, 1864-04-30
TUE BATELE0F PLEASANT.
E114L.

AAAAA1e
Further "Partsculnrs-Accou Of the
Battle Of Pleasant Hil-Gsnllanffy OF
the S1xtcen1A Army Corps Deisa: OF
the I2cbe1s-Thrlllln:s Incidents.
Correspondence Of the n. 7. Tsihnnc.}
Ii TIE FIELD, PIEAsAST H1Ll, La,
Saturday. April ., 1s6L {
The following account Of the battle OF
Pleasant nlll is more In detail than VIC have
get given, and is, besides, spirited 1escrip-
tioD, we'll worth reading:
8 THE nEBHL COLUMNS ADVANCE BOLDLY.
p Tie weather On Saturday WAS most unp7o-
pitious for fair fight. The morning air was
intensely cold, nnd more cherries, dis
hcattened Eca Of bronzed countcnances I
n5ver beheld. Each private seemed to com-
prehcnd the vast magnitude of our needless
disaster. There Was gloomy silence appa-
rcntly peryldtng every camp. and we could
hear no gladsome shouts Of victory ring
throughout the decinnted ranks. 1t Is use
less to deny TINT the universal opinion Of the
rank and tile was that our rcpulse Was an
ignominious defeat, Viii h ordinary general-
ship might have foreseen md prevented.
The wind howlcd piteouslE through the
trees, tanning the long pendants Of gray, fn-
nereal-hke moss which decked the tops Of the
tall, waving cypress aud pines, The sky was
dense volumes OF dust partially concealed
the long pontoon trains as they runbled hes
vily to the rear. At $3.50 o'clock precisely,
the rebel cavalry advanced toward the right
most fcndish manner, ut the same time
brlndlshing their sabers In the air.
IN they came ut slow trot In good order
as they nenrca our lines gradually aulcken1ny
their pace, while close IL the rear came the
three solid battle.lines Of the enemy, shout
u t7r1 1u{& -. ali
cause tho nerves Of the timid to yibrate, re-
ninlips one OF al1 the ferocity Of savages
From out the woods belched the enemy's
artillery, when there arose from the crouch
Ing forms Of several thousand loyal men 4
fearful roll Of mueketry, opening wide gaps
in the rebel lines; but they were as speedily
closed, and the enraged foe with q sudden
dash threw his gigantic force against our
front, and for moment our whole line Seem
ed to MaYcr, giving Way a few yurds.
The suspense Of this fearful moment WAS
terrible to bear, for 1t did seem to porteud
defeat. In another moment our artillery
scattered grape and canister in appalling
Quantities upon the excsrcrsted enemy, liter
ally moving them down as With an cnor-
moIs scythc. With dcafening cheers, and
waving OF starry banners, our lines pressed
on the rear lines, going Into tile latter con-
fict at the "double quick" It was now
o'clocks md the battle was at its highest,
deadly roll Of muskctrg continuing until
night, spreading her sable mantle over the
bloody picture, screened the combatauts
from each others view, and put TN end to
that day's lostilitIes.
There was something more than solemn
grandeur In the scene at Pleasant Hill at sun
set On Saturday, April 0. Standing on
slight eminence which overlooked the left
and center Of our lines, could see the ter
r1nc struggle between our Well-dIsc1p1incd
troops and the enemy. The sun shone d.
1ectl5 IN the faces Of our men, while the wind
blew back the smoke Of both the cnemJ's
hre aud that Of our Own gallant men into our
ranks, rendering It almost impossible at
times to distinguish tue enemy In the dense
clouds Of smoke. Ali Of Il sudden our whole
front seemed to gather renewed strength, and
thay twept the rebels before them Ike chatf,
following them up closely,
The enemy made another desperate stand,
WhenCol Shaw, commanding the Sd brigade,
lst division, 18th corps, gaye the order to
charge bayonets, and the crisis was soon
over, he rebels being unable to stand the
pressure Of q yankee" steel. In the very
thicket of the fight on our left and center,
rode he pat1iarchal-looking warrior, Col.
ce1Eeo an increased insplrntion Of heroism by
his presence. Wherever he rode, cheer after
cheer greeted him, for there Is IN ifresIstf-
bic attraction around this officer, who las
exhibited the real Jacksonian energy.
AS the dusk Of evening became more md
Of daE&,ere fading away, the enemy st1ug-
glea Ls:ccly for the possession OF the battle
held, and . tremendous roar Of musketry
burst forth from their staggering lines, which
was responded to BY two or three terrific
yolleys from our side, and then came that
dead, Yuiet calm, broken only BY the moan
Ing Of onr mems voices and the groans Of the
dying. The enemy retrcated rapidly that
night, Gen. A. ]. Mower Of the 10th Army
Corps having pushed ont some four miles
from Pleasant Hill, without being able to
oye!talc tie enemy.
AL cf the troops seemed inspired with
degreeoi couragc which nothing but total
annihlAt1on Of our men could su6due OF ex-
tiDguiA. It Is impossible to state who was
in chic: command on Saturday, Gems. Banks
and Frnklin being both upon the neld, but
hnd It aot been for the masterly manner In
which Gen. A. ]. Smith dep1oyed and person.
ally led hIs troops, aided By the gallant Now
cr,who has reaped many substantial victories,
We should have to record the extinction Of
the 1911 army corps and the Department Of
the Guf.
This :attlc Of Pleasant Hill is probably the
hret ting on record where the rebels have
manifested any desire to meet our soldiers IN
IN opea field, and particularly where they
have been tho. attacking party. This rebel
phenomenon ia easily explained. After the
easy victory Of Friday, Kirby Smith supposed
1t would not be very difficult matter 70 COM
pletely extcrminate the balance OF the little
army, against whose front he hurled his su-
Perlor numbers. Dcluded with this belief,
he at once sent to Shreveport for the balance
of his forces, principally Missouri and Ar
kansas troops, fresh from their camps
Upon their arrival at our front, Kirby
Smith and Dick Taylor both harangued the
new le1lCs, cxhorttng them to strike togcth-
CT steady blow, and the "a ''Yaakces'' would
surcl5 DC driven from tllr soil Of Louislan.. |
Ihey boosted with great bomenst upon the
capture Of eighteen pieces of artillery from
ns, auu EeaTly TWO hundred army wagons
hlcd VIII Government stores, including
:. coLsiaetaole ~ WHISKY, Which also fell into
their hands. Pointing with exultation to the |
spoils md trophies which his 1acn hal ae-
cured, lie filled the fresh troops with de-
gree Of hopeful buoyancy, which after ward |
proved fatal, for while flushed with success
they were entirely ignorant Of the arrival of |
Gen A. J, Smiths fresh troops; and this ey- |
plains the recklessnes8 and apparent indlf
tererce with which they assaulted rs, filinc In |
their 1nen 10 the very jaWs Of death.
Col. Lynch performed gull mt little ex-
plot which came near costing him his life.
battle WIS neallY over, he pushed On two
miles from our lines ind captured three cais-
sons filed with ammunition. While attempt
ne to jump Ills horse over a deep ditch,
bullet Whistled past his ear, and turning to
sce whence it proceeded, he saw wounded
rebel just preparing to fire again from the 4
11tch Where nc lay stretched in pool Of
oloou' before the relentless rebel had time
70 accomplish bis base purpose, the Colonel
Ire" bis revolver, and that insatiate rebel
passed 70 the dom1nions OF JeG Davis Gs Co.