Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-01-10
eRAPHIC BATrLE sKRrcH.

!
The Critical Hour at Murfeeesboro-
A Thrilling EtCture to hook upon
, The Genius and the GemeraIshID OF
tho Heroic ROHeCrRnSin tho Great
Extremity. aH.i "a
From letter in the Cincinnati Gazette.
Nearly two miles and half the right
wing of our army had been driven, aud a
/ fainIness of heart came over me MS the de-
struction of our whole army seemed to
stare us in the face.
But the word went forth from Rosecraus:
the flower of the left wing aud centre were
buried over toward the right, aud massed
rank behind rank, in an array ofimposing
grandeur, along the turnpike, and facing
to the woods, through which the rebels
were advancing.
The scene at this time was grand and
awful ms anything that ever expect TO
witness until the day OF Judgment |
stood in the midst and upon The highest
point of the somewhat elevated space, be-
ing between the turnpike aud the railroad.
nnd forming the key to our entire position.
Let the rebels once obtain possession of it,
and of the immense train of Wagons park
d-alOne the turnpike, aRd.:t Fpton army
was irretrievably ruined. Even its line Of
retreat would be cut OF, and nothing could
save it from utter ro6t, slaughter and cap
ture.
Aud yet each minnie it became more and
more plainly evident that all the re-in-
forcements which had been hurried into
the woods TO sustain and rally the broken
right wing aud check the progress of the
enemy I'M that direction, had proved made
quNte to the task, aud had in turn been
overthrown by the great mass which was
struggling ininextricable disorderihrough
tho woods. Such sounds as proceeded
( from that gloomy forrest of pines and ce.
dRrs, were enough TO appal With terror the
stoutest hearts. The roar or cannon. the
crashing of shot through the trees, the
whizEiug and bursting Of she'll, the uuin-
1 terrupted rattle of thirty thousand mus cts,
1aH mingled in one prolonged and tremen.
dous volume of sound, as though all the
Ithunders of heaven had been rolled to-
getheT, and each individual burst of celes.
tial artillery bad been rendered perpetual.
Above it all could be heard the wild CHEERS
Fot the trattorous hosts, as body after body
of our troops gave way and were pushed
back toward the turnpike
4 Nearer aud nearer came the storm; loud
er aud louder resouuded the tumult of
battle. The immense train of wagons
lparked along the road suddenly seemed
instinct with struggling lite, aud every
species of army vehicle preceded by fright.
ened mules and horses rolled and ratified
away ppll nell, in an opposite direction
from that in which the victorious foe was
pressing Onward. The shouts and cries
of the terrified teauisssts nrgiog their
teams to the top of their speed were now
mingled with the billoWs OF sound. which
swNyed and surged over the field
I Everything now depended upon the regi-
ments aud batteries which the genius of
ROsecrans had massed along the turnpike
to receive the enemy when he should
emerge from the woods in pursuit of our
broken and flying battalions. Suddenly the
rout became Visible, and 3 crowd of ten
thousand fugitiyes, presenting every posi-
BILE phase Of Wild aud uncoutrollabIe dis.
order, burst from the cedar thickets and
rushed into the open space between them
and the turnpike. Amongst them all, per-
haps net half dozen members of the same
regiment could have been found together.
Thick and fast the bullets of the enemy
tell amongst them, aud scores were shot
down; but still the number constantly in
creased by reason of the fresh crowds
| which burst every moment from the thick
lets. 1t vas with the greatest difficulty
that some of the regiments which had been
massed together as sort of forlorn hope,
to withstand. and if possible drive back the
lvictortous.cohortso Of treason, could prevent
their ranks from being crushed or broken
by the mass Of flgltives.
From my position upon tue elevated
lground between the railroad and turnpike,
could view the whole scene; aud with an
Intensity Of interest and tumultuous emo.
ton whiehI have no language to express
4 watched for the result when the desper.
ate soldiers of the rebellion should enter
| fha a