New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-13

pped ibeirs Ia parallel. To all appearances the
numedsd strength OF the two armies was about
"a "a, but the natural and artificial strength o. The
Ii Del position gave them dangerous advantages
THE BATTLE-GROUND.
TIE yror N over which wo he'd TO fight ves
alro.t equally divided between field ana forest.
7 rent,F and ny, we've posted ia tho Wood, with
,rtiBg exec joHs the .aft Lad open cOI.on plan
in diversified with few clamps OF trees, and
two or three eli los| hats on either side Of the PIKE
iho !cfi was iuterseded by the Murreeshoro PIKE
asa railroad ana p,ost Of Jrttenden's corps were
Oh the lee OF the piae. \ long line OF infantry
apartments visible nile distant On the crest u
la ,uAng field protected he enemy The Interior OF
on field FURNISHED few ELEVATION, Tor batteries,
but .Aey ere OF as acvantageousy as the GeEoiei
would have rro;crGcd. The iaiow fields we're
heavy aud.the forests 70 dense that grave obsTuc-
hons were nerposed against rapid evoluuous Of
trocps o. swift movements Of artillery.
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IARDsHIPS.
T. eve of battle was dreary. IL bad raiDed
nea ~ al day and the atmosphere bas humid.
clustering wi swept cClily from the NORTH, whist
hny dolorously through the forests. Our brave
soldiers saturated 10 the SKIN, lay upon the bleak
wet soil developed in damp blankets, unprotected
by canopy save tie motled rky. T1ey were weary
with marching and standing at arIs, and not"i,"-
standing their comfor,less couches the mul'itu4es
who were not on guard, fell easily to sleep bnt
lew bouyac fires biazed through the darkness, and
y
" eea the soldiers dreamed happily. Alas, TOO
many slept that night who slumber no more IN lte
The SAD soil upon which they repose was made sad
DER before The morrow uiabt BY the warm blood
which welled from TIER bounding hearts.
TIIF GENERAL AND STAFF.
~. General aui staff were crowded into Iess tran
ope.ttird tie tents which even General Orders per-
nit All ssyeIhuoGs bedding ard baggage had been
# behind. Most OF the sIali had blankets, and
hose ast or duty rolled NJ IN them early aud sought
n yNs4I
and Bond remained fai holly win the General most
Of tie night. Garssche was always at his elbow,
faithful rs q shadow until death chose him for bis
own Tie Generals mind-active, vigorous, suG
testless-inquiIed into every detail In the absence
Of exact information from any quarter, couLiers
were insauty dispotched 10 satisfy inquiry. Each
General in command required to ob5ervo closely
end re port explicitly the most minute information.
The dercr'u .nt OF tie General commanding all that
day aud that night, was an absorbing r1dy.
PRAYER BEFORE FIGHTING.
When morning of he last day Of the old year
camps huzzed with excitement There seemed DO
chance Tor surprise. 1T daylight macs was oele-
! b!atsd III q tent opposite the Generals marquee.
| Tie Rev. Father Cooley, Chaplain Of the 3jth In
diara, assisted by Father 1recy-the General $
! g1eat--oiiioiaiinc. The principal communicate
/ wore tie Commanding General and The no less de
Won; Cbiet OF ~. Lieut.-Col. j. +. Geresche.
/ TIE ceIem ONES were more than usually solemn and
! il.f .sive. Wat deep thoughts. what grave
apxo les throbSed within the minds Of those rious
a.ldle.s into whose hauds not merely the lives Of
thousands had been given, but tue vitality OF the
cause Of human freedom.
TIE cANN0N's OPENING ROAR.
BreasfesJ at sunrise bad not been finished when
the heavy Of csLr0D rolled through the forests
on The right Au instant later the loug, sharp
cyackle q musketry lAe 4 G noise OF caneuregk
6Ie Ears not unused to such SOUNDS understood
,heln well. Battle had begun. A half houf la', p
we ha1 tidings. The enemy had suddenly burst
upon McCooks night wing with iinletuous Jury,
and was driving IL before them. " Never mind"
sud me General cheeiily "isll him TO contest
every inch OF ground. II he holds them We win
swing 10 our leit and cat them of. IL is woIkiE.
1eAt." Alas, "eyesy inch Of ground was not
contested.
DISASTERS AT TIE START.
4 little iaier, ana there were further tidIngs. 4
stream OF strag slers-foldeTs, teanstere, pegroe-
pcared wildly through tie forests upon the pign,,
s,reading evil reports and Communicating dislay.
An aid from Gen. N Cook wsined tue General fhst
the right Vas pressed back reridly, and aeked 10.
assistance. " Eel him he stan have IT," Another
aid me advising that Rousseau'c reserye division
4 be held N baud. IL announced That b'IilirAt
sill one OF the brayest aid .0,ess OF our brigade
generals .was killed; huk. another general dis
ltpguirbed for ability and bravery a. Shiloh, wss
wTeSrndeS: and fiery old WlIhck w6s mis.inQ-tl.ree
f--ueralU Of bri, adc and three Of tho beet IN the
light wIuc-@gcne Mt one fell swOop lie uproar
OF battle Vas sweeping alarming nesl. IL wdS Ia
cfelible 4lmos. ilat II could come 40 swiftly TIE
rVt "; two ni!es from the left Of the cepteT-our
whole lie was not FIVE miles long.
ROsECRANS UNDER FIRE.
! No time 10 lose. Destruction WA shsrrly upOn
ul, The General aid tiaif were swiftly mounted
and swept across tie field. NsD Cloves piYision,
i6op,oved In steady Sire lines or the let was sv lay
moved by the right flank, ~ dopble-quck, oolquc y
across TO ihe right, and odced 10 support IL Ie.ir
ing lines ID hing rapidly onweIa, 60 make sue
of the let tie General greeted With .he EIe Vi
Z los,is battery. Sn0t aud she'll few about orr
heads il wild tunult. MIME balls whis'l d etArlly
watt them. Only one Of the cOdeee--an humble
troorer--was discounted, and bi, frantic horse SAL
loIsd wildly across The plaza. The General was W.
moved and turniug to ms CLef o. ATt ley SaOuted
ltLarpy "Col Barnet, have thar bsttery sile'c
Away went brave Barnot under furious fire, and in
brief time, Cox rushed forward WIth lie ION In-
diam battery, took potitica upon crest q wave
in be field al tie persona direction Of Tie General,
/ md coon drove the enemy TO corner. Who - On
the let, now 7" "WsPners Brigade" "lell Col.
Wagner 10 hold HE position at every haz rd'
TIE BATTLE THICK ESs-DisAsILR THREATENS.
| WHpLer I'D bis oGty VOL. Pursuing MS sWii,
career toward tie right, e1d directly tebird trl line
uf taitlc while bullets anu artillery charge HURLED
I'm the atmospheric, hls eve gathered the featnres OF
tie fed rapidly, aud bs mind dlIec.ed dispositions
20 stop the torrsnt which was well nigh ovcrw helm
ling Us 10 complaint escaped him. That 10
moment fOT reproacb. But 1t was obvious that he
cvae profoundly moved. his eye bazed wiul sudden
Ere, but Ale ford iaco hGd paed and Loot rs rudy
Ilusttr. One moment heLtation q yseillsl0n low,
4ud all wore Loaf Human tongue nor pen can de-
scribe the yearrng anxiety Of AOse who rode with
hiui IN that nsd naelstlom Of death. Thank God he
was firm DC iron aud hXeo rs fate. Clearly hs dd
not deem The tsttle lost. Now on tie verge
OF tito forest tiled with friends and fOes-ficLds
unaysiliug BY lighting foes ru,hug onward with
f rec yell3 Of triumph. Gallant and quiet Sheridan,
with tho only undemoralized division Of the rlgbt
wing, Cetouched from the tangled woods at tie