Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-12-08

two guas. Our center was not broken.
however. and. better still, Gen. Wasner
successfully rallied his troeps, who ch.Tsed
on the snemy, recaDtured the two guns. Ard
droye the dipision ouer fhe oyeast,ooTks. oop-
turing neentire brigade and its cen,nands,
Al 4:30 e,eleck the battle was vssed with
usabating vigor, ths enemy having made.
during halt hour, several ATTEMPTS to
break our center.
The Union position was q magnificent
one, and the result Of these four days work
were naSni6cently grand. i. -,
All this while the Rebels had appeared
IN front OF our right. The plaa was to
pierce our center and crush our right Wing
before dark. A portion of our infantry
were engaged three quarters Of an hour
hrlDg on the Rebel columns, who stsed their
Groupd like madmsn.
Daring every charge made on eur right
and center, yslleys Of grape and canister
were hurled into their lines, and only dark
ness prevented their sacrifice being mere
awful: 1t is said that no canister shot was
ussd by the rebels daring the day, but fred
shot aBd shell.
After the first break Of Wagusr's diyisis.
and its recovery, our line never budged a
step. All was quiet after 10 p. NJ. 1t was
not only one OF the prettiet but clednest
battles Of the war. The excessive sl.uah-
ter Of the enemy was owing to our whole
sale use OF canister and grape, and our selec-
tion Of the ground.
The battle was fought in an open feld,
with ne trees or underground, or other in
terruptien. The enemy's loss in killed and
wounded approximates 1000, aud We have
over POO prisoners, and one General Of
hcsr and several field officers The Cslonel
Of the 18th Mississippi, Northern man,
OF 1lllneis, was wounded and taken prisoner.
-Four. 6fths of bis regiment were kilhd.
wounded, and captured. Our less dses not
reach thousand, zc al
Gen Bradley Of Illinois. while calamity
leading bis troops, was severely wounded In
the shoulder: Our loss in field cfiosrs il
very small. Our troops behaved handsome
ly. Acho6eld Id commanded on ths field,
Stanley ou. the right aud Csx on the left
Gen. Stanley was wounded slightly in the
neck, but. remained on the fsld, and is all
right to day.
I hare told you all along the programme
OF Gen. Thomas would slsotrify you, aud
this is but the prologue of the battle to
come eff
After our dead, wounded sud prisoners
were cared for, our army fell back to this
point. and are 10 line Of battle while ] write.
Up to this time, P. NJ, the enemy has
net made his appearance. The Third Corps
of Veterans are in readiness, aud a battle is
expected before daylight tomorrow. All
Government work is suspended, and all are
under arms, from Gen. Donaldson dewn to
the ;nnsaientiic laborere.
The falling back Of eur troops vas ac-
oomplished at o'clock this merniug. and
bridges burned across Hsrpeth River to
retard the transportation of RebelsuppHas.
The cavalry was handled prettily BY Gen.
Wilson, between Spring Hill and Triuns.
A. j. Smiths Corps is in line of battle.
and the situation is particularly grand
Forts Aegley, Aortea, Cairs and Houston
are alive, and the infantry movements per-
fectly satisfactory. Something must imne-
distely transpire, as Gen. Thomas is ready
to strike no matter how the rebels move.