tennessee, Lieut. Colonel Srahl This was
against a battery Of heavy guns, which was
making sad havoc in our ranks, aad was well
supported by large infantry force In reply
to an inquiry By their cool and determined bri
gade commander, Con. Stewart, "Can You talaD
thas basteTyl" their colonel said, "We win
try, and ct the word forward, they moved at
double-quick to within thirty PAGES Of the enc
my's guns, halted, delivered one roUnd, and
With yei, charged tie battery, captured sew
eral prisoners and every gun. These prisoners
stated lh2t their battsry was supported by four
Ohio and three Illinois regiments 1t was
brilliant achievement, but q costly ons. In
making ths charge the enemy lost thirty-One
killed on the spot, and one hundred and sixty
wounded, and yet it illustrated and sustained
the reputation for hsroism Of the gallant State
Of which it was representative.
About thTes o'clock intelligence reached me
that the commander-in-chiaf, Gen. Johnston,
had fallen He tell ia the discharge of his duty
leading and directing his troops. His loss was
deeply felt. It was an event which deprived
the army Of his clear practical judgment and
determined character, and himself Of an opD0r-
tunity he hsd courted for yindicsting his claims
to the conf 1encs Of his c0uutrvmen, against
the inconsideTate aud unjust repToaehes which
had been heaped upon him.
The moral influence Of his presence had nev-
eTtheless already been impressed upon The army
aud an impulse given to its sction which the
news Of his death increased instead of absted.
The operations Of the day had now become so
g. 4 ~ 7 n. l. Al. 81
a4goOd degree Of certainty, and it was a melan-
eholy fate to be cut of when victory seemed
fastening to perch upon his standard. He was
a true soldier high toned, eminently hOnoroble
and Just, c0nsideTats of the rights and feelings
Of others, megnanimous and brave. His mill
tary capacity was also Of q high order, and his
devotion TO the cause Of the South unsurpassed
by that of many of the noble sons vino had Of
fsred up their their lives on her altar. knew
him well from boyhood, none knew him better,
and take pleasure in laying on his tomb as a
parting Offering this testimonial of ny appTeei-
alton Of his character as 8 soldier, patriot and
a man
The enemy in our front was gradually and
successfully driven from his position and forced
from the fed back on the river bank About
five P. NJ, my line attacked ihe enemy's troops,
the last that " ere upon the field in an encamp-
nent on my right The attack was made ia
front and flank; the resistance was sharp but
short The enemy perceiving be was hanked
and his position completely turned, hOisted the
white flag and surrendered. It proved to be the
commands Of Generals Prentiss and VIM. L
Wallace. The latter, who commanded the left
of their line, was killed by the troops of Gen
Bragg, who was pressing him at the same time
from that quarter. The former yislded to the
attsck Of my troops on their right aud delivered
bis sword with his command to Col Russell,
one Of my brigade commanders, who turned
him over to me. The prisoners turned over
were about two thousand They wera placed in
charge Of Lieutenant Richmond, my sid-de-
camp, and with detachment Of cavalry sent
to the rear.
I lake pleasure in saying that in this part of
tho operations Of my troops they were aided by
the Crescent regiment Of Louisiana, Colonel M
l.. Smith. This command was composed chiefly
of young men from the city Of New Orleans,
and belonged to General Brsgg's corps. l. had
been posted on the left wing in the early part Of
the day, to hold an important position, where it
was delaned, and did not reach the field until
late hour. On arriving it came to the point at
which ! was Commanding and reported to me
for orders. The conduct Of this regiment du-
ring the whole afternoon was distinguished for
Its gallsnTy, both before and aftor the capture
Of the command of Gen. Pfentiss, in which it
sctively participated.
Immediately after the surrender ordered
Colonel Lindsay, in command Of one Of the
regiments Of cavalry belonging 70 my corps, to
take command Of al the cavalry at hand and
pursue such of the enemy az were fleeing. he
detached Lieutenant Colonel Miller, of his own
regiment, on that service Immediately, while be
proceeded to collect and take charge Of other
commands. Colonel Miller dashed forward and
intercepted a battery within one hundred and
City yards Of tie river, the second Michigan,
and captured it before it could unhmber and
open FIRE. Il was q six gun battery, complete IN
all its equipment and was captured men, guns
and horses A portion Of this cavalry rode TO
the river and watered tEeir horses.
By ibis tins the troops under my eommand
were joined by those of Gen Bragg and Bfeck-
inridgs, and my fourth brigade under Chatham
from the right The field was elezr. The rest
Of the forces of the enemy were driven to the
river and under It's bank. We had one hour or
more Of daylight still left, were within from one
} hundred and City 10 four hundred yards Of the