The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-06-26
Halleck,s Campaign aZainsa 1es =
JIM oAB 40 LSV' regard.

The public will not soon forget the IN
generous taunt of HA1LzcK against MO-
C1R1LAN, that, on taking command OF the
Army of the Potomac, after it had been
beaten and demoralized under Fore, its
nro o x., was at the rate of only six miles
a day. Considering that every depart
ment of the army was disorganized, and
that it had to be put ia fighting trim on
the march; considering too, that it accom-
plished the purpose, not only of defending
Washington, but of administering ter
ribe defeat to the rebels at Antietam the
gratuitous, offensive taunt of HALLEoK's
stands almost alone as specimen ofheart-
less malice. 1t brought to mind HAL
Locks own progress from Shiloh to Cor
NTH, in which, after a decisive victory
had been gained, he was six or seven
weeks moving his army as many miles +;
and, at last arrived at the latter place only
to find BEAUREGARD safely away, bag and
baggage.
1t is now turning out to be true, as was
then generally supposed, that, had HAL
LECK allowed his force to move forward,
the rebel army of the Southwest would
have been captured or annihilated. A re-
bel officer, who at that time was at Co.
rinth, has been writing his experiences,
and from these we extract the following 4:
Nv regiment reached Corinth. Mississippi,
about one week after the battle OF Shiloh, and
the six or seven weeks which elapsed between
that time and Beauregards famous retreat will
long be remembered by that portion of the
army as one of the most remarkable passages
in the history of the war.
1t was in the months of April and May, the
rainy season, and owing to the peculiar nature
! of the SOIL the mud was intolerable. The SOL
dier had not where to lay his head, except in
mud-np plank-no straw. The whole army
was sick. All the transportation that could be
commanded on the Mobile and Ohio, and Mem
phis and Charleston Railroad, was employed in
taking the sick to interior hospitals, and almost
every available shelter in COrinth was filled
with those who could not be sent Off If Beau
regards army was not completely whipped at
Shiloh the work was certainly completed at
| Cornth. or at least it would have been very
easily, for there has never been more dlsplr-
tied or disorganiZed mOb-it could not be
called an army-than the one then wallowlnS
in the mud before Gen. Halleck.
Had the latter marched directly on Corintil
with any considerable force, instead OF waiting
to approach it by parallels, the Army of the
Mississippi as it was then called. would have
been annihilated. Beauregard knew this, but
he knew also the manner of the enemy's ap
proach hence he waited, that the roads might
get better, until he saw that the wary and eau
tious Halleck Was about ready to make the at
tack, and having made every preparation him
self for that event. he succeeded most admra
bly, in taking his men out of the way.
The sufferings endured on that retreat o.
| fifty miles will never be read in history. The
| QuartermBster's train had started two days il
advance of the troops with six days rations
leaving the army with two days rations in hav
ersacks. And who ever caught up with the
| Quartermaster's train on a retreat that had two
days the start? The retreat was not made t.
TupeIo all at once. \ portion of the army Ell
camped awhile at Baldwin, thirty miles from
Corinth, and again at Saltillo. ten miles further
on. We were constantly expecting Halleck:
army upon u.s. but we neither saw nor heard
of them, except an occasional cavalry skirmisl
| far i'm the rear.