Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-01-17
THE BATTLE OF MURFREEs-
DORO'.
Thrilling Details of the Tremcn.
tous Struggle of Wednesday,.

CINCINNATI, wednesday, Jan. T-Mon-
day Tuesday, were spent in getting the army
into line and securing positions. The great
contest commenced on Wednesday morning
and the accounts. Of that day l send in full
Such sounds as proceeded from the gloomy
forest Of pines and cedars were enough to
appeal with terror the stoutest hearts. The
roar Of cannon, the crashing of shot through
the trees. wizzing and bursting of the shells
the uninterrupted rattle of thirty thousand
muskets, all mingled IN one prolonged and
tremendous volume of sound, as though all
the thunders of heaven had been rolled to-
gether, and each individual burst of celes-
tial artillery had been rendered perpetual.
Above it all could be heard the wild cheers
of the traitorous host, as body after body of
our troops gave way and were pushed to-
ward the turnpike.
Everything now depended upon the regi-
merts and batteries which the genius of Ro-
sencrans had masscd along the turnpike to
receive the enemy when he should emerge
from the woods in pursuit of our broken and
flying battalions. Suddenly the route be-
came visible, and crowd of ten thousand
! fugitives, presenting every possible phase of
wild and Uncomfortable disorder, burst from
the cedar thickets, and rushed Into the open
space between then and the turnpike, Among
them all, perhaps, no half dozen members of
the same regiment could have been together
Nearer and nearer came the storm, louder
and louder rcsounded the tumult of battle
The immense train of wagons parked along
the road, suddenly seemed instinct with
struggling life, and every. species of army
vehicle preceded by the frightened mules
and horses, rolled and ratified away pell-mcll
in an opposite direction, pressing onward.
The shouts and cries OF. the terrified teams
ters, urging thgir teams to the top of their
speed, were now mingled with the pillows
of sound which swayed and surged over the
field.
Thick and fast the bullets of the enemy
fell among them, and scores were shot down;
but still the number constantly increased by
reason of the fresh crowd which burst every
moment from the thickets. 1t was with the
greatest difficulty that some of the regiments
which had been massed together, as a sort
of forlorn hope to Withstand, and, ifpossible
drive back the victorious cohorts of treason,
could prevent their ranks from being crush
ed or broken by the mass of fugitives.
For ten minutes the thunder of battle
burst forth from the cloud. When our bat
talions advanced they found no RebelS be-
tween the woods and turnpike except the
dead, the dying and the disabled. There
were hundreds of these, and their blood
soaked and Redeemed the round
Since the aDnihiliation of the OLD Guard
in their charge at Waterloo, there has pro
baby not been an instance of so great 9
slaughter in so short time as during the
repulsc of the Rebel left at Murtrecsboro'
and will hereafter be celebrated in histor,
as much as is the fierce combat which crush
ed foreyer the power and prospects OF Napo
leon.
The Rebel left was now thoroughly Fcpul
sed, and our troops, embodened by thei
success, pushed after them into the woods
drividg them back in turn over consider
able portion of the ground which we at frs
occupied. The roar of artillery soundet
} further and further Oft, as the different bat
teries moved on slowly after the retrcatin:
foe, and hostile cannon-balls no longc
ploughed up the earth around me.
FRIDAYS DECISIVE CONTEST.
The second day of the new year was a
beautiful Us had been the initial morning
The sun. when breaking through the colo
grey clouds, which hung above and threat
ened rain, and dispelled the thick mist, lQpk
cd down upon quiet ifnot peaceful seen
| walked over portion of the field wher
our men were stroling, ,sas if taeit agret
ment had been entered into TO remain &
I peace on that day. The dead were unburieC
! All the labor which the spade and pick ha
!. done was to Intrench weakened McCook
+ line. The sights on the field, where til
Q Rebel centre had been broken by the masse
artillery of Rosencrans, were awful to bcholC
c The field was characterized, as few battl
0 fields are, by the large proportion of dea
0 slain by artillery.
The bodies of the Rebels who had advar
c ced to this assault were literally torn [
pieces. The cross-firc of the artillery ha
n this terrible effect. l saw Rebel colon
i whose two legs, one arm and body lay i
:, separate parts pfthe field. saw one Office
S whose rank could not tell, whose disloc
y ted right arm lay across his neck, and moi
: than half his head was gone. There WEI
J. even more horrible sights than these to
d seen that day The bodies had lain unbl
: ried through the dews and fogs of two nigh
and burning sun, and already the cankt
s and the worm began to infest them. III
G sight was sickening to behold, and turno
d from in disgust, after having (the ruling pa
y sion strong in the midst of death) abstractC
n a copy of the Rebel Banner of the 9th fro
the pocket Of mangled ''butternut."
!, TILE REBELS ATTACK THE LEI
: WING,
: II was about halfpast three o'clock Id n
afternoon of Friday before We were agai
disturbed. Then, the Rebels having ey
d IDENTIFY reconnoitered the position OF Bcatt!
= beyond the creek, and perhaps discoyere
! what General Rosencrans intended doinl
made bold and desperate effort TO cut hin
c of from the rest Of the army, or drive hin
@ back again beyond the stream. Beatty WI
not unprepared for them, as McCook ha
been, and we had no disaster there. Beatt
Z was wide awake, and gave them heart
q reception.
/ The Rebels attacked Reatty-as they n
yariably attack in oye. - aelming force. I
i attack McCook ON Wednesday they Ia
a moved Claibofne's Division from she rigl
i 70 the left wing Now they returned biz
d and polk--who had done llt,le OF nothin
!. went TO work W earnest, had leame
ffon . little experience at Peuyyille, thu
when tho Rebels attack they do 80 with n
!, utmost eamestness and determination, an
o aiso In overwhelming force The leade
appear 10 look upon privale soldiers as
n food Tor powder, and hvh them upon os
q ATiifiery and Infantry in huge masses an
10 ,.usnberlesa eOlumns III yOu rtOulso "a