Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-04-12

ry. In the mean time Logan had been
steadily pushing back the enemy. Under
his orders Hasen had executed flank move
ment, opening up communication with the
left wing. Gen. Logan had difficult task.
He pressed the enemy Sorely from the
start, compelling him to tall back gradually.
The gallant Case fought his division with
skill and bravery. The troops of his COM
maud formed the left wing of Grants army
at Fort Donelson, and have distinguished
themselves in all the battles of the South
West. The noble division of Wood carried
the last intrenchments, and they slept upon
the field with the wreath of victory crown
ing their brows. Hazens division was on
the left of Wood. and fought with its fam
ed and distinguished galantry.
An intermission of an hour, during which
time, as prisoners informed us, the enemy
was heavily reinforced. For three success
sive hours there was kept up one unbroken
roar of musketry, which, for its fierce inten.
sity, exceeded anything | ever heard. The
very earth seemed to tremble beneath the
deafeuing and incessaut roar
Notwithstanding the fatigue and we'll nigh
exhausted condition OF our troops, they en-
tered on this fight with an ardor and readi-
ness, plainly indicating their unchanging
determination to conquer or die. They were
ordered to charge and drive the enemy from
their works, and all the while under a most
devouring fire of musketry.
They did not falter, however, but went for
ward into the very teeth of the enemy with
out so much as even the slightest hesitation.
The conflict at | o clock that night was ter
rible, the air being filed with missiles Of
death, every moment having its peculiar
sound of terror, and every spot ITS sight of
ghastly destruction n. Never was more glo-
rious victory plucked from more desperate
and threatening circumstances The heroic
battalions of Logan pressed on with unquail
ing vigor. and resistleSs courage, driving
the enemy before them. Step by step, the
enemy were driven back. his forts were TAX
er, and the ground he abandoned occupied
by our victorious troops. BY 0 clock IN
the morning we had driven him two miles
from his battle ground.
The fighting of our men in driving the
Rebels from their entrenchments on the
night Of the 2lst, was magnificent, grand and
terrible. They faced the whirlwind of iron
and lead with all the composure of Sum-
mer's rain. Then came charge after charge,
TIE gaps in our lines being Immediately clos
ed up, and with the shout of conauerors tho
battle-cry of Logan braves rose above the
roar of artillery and musketry. The sight
was pitch dark, and as the storm of bullets
whistled through the air, nothing could be
grander than the firing of these terrible
messengers from battery to rifle pits back
again to battery.
BY Heaven,it was splended sight to see,
for one who had no friend, nc brother therel
1t was absolutely. in some places, hand to
hand engagement, IN its literal sense, in
which superior determination and nerve,
even against superior numbers, were vlcto
Tious and about four o clock the Rebel
column wavered, and trembling at the fierce
earnestness of our determined troops, gave
way, falling back something near four miles
DR.. Nichols, the medical director of the
Fifteenth Corps. tells me that our loss was
not more than 200 killed and wounded. A
gentleman of the Seventeenth Corps, whom
[ have every reason to believe, assures mo
that the loss in that corps is less than 100.
The Rebelloss in all the fights will amount to
00n