The National tribune., 1898-06-30

Gen. Grants victorious army, after brie
rest at Fort Donelson, recroSSed, conslderabl,
strengthened, to the Tennessee, just above
Fort Henry. where several gunbOats and ;
large NUM- Of transports, passing down TIL
Cumberlal d into the Ohio and thence int
the Tennessee, took up our soldiers by regl
ments and started with them on new move
ment up the Tennessee.
Gen Charles T. Smith had been designated
by Gen. Halleck to direct this movement, but
was soon disabled by the sickness of which
he died not long after reaching Savannah
Tenn, and Gen. Grant was thus restored x
chief command.
The rendezvous of the expedition was at {
little place called Danville, where the rail
road from Memphis to Gainesville and Louis
VILE crosses the river The gunboats Tyler
and Lexington had already made recon
noissance up the Tennessee, meeting theil
first resistance at Pittsburg Landing, an III
significant two-house nucleus of prospect
i've village, eight miles above Savannah and
90 miles n y. L. of Corinth, Miss, at tae
junction of the Memphis & Charleston viii
the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. The country
hence to Corinth is rolling, and generally
wooded Two or three miles southwark Is
Shiloh Church. and some 10 miles farther l.
the road-cross;ng known as Monterey, where
there were half-a-dozen houses. The region
is thinly and recently settled; slll mainly
covered by the primitive forest; gently roll
ing. and traversed by a number OF lnconsld-
cradle creeks, making eastward and north
ward, to be lost in the Tennessee.
At Pittsburg Landing, the Tyler found a
rebel battery of six guns, which it silenced,
after mutual cannonade of two hours; re-
turning thence to Danville and reporting.
The movement of the army southwark on
transports was continued-the 10th Ohio,
Col Northington, leading, on the transport
b. J. Adams-so far as Savannah, where 1t
was landed, March 10, 1862, and proceeded
to take military possession All the trans
ports 60 in number, conveying nearly 40,
900 men, were soon debarking the army, with
its material at and near this place. whence
Gen. Lew. Wallace's Division was dispatched
to Purdy, station Is miles w. 3. W., where
the railroad was destroyed.
Gen. Sherman's First Division was next
conveyed UP the river to Tyler's Landing,
Just across the Mississippi State line; whence
the 9th Ohio Cav. was dispatched to Burns
vile. on the Memphis and Charleston road,
some miles eastward of Corinth. which was
likewise destroyed without resistance The
expedition then returned unmolested to Sa-
vannah.
DANGEROUS CONFIDENCE
These easy successes, and the fact that no
enemy came near or seemed to mediate an
noyance. must have imbued our leading Off
GERS with a contempt for the power or the
prowess of their enemy; since our regiments,
as they arrived, were mainly debarked at
Pittsburg Landing, on the side of the Ten
nessee nearest to and within easy striking
distance of the rebel headquarters at CoTInth.
Cne of the six divisions, under Gen Lew.
Wallace, was encamped nearly opposite
Savannah: the other five were thrown out IN
q senicircle southwark of Pittsburg Landing,
with front like Methodist camp meeting,
struggling from Lick Creek on the south or
left, TO Snake Creek on the north or right,
distance of some three or four miles.
Gen. Premises Division was encamped
across the direct road to Corinth, with Gen.
Netherlands behind his right, and Gen.
Sherman's still further to the right, with
Shiloh Church in his front. on road leading
also, but more circuitously, to Corinth. Gen.
Hurlbut's Division lay in the rear of Gen.
Prentiss Gen. Smiths Division, conf
manded. because of Smiths sickness, by
w. H. L. Wallace was on the left of and be-
hind McClernand, with its right near Pitts
burg Landing and its front somewhat pro-
tected by the rayines of two rivulets running
into Snake Creek
Though the vicinity of the enemy was
notorious, not an intrenchment nor defense
of any kind not even an abatis, here so
easily made, covered and protected our front;
no accommodating parties were thrown forward
to watch for and report an advance of the
enemy; and even the pickets were scarcely a
musket- shot from the tents of our foremost
regiments; some of which. it was asserted,
had not even been provided with ammuni-
ton, though IT was known that the woods,
scarcely a mile away, had suddenly been
found swarming with rebel scouts and sharp
shooters in such strength as to forbid observa-
tion on our part. d.
Low but ominous whispers and meaning
chances ofexuitation among the rebel civilians
in our rear had already given indications that
blow was about TO be struck, and alarmed
Un;oHists had sought the tents of our Cen
erals with moniiions Of danger, which were
received with sneering limitations that every
one should stick 10 his trade. Gen. Grant
was at Savannah, experimenting the recep-
ton of supplies. Such was the condition OF
our forces on Saturday evening, April 5.
ALERT SIDNEY JOHNSTON.
Albert Sidney Johnston was probably the
ablest commander at any time engaged III the
rebel service He had braved unpopularity
and reproach from the herd of chimney corner
critics who supposed it the duty OF General
10 run his head against every stone wall with
in reach, by refusing to fight losing battles
for Bowling Green and Nashville, and had
thus brought OFF his army intact and unde-
moraized; retreating across the Tennessee
and irto a region at once undevastated and
unappalled by war, full of resources, wherein
devotion TO the Union had been utterly sup
pressed, if not eradicated, and whence, by q
network OF railroads and telegraphs, lie COM
municated easily with Richmond, and with
every portion Of the Cotton States
The recent evacuation # Columbus by Polk
had been probably ordered by him, in obedi-
enee TO his policy of concentrating around
Corinth the greatest possible force, with in
tent TO rush upon and Overwhelm the UniOr
army, so carelessly encamped just before hin
on the hi,her bank of the Tennessee.
Having a spy in nearly every dwelling il
southern Tennessee, he WAS doubtless awar
that the command Of that army had just beer
turned over by Gen. c. T. Smith, an expert
enced and capable soldier, to Gen. Grant, s.
recently from civil life; and he bad no donb
of his ability to accomplish its destruction.
Calling urgently upon the Governors o
Tennessee. Mississippi and Louisiana for al
the troops they could spare or raise, and be