Several Letters were received yesterday by our citizens, from Pittsburgh Landing. The ravages of the battlefield after so long a time are beginning to be revealed. The appended letter is from MAT. [sic] LAIRD directed to his brother J. M. LAIRD. Mat. belongs to the 16th Iowa Regiment. His letter will be received as sufficient evidence that the report circulated to the prejudice of the 16th Iowa Regiment had not a shadow of foundation. When an Iowa Regiment shows the white feather in the hour of battle, the pluck required to make a soldier may be set down as a minus quantity on this globe. Here is the letter:
PITTSBURGH LANDING,
APRIL 8TH, 1862.
DEAR BROTHER:– The great fight is over, and I am still in the land of the living; which is more than I can say of thousands who were well on Sunday morning. We arrived [here] on Friday night last, and on Sunday at 10 A. M., we were led into the fight. To give you a description of the battle would take more paper than I have at my command.
The attack was made by the Rebels, who must have had an immense force. They drove us inch by inch toward the river until about 4 o’clock P. M., when General Buell came in. He had no men with him but a few of his body guard; but he rode along the lines, calling on the boys for God’s sake to hold the Rebels in check for two hours longer, until his reinforcements could cross the river. These reinforcements came none too soon. We held our position until night, and lay on our arms in line of battle until morning. It rained heavily all night.
During the night, Gen. Buell’s forces were crossing the river, and fast as they came over, they formed in line of battle. When morning came, the rebels commenced the attack with the greatest fury. – They thought they had a sure thing on us, and were surprised at the warm reception with which they were met. They commenced to retreat about 11 o’clock, which soon turned into a total rout. The slaughter was then immense. The troops who were in the first day’s fight were not in the hottest part of the fight on Monday, as they were completely exhausted. They were, however brought out in line to act as a reserve, and many of the boys lay right down in the line and went to sleep when the shells were momentarily bursting over their heads.
Where the Rebels are now, I am unable to say; but I have no doubt that General Buell is giving them fits wherever they are. Our Regiment lost about 150 killed and wounded. James Devault was wounded in the arm, but not dangerously. I never received a scratch, but such a whistling of balls was not desirable to hear. I was over the field of battle the next day, and have no anxiety to go over it again. It was a horrible sight; but a soldier soon gets used to anything.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862
PITTSBURGH LANDING,
APRIL 8TH, 1862.
DEAR BROTHER:– The great fight is over, and I am still in the land of the living; which is more than I can say of thousands who were well on Sunday morning. We arrived [here] on Friday night last, and on Sunday at 10 A. M., we were led into the fight. To give you a description of the battle would take more paper than I have at my command.
The attack was made by the Rebels, who must have had an immense force. They drove us inch by inch toward the river until about 4 o’clock P. M., when General Buell came in. He had no men with him but a few of his body guard; but he rode along the lines, calling on the boys for God’s sake to hold the Rebels in check for two hours longer, until his reinforcements could cross the river. These reinforcements came none too soon. We held our position until night, and lay on our arms in line of battle until morning. It rained heavily all night.
During the night, Gen. Buell’s forces were crossing the river, and fast as they came over, they formed in line of battle. When morning came, the rebels commenced the attack with the greatest fury. – They thought they had a sure thing on us, and were surprised at the warm reception with which they were met. They commenced to retreat about 11 o’clock, which soon turned into a total rout. The slaughter was then immense. The troops who were in the first day’s fight were not in the hottest part of the fight on Monday, as they were completely exhausted. They were, however brought out in line to act as a reserve, and many of the boys lay right down in the line and went to sleep when the shells were momentarily bursting over their heads.
Where the Rebels are now, I am unable to say; but I have no doubt that General Buell is giving them fits wherever they are. Our Regiment lost about 150 killed and wounded. James Devault was wounded in the arm, but not dangerously. I never received a scratch, but such a whistling of balls was not desirable to hear. I was over the field of battle the next day, and have no anxiety to go over it again. It was a horrible sight; but a soldier soon gets used to anything.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862
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