The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-20


the hill is plantation building belong
ing to Judge Baldwin, of Port Gibson,
surrounded by three or four out-houses
and negro quarters The Surgeons took
possession of these, and soon the horrid
implements of their trade were displayed,
and the poor fellows whom their COM
rades aud the ambulance corps brought
in we're turned over to them.
Just beyond the hospitals the road
turns to the right and left, one leading
to Port Gibson and Rodney, and the
other to Bayou Pierre 1t was along the
right-hand road that the enemy retreat
ed, and made stand upon the elevation
commanding the approach, near a small
church, standing in an open field The
fight around this church was very severe,
and the position was most gallantly con-
tested. In the open green, counted,
two hours after, the dead bodies of not
less than twenty men, all but two of
whom we're rebels In one spot not four
feet square, we're FIVE dead bodies, and
close behind them eight grey horses, be-
longing to a rebel battery, all of whom
had been killed by the exposition of a
single she'll Driven from this point, the
enemy retreated to the next hill, which
was near the junction of the Port Glib
son and Rodney roads. Here was an
other stand, with another fight and an
other retreat, until the enemy were
driven to the range of hills extending
around, and a mile distant from Bald
wins mansion. Here they had station
ed their reserves, and here they evidently
expected to make their great fight.
The position was an excellent one.
The country is series of hills and
ravines, and upon the tops of the former
the enemy had placed his line of battle
This line was crescent shaped, the right
resting near the north of the Port Gibson
Road, and the left upon the Rodney
Road. OF course their centre lay be-
tween these
Our first attack was upon his centre,
and was composed of regiments from
General Cars and, General Hovey's Di-
visions. The point ofattack, the center,
gave way under the impetuous gallantry
of our boys, and the rebel General
massed his forces on his left, from which,
after furious struggle, in which large
number of regiments were engaged, he
was forced to retire with great loss.
Later, he massed his troops on his right,
and by their skilffui disposition, aided by
his intimate knowledge of the topography
of this region, he compelled our boys to
retire. Subsequently reinforcements
were sent, and after brilliant engage
ment, lasting for. two hours, in which
brigades from nearly every division of
the army were more or less engaged, we
succeeded in dislodging them and COM
PEELED them to beat an unconditional re-
treat toward Port Gibson.
Night coming on, in our imperfect
knowledge of the country we were una
BILE to follow, but bivouacked on the field,
with arms in our hands and the dead
and dying around us. We had become
so steeled to human suffering, that even
these gloomy surroundings did not pre-
vent us sleeping soundly upon the green
sward.
During the early evening Gen. Lo-
CANS division was sent to the left, and
bivouaeked in the field three miles away
This morning we entered Port Gibson.
uDu nave uLul d6sIIoueu POSSESSION. The
enemy have crossed Bayou Pierre, Little
Bayou Pierre suspension bridge, an iron
structure, and burned it below them,
and we are forced to rebuild it before
pursuit can be recommended The
enemy are jus. within Sight, and desert
ers say they viii make stand there.
1t would be invidious to particularize,
when all did SO exceedingly well. Ihave
not heard of man or an officer in this
whole command who in this brilliant bat
tie did not do his whole duty There
was no faltering or yielding-not a man
that did not give manly days labor for
his country cannot forbear to allude
to the distinguished services rendered,
the former on our left and the latter on
our right, By Gen. John E. Smith's and
Gen John W. Stevenson's brigades
Other brigades did as well, perhaps, but
I mention these since l was brought
more Immediately in contact with their
officers. Gen Benton particularly dis
tinguished himself, by his GOODNESS and
bravery in the charge upon the battery
on the morning Of Friday General
Grant and Gen. McClernand were per-
sonally on the field, and in person direct
ed the movement.
REBEL CASUALTIES.
In the charge upon the battery, Fri
day morning, the rebel General j. F.
Tracy was struck in the forehead by a
MIME bullet, and instantly killed. His
body was removed to Port Gibson, where
it was to-day inferred by his personal
friends
OF course We cannot tell the enemy 3
loss in killed and wounded. The dead
on both sides still remain unburied, but
from what have seen | should estimate
his loss in killed 200, wounded 500, and
in prisoners 500 The latter we have in
% Pr Fs0uCrs IzTtur CUT. etuds U
the 10Th Alabama regiment, brother Of
Governor Pett,.s of Mississippi, and Cap
tain Pratt of the same regiment; but we
have yet in hospital over hundred
whom we could not remove.
OUR LOSS
! wish could say that this brilliant
victory had been obtained with little loss
of life. I can not No one could listen
to the loud roar of rebel cannon, and see
the heavy line of soldiers exposed TO the
murderous fire of rebel infantry, without
having the conviction forced upon him
that for all this exhibition of national
wrath some one must pay with life and