Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-04-29


ating scene Of iuconceivable confusion, and
this at a time when the rebels were pressing
their advantage upon us.
But If all had gone against US solar, it was
not 80 in the end. Gen. Banks had sent word
to Gen. Emroy to have the Niueteenth Army
Corps drawn up in line of battle, and our over
taxed men passed through, aBd took q posi-
tion ia the rear Of these timely reinforeemsnts.
These new forces; consisting of two brigades,
behaved with admirable coolness and precis-
ion. They had taken position just in front
iofa wood, where their strength could only i'm
perfectly be seen. They quietly waited until the
exulting enemy-imagining they were in pos
session of an utterly routed foe-were close
upon them, and then opened terrific fire up
on the rebels that cut them down like grass
They rallied, however, and the work oKslaugh-
ter continued until night closed in upon them
all.
By this time the command of Gen. A. J.
Smith, embracing the Sixteenth and Seven
teenth Army Corps, had arrived at Pleasant
Hill, and here the hero of Fort De Russey
halted his veteran command. During the
night our troops we're all quietly and skillfully
collected at that point. Thus ended the sec,
ond days proceedings. s1 La-.zi -na
Early the next morning, saturday, 9th,)
the rebel cavalry was seen advancing, and Col.
o. P. Gooding, with his brigade of Lees
Cavalry Corps, was sent out as a decoy.-
They soon met, and some sharp skrmishing
occurred, in which we lost some thirty men
in killed and wounded, and the rebels as many
Col. Gooding falling back, as originally inten-
ded. Desultory fighting was kept up during
the day, but it was not until about 3 O'Clock
that the bloody battle, which 1 presume will
be henceforth known by the name of Pleasant
Hill, was at its zenith. Gen., Emroy had
formed his lire of battle in a large open field
facing the woods Gen. Dwight was in the
centre, Col. Benedict on the left, and Gen.
McMilin's Brigade on the right; four guns of.
Taylor Battery being placed in the rear of
the left wing, two in rear Of the centre, and
HibBards Vermont Battery on the right. Inn
mediately behind Emroy was the large gradu-
ally rising piece Of ground which gives its
name to this locality; not high enough 10 be
called bill, but sufficient to conceal from the
enemy Gen. Smiths troops which were drawn
mp behind it-and behind these, again, the
Thirteenth Army Corps in reserve.
The plan succeeded we'll The enemy com
ing out of the woods in immense numbers,
made terrific onslaught, frat on Col. Bene-
diets left wing, then Dwight's centre, and
finally McMiIlin's right :. The fighting was
desperate, and in spite Of the havoc being
made in their ranks, the rebels kept forcing
the Nineteenth Army Corps up the hill, or
rising, and got possession Of Taylor's battery
at the left. Arriving at the brow of the hill, |
the Nineteenth Army Crops passed through !
Gen. Smiths lines, followed by two out of the |
three lines with which the enemy had com
menced the battle-Gen. Emroy completely |
disabled the other. The enemy came on like |
men certain of speedy victory. The frst
line was allowed to reach the summit, but no |
sooner had the second come in sight, than |
Gen. Smith gave orders to FIRE, and the car
mage that followed was something almost uu-
paralleled in war.
'Seven thousand rifles" says the Era, whose |
account tallies very nearly with all have |
been able to learn, sand several batteries of |
artillery, each gun loaded to the muzzIe with |
grape and canister, were fred simultaneously, |
and the whole CENTRE of the rebel line was |
crushed down as field Of ripe wheat through |
which tornado had passed. 1t is estimated |
that one thousand men were hurried into eter-
nifty or frightiully maDgled by this one dis
charge"
Gen. Smith, determined to make the most
of his opportunity, then made a desperate
charge, aided by the Nineteenth Army Corps.
The rebels were completely routed, and ran
back to the woods, where thousads threw away
their arms. In this gallant proceeding, which |
completely redeemed the reYerses of the previ- |
GUS fights, we not only regained Minis and |
Taylors batteries, but took over 600 prison
ers. -f--. ....-......... i
Among the casualties, full lists of which are
given in our local papers, am grieVed to re-
cord the death of Colonel Lewis Benedict, who
was pierced by four balls also, that Colonel
Harai Robinson was severely, but it is yet
hoped, not dangerously wounded in the hip.
The gallant General Ransom is also here, Sc
verely wounded, and is the cause of much
commisseration, for there is not braver
young General in the army.