The Bossier banner., 1909-04-01
i BRILLIANT VICTORY.

from Bowling Green, KY, by the fall OF
Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland River,
in his rear, on February 18th, modified
an army of about 10000 men at Corinth,
Miss, and believing that great oppor-
tunity was presented for striking decisive
blow for the Confederate cause, determined
to attack Grant on Saturday before Buell.
could reinforce him, but on account OF
the muddy roads from Corinth to the Ten
nessee River, over which the Confederate
soldiers had to march, the battle was un-
fortunately delayed until Sunday morning.
Johnston's advance and attack was a COM
pete surprise to the Federals, who did not
suspect that the Confederates were in force
in the neighborhood. The battle was COM
menced by Gen. T. C. Hindman's Brigade
between dawn and sunrise. The enemy's
camp on the Confederate left was carried
between and o'clock, and its colors,
arms, stores, and ammunition were aban-
doned The breakfasts of the men were
on the table, the officers baggage and ap-
parel left in the tents, and every evidence
remained of unexpected conflict and
sudden iout." The Confederates assaulted
the disconnected Federal lines in front and
flank, drove its disjointed members from
position to position, capturing some and
routing others. About 10 o'clock the Con-
federate Army, attacking with impetuosity
and driving the enemy along the entire
front, had gained possession of the greater
part Of their encampments, many priso-
GERS and several batteries of artillery
The enemy was driven from every position.
Gen. W. II. L. Wallace, Federal, was
killed and Gen. B. M. Prentiss, with $500
men surrendered about 3 80 D. M, and the
total destruction of Grants large army
seemed inevitable. In his official report,
Ma jor General Leondias Polk, command
ing the Right Wing of the Confederate
Army, tells how fate decreed the turning
of the 'unbroken tide of disaster" as the
succoring Don Carlos Buell. described
Grants panic stricken rout:
"The field was clear; the rest of the
forces of the enemy were driven to the
river and under its bank. We had one
hour or more of daylight still left; were
within from $50 to 400 yards of the enemy's
position, and nothing seemed wanting to
complete the most brilliant victory of the
war but to press forward and make Wig
orous assault on the demoralized remnant
of his forces.'' =
referring to the action of the gunboats
and the final cessation of hostilities by the
Coniederates, Gen. Polk says the gunboats
Were comparatively harmless to our
troops nearest the bank, and became in
creasingly so as We drew near the enemy
and placed him between US and his boats.
Here the impression arose that our forces
were waging an unequal contest; that they
were exhausted and suffering from mur-
derous fire, and by an order from the COM
manding general they were withdrawn
from the fleld.''-
The Confederate Corps Commanders
were: First Corps, Maj. Gen. Leonidas
Polk; Second Corps, Maj Gen. Braxton
Bragg Third Corps, Maj. Gen. William ].
Hardee; Reserve, Brig. Gen. John C.
Breckenridge; Cavalry, Brig. Gen. Frank
Gardner. Field returns show effective total
4O,335 officers and men. Effective total
after Battle of Shiloh, 29,636. Gen. Albert
Sidney Johnston, 'the expectancy and
rose of the fair State" was killed at 2 40
p M, while gallantly leading his brave
men to victory.
Grants official report shows a total of
1,754 killed, S,4OS wounded and 1856 cap
tured or missing. Grand total, 1901.
On the death of Gen. Johnston the COM
mand having devolved upon Gen. Beaure-
gard, the conflict was continued until near
sunset, when the Confederates were order
Ell to withdraw and bivouac on the field of
battle. The fight was renewed Monday.
when the Confederates fell back to Corinth,
where Grant soon commenced the memora-
bic Siege of Corinth. At 12o'clock on the
night of May %, 1862, the Confederate
Army began its retreat from Corinth to
Tupeo, Miss. There it was divided. Bragg.
who had been made full General after
the death Of Johnston, took command of
the force that was sent to Chattanooga.
Maj. Gen. Sterling Price being left in COM
mand OF Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn's Corps.
which had been sent from Arkansas to
Corlnth to reinforce Beauregard after the
Battle of Shiloh
Ihere were large number of Louisiana