Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-06-28

Ine Nalley In the nanuS OF Ine FED
erals. The western army had fallen
back to Corinth, and the Federals
thus came into possession of the great
States of Tennessee and Kentucky,
and the greater portion of Missouri.
Gen. Johnston's lines now covered
the Memphis & Charleston railroad,
from the Tennessee river to Memphis,
and the defenses at Island No. 10 COW
cred Memphis from the approaches
of the Federal gunboats. Gen. John
ston resolved to put his army inshape
for a decisive battle on the south side
of the Tennessee river. Gen. Grant
was in command of the Federal forces
at Savannah, on the Tennessee river,
and Buell. was in command of the
forces about Nashville. Johnston de-
termined to hurl his whole armyupon
Grant and defeat him before Buell.
could come to his support. BY the
first of April his plans were fully ma
tured and everything in readiness for
the campaign. The roads being in
bad condition he was unable to adj
vance his army as rapidly as his
plans contemplated. 1t was his in
tention to strike Grant on the 9Th of
April, but the movement was him
dered on account of bad roads, and
the enemy used the day to advantage.
BuelFwas ordered to Grants support
in anticipation of Johnston's inten-
lions. Grant was not expecting
Johnston to attack him so soon, and
before he was aware of the matured
plans and prompt executive ability of
the Confederate leader, Johnston was
upon him ON the morning of April 6,
1862. The Confederates took posses
sion of the Federal encampment and
drove the enemy before them for
some distance. BY this time Grant
had time to realize the situation, and
his lines were formed for battle with
the intention of a stubborn resistance.
The Confederates pressed onward and
struck Grants second line and the
battle became desperate. The Fed
erals finally yielded this line, and the
Confederates pressed on to victory.
The fight lasted throughout the day,
and the Federals had been driven
back at every point.
Late in the evening the Federals
took another stand and Johnston Or
dered another charge, after massing
his force at that point of the enemy's
line which he considered the key to
the position. The gallant Confeder-
ate chieftain led the charge in person.
The lines of the enemy were broken
and the Confederates had gained a
decisive victory. The Federals were
driven to the river bank, and to have
pressed them further would have re-
suited in their capture. This was the
result contemplated by Gen. John
ston, but he did not live to execute
it. He fell MORALLY wounded while
leading the charge that procured the
victory. The men were discouraged
and detected when they learned that
their leader had fallen. Gen. Beau.
regard now assumed command
Night closed its mantleover the scene
and the fighting ceased.
During the night Buell's army
$ came up and formed junction with
Grants forces, and in the morning
I the Federals came out in the aggres
: sive. The Confederates were now or
3 the defensive, and were confronted
: by an enemy of fresh troops and theil
, superior in point of numbers. The
: battle of the 9TH was over much O.
the same ground Of the 9th, but witt
: its fortunes reversed. The Confeder
ates gradually gave back from posi-
e ton to position as the Federals hat
= done on the day previous. In thu
: afternoon of the 18th Beauregard with
Il drew his entire force from the field il
u good order and retreated back t
COrinth.
u The losses on both sides had beer
e very great. When Beauregard ar
s rived at Corinth he found that hi
army was unable to cope with tn,
y concentrated forces of the enemy, an(
u realized that unless the Confederate
u authorities should reinforce hin
d promptly he would be forced to yielC
u the entire Mississippi Valley, ant
l. dispatched the authorities at Rich
IL mond accordingly. The dispatcl
l. was taken off the wires at Huntsvill
l. by a spy, and by the time it was re
% ceived at Richmond it was also re
D. ceived all over the North, and on tn
l. following morning appeared verba
= | Il Ion