Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-05-06

Major PickeTman and Lout-Col Pettgls, killed,
aud Col Hunley severely woundsd in The thigh.
The Fortunes of Sen. Bragg-EEi, 0mCfnl
Report Of tIle Battle OF EerTyviiIe.
Richmond Correspondence of the Knoxville Register
RICHMOND, April %, 1868.
Now that the desiinies of Tennessee arc 20 =
great extent at the disposal Of Gan. Bragg as
next in command to Gen Johnston, it is surely
matter Of interest dispassionstoy aj we may
after the lspss Of many months 70 review TIE
recent career Of this extraordinary man. Il is
now generally concluded outside of the imme-
diste circle of disputants who on either side
often permitted their pTejadicss to guide their
rsasonings, that he could not have fo-cad Bnsl
to fight 10 the vicinity of Mumfordsvlla Bow.
ling Green, fortified stronghold was easily &C.
cessibls to the enemy, and our army was not
strong enough to have conducted siege We
had no supplies there, and the adjacent country
had bean exhausted. TIE only recourse left
Bragg was to proceed towards Kirby Smith, Ga6
attempt the execution of the scheme Of revOlu-
4 ting en- inyineible army, such as it was be-
| Ii & throughout the South would raise up
W never we came with men and arms to defend
tht defenders Of their own homes.
have furnished your readers with tbs his
tory of his brilliant victory at Richmond KY;
to-day you hsye the concise and yes elaborate
report Of the outlines of the achievements of
our soldiers at Psrryyille; the world knew the
fate Of Mumfordsvilla, and yet tSis report Of
General Bragg, in its coDcluding sentences,
| solves the whole mystery of the campaign ia
Kentucky. We proffsred victories and armies.
and yet the paople trembed. They were twill
| ing perhaps 10 assert their Independence but
were not disposed te visk their lives sud property
in its achievement In that sertsnca cnnsists
the explanston of The failure Of the kentucky
campsign, and Whstever other aud dh-rsut
reasons may be assigned by these who love
Kentucky, history viii so record the fact. and
It's philosophy, that people cannot suddenly
throw off the yoke Of the despotism Of popu-
lar opinion created by leaders Ike Clay and
Crit'enaen, and by newspaper press aueh ss
| that which our enemies controlled az Louisville
kentucky was not rips for revolution. The
campaign was planned and prosecuted on a dif
fsreDt supp0sition, till it wss too ate to remedy
errors thsr may have bsen committed. II Gen
Bragg committed a fault, Kentuckisns cannot
| become prosecutors at tho bar of public opini0n
His failure arose frosn their own Lackss aud his
crime wGs his confidence in taem. Beyond this
the campaign was 90 failure Bragg was every
where victorious.
| do not question General Btaeg's personal
| faults I never saw the mar, bus an ss;isf
of their existence by the per5steae7 of those in
adhesion to error whsn this course can ba pre-
feTred becsuss it gratfe9 an snmity. Num-
foTdsvil!e, Richmond and Psvyvills, would haze
made illustrious tba nsme of any other general
in-ehief, despite tho apathy Of Ken.uckian7,
whom the trump Of the aTcbsngel could not
have awakened Bfsgg and bis army, OF not
more than thirty thousand msr, will yet be hon
oTed for all this Kentucky c4mpaign.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT No ?,
BRTANTsvILLE, KY, DC ober 12th. 5
SIR-By great pressure ct active engage
meDts have been unable to eonmuuieate since
my last dispatch until now. My rapid tour Of
inspection was suddenly terminated at Frank
fort Just st the close Of the csremony of INSTALL
ing the provisional Governor into Office A
heavy advance Of the enemy on that point rem
dering it necessary for me to concentrate my
forces General Polk was about the same time
heavily pressed at BsTdst0wn, and he, in ac-
cordsnce with previous orders fell back toward
Hsnodshurg.
Not having succeeded in getting my auppliss
from Lexington TO my new depot near Bryauts-
vile, it was necessary 10 hold large portion Of
General Smiths forces in that direction
Finding the enemy pressing heavily his rear
near Peuyvilie. M2jlr-GoneTsl Hsrdee, Of Polh's 4
command, was obliged 10 halt and cbaes nm /
at that point Having arrived at Herrodsbur2
from Frankfort, determined ta give him battle
there, and accordingly concentrated three divi-
sions Of my old command. the srmv Of the Mis-
sissippi, noT under Ma j1T General Polk-CheRt-
bam's, Backner's aud AudsrsOn's aud directed
General Polk to take the command on the 755,
and attack the enemy next nlcrning.
WitheTs division had gone the day before TO
support Smith Hearing on the night Of the
7t6 that the force in front Of Smith had rapidly
Ietrestsd, ] moved early next morning to be
present st the operations of Polk's forces. The
two armies were found confronting esch Other
on epposit side of the town Of Perryvills Af-
ter consulting with the general, rsconnoiiefiug
the ground, and examining his dispositions,
declined to assums command, but suggested
some changes and notifications Of his arrange
me- IS which be promptly adopted.
The action opened ct 124 A. NJ, between the
skirmishsrs and the artillery on both sides
Finding the enemy indisposed to advance upon
us, deemed it best to asSsil Kim vigorously,
and so directed.
The engagement became general saon thsre-
after, and continued vigorously from that time
until dark. our troops never falling nor faltsrng
in their efforts. For the time engaged it was
the se7ersst and most holly contested engage
ment within my knowledge Fesrfully outnum-
beYed, our troops did not hesitate 10 engage at
any ODDS, and though checked at times, thoy
eventually carried every position, and drove the
enemy about two miles. But for the intsrveu-
tion Of night we should have completed the
work. We had captured fifteen pieces OF srsil-
terry, by tie most daring charges, killed and
waunded two brigadieT-geners Is and a very large
nunber Of inferior officers snd nan, estimated
st no less than four thoUssad ard captured fosr
hundred prisoners incu ling three staff officers
with servants, the carriage and baggage of Ma-
jor-G General McCook The ground was literally
covered with his dead and wounded
In such conflict orr own loss was uecassa-
rily moTe-probably net 'esg than 500 killed,
wounded and missing Included ia tns wound
ed are Brig Gems ClebHrne, Wood and Brown,
gallant and noble soldiers, whose loss viii be
severely felt by thsir commands
To Msjor-Gen. Polk, commanding the forces.
Msjo G Ten. Hardes, commanding the left wing,
two divisions, ard MsjOr-Gens Cheathsm,
Buckner and Audsraoa, Commanding divisions,
is maiuly d1e the brilliant achievements on this
memorable field. Nobler troops were never
more gallantly led. The country ewes them
debt Of gratitude which | am sure will be sck-
AsceTtaining that the enemy was heavily re-
nforced during the night, withdrew my force |
early The next morning to Hsrrodsbnyg and
hence to this point. M'jor-Gsu. Smith arrived
II HsTTodsburg with m0st Of his forces and
Withers' division tho next day, Cloth and yes
arday withdrew the whole % this point, the
3Remy following slowly but not pressing as
Ny future movements cannot be indicated, as
hey viii depend in great measure on those OF
he enemy.
The campaign here was pTsdicsted on BE-
ief, and the most positive assurance, that the {
'eople of this county would rise en- mssse to
issert their Independence. No people ever had /.
10 favorable an opportunity, but l am distressed
o add, there is litFe or no disposition to avsil
themselves of it. Wiling, perhaps, to assert !
heir independence, they are neither disposed
lor willing to risk their lives or their property
4 its achievement With ample means to arm
wenty thousand men, and force with that , ,
ully to redeem the State, we have not yet
ssusd half the arms left US by casualties Incl.
lent to the campaign
1 am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
BRAXTOE BRAGG,
General-Commanding.
~ hdintant-N -Nnrnral pschunnnA VI