FARTHER PARTICULARS OF THE BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING!
18,000 Federals Killed, Wounded and Missing!
35 to 40,000 Rebels Killed, Wounded and Missing
Chicago, April 9.
The following is the only account yet received of the battle of Pittsburgh landing. – The attack was brought on by three hundred of the twenty-fifth Missouri, under Gen. Prentice, by attacking the advance guard of the rebels, which was stationed on the left wing, firing volley after volley of musketry and shell. Our forces soon formed into line, and returned the fire vigorously. By the time we were prepared to receive them they had concentrated their largest force on our left and center of Sherman’s division and drove our men back from their camps and bringing up fresh forces, they again opened fire on our left wing and the division under the command of Gen. McClernand.
The fire was returned with terrible effect and determined spirit by both infantry and artillery along the whole line for a distance of over four miles.
Gen. Hurlburt’s [sic] division was thrown forward to support center, where a desperate conflict ensued and retreat. The rebels were driven back with terrible slaughter, but soon rallied and drove our men in return from 9 o’clock Sunday morning until night – no possibility of determining what the result would be.
Rebels exhibited remarkable generalship at times engaging our left with apparently whole force. They would then suddenly open terribly destructive fire on center and right. Even our heaviest, most destructive fire did not seem to discourage them or disarrange their solid columns. Major Taylor’s Chicago battery Artillery mowed them down in scores, and the breach would be filled immediately. Most desperate fighting took place afterward. The rebels seemed impressed with the idea that if they didn’t succeed in flanking us their chances for success would be extremely doubtful. At five o’clock they had forced our left wing back so as to occupy fully two-thirds of our camp and were fighting their way forward at a desperate degree, confident in their efforts to drive us into the river.
At the same time, they heavily engaged our right. At this time reinforcements which had been ordered forward had not arrived, Wallace’s division having taken the wrong road from Cruness [sic] Landing, did not come up until nightfall. When they arrived they had no way of crossing the river except by transports used for Quartermaster and commissary stores which were too heavily laden to carry any considerable number.
We were therefore contesting the field against fearful odds, our force not exceeding thirty-eight thousand, while that of the enemy was upwards of sixty thousand. Our condition was critical. Large numbers of men were panic struck, others worn out by hard fighting. Gen. Grant and staff recklessly rode along the lines during the entire day amid unceasing storms of bullets, grape and shell, inciting the men to stand firm until reinforcements could cross the river. In the evening Col. Webster, Chief of staff, got into position with heaviest pieces of artillery pointing on enemy’s right, while a large number of batteries were planted along the entire line from the river bank on the Northwest to extreme right, two and a half miles distant. About four before dusk a general cannonading opened on enemy from along our whole line, with a continual crack of musketry. – for a short time the rebels repelled vigorously, and effectively, but their return became less frequent and less destructive, wile ours grew more rapid and more terrible.
Gun boats Lexington and Tyler which lay a short distance off the left wing, rained shell on rebel hordes. This last support was too much for enemy and ere dark, firing nearly ceased and all combatants rested from work of blood and carnage. Our men rested on their arms, on the field, in the position they held at nightfall until Gen. Wallace arrived with his division and took position on our right. Nelson’s division of Buel’s [sic] army having arrived, was ordered to form on left. Crittenden’s division also of Buel’s [sic] army ordered to his support.
On Monday morning the battle was renewed at day-break, simultaneously by Nelson’s division on left and Wallace’s division on right. Nelson’s force opened most galling fire on rebels and advanced rapidly as the rebels fell back. The fire soon became general along the whole line and began to have terrible effect on the enemy. The men of Gen. McClernand’s, Sherman’s and Hurlbut’s division, although terribly jaded from previous day’s fighting, still maintained the honors won at Fort Donelson. The resistance of rebels was at all points gallant and worthy a better cause, but not enough, however, for the undoubted courage of our troops and dreadful destruction produced by our artillery, which sweeping them off like chaff convinced them that defeat now would be death to their hopes.
The rebel Generals still urged them on in the face of certain destruction, hoping by flanking our right they might turn the tide of battle. Their success was once more cheering as they began to gain ground there, but our left under Gen. Nelson was driving them and by 11 o’clock had succeeded in flanking them and capturing their batteries. They rallied on left and right and forced themselves forward in another desperate effort. Reinforcements from Gens. Wood and Thomson coming in, regiment by regiment was sent immediately to Buell, who had again commence driving the enemy. About 3 p.m. General Grant rode to the left, and finding the rebels still wavering, sent a portion of his body guard to the rear of each. Five regiments were then ordered to charge across the fields, himself leading with brandished sword and waved them on while cannon balls were falling like hail around him. The men followed with shout heard above the roar of battle. The Rebels fled in dismay as from a destroying avalanche and never made another stand, and were followed. By half past five the whole Rebel army were in full retreat to Corinth with our Cavalry in hot pursuit, with what result is not yet learned. It is impossible yet to learn what amount of material is captured; it is known however, a large amount of their artillery and a number of prisoners were taken. The Rebels took some prisoners, estimated several hundred, among them Gen. Prentiss. He is also reported wounded. The killed on the rebel side includes the Commander-in-Chief, A. Sidney Johnson [sic], who was struck by a cannon ball Sunday afternoon.
There is no doubt of this, as the fact is corroborated by several rebel officers taken. It is further reported that Beauregard had an arm shot off. Rebel Generals Breckinridge [sic], Bragg and Johnson, all had commands. Our loss in officers is very heavy, but it is impossible at present to state the number. Among them are W. H. L. Wallace, Col. Pegram, Col. Ellis, acting Brig. Gen., killed; Major Gadduck, 15th Ill., Lieut. Col. Conrad, 72nd Ohio Lieut. Col. Kyle, 41st Ind., Col. Davis, 41st Ill., mortally wounded; Gen. Sherman, Col. Sweeney, acting Brig. Gen., wounded; Col. Dave Stuart, acting Brig. Gen., Shot through the breast Sunday, but remained on the field until Monday. Gen. Sherman had two horses shot under him. Gen. McClernand not hurt but had bullet holes through his clothes. Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing is variously estimated at from ten to twenty thousand – Rebel loss twice that number. This, however, must be greatly exaggerated. Our force on Monday numbered about 80,000.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862
18,000 Federals Killed, Wounded and Missing!
35 to 40,000 Rebels Killed, Wounded and Missing
Chicago, April 9.
The following is the only account yet received of the battle of Pittsburgh landing. – The attack was brought on by three hundred of the twenty-fifth Missouri, under Gen. Prentice, by attacking the advance guard of the rebels, which was stationed on the left wing, firing volley after volley of musketry and shell. Our forces soon formed into line, and returned the fire vigorously. By the time we were prepared to receive them they had concentrated their largest force on our left and center of Sherman’s division and drove our men back from their camps and bringing up fresh forces, they again opened fire on our left wing and the division under the command of Gen. McClernand.
The fire was returned with terrible effect and determined spirit by both infantry and artillery along the whole line for a distance of over four miles.
Gen. Hurlburt’s [sic] division was thrown forward to support center, where a desperate conflict ensued and retreat. The rebels were driven back with terrible slaughter, but soon rallied and drove our men in return from 9 o’clock Sunday morning until night – no possibility of determining what the result would be.
Rebels exhibited remarkable generalship at times engaging our left with apparently whole force. They would then suddenly open terribly destructive fire on center and right. Even our heaviest, most destructive fire did not seem to discourage them or disarrange their solid columns. Major Taylor’s Chicago battery Artillery mowed them down in scores, and the breach would be filled immediately. Most desperate fighting took place afterward. The rebels seemed impressed with the idea that if they didn’t succeed in flanking us their chances for success would be extremely doubtful. At five o’clock they had forced our left wing back so as to occupy fully two-thirds of our camp and were fighting their way forward at a desperate degree, confident in their efforts to drive us into the river.
At the same time, they heavily engaged our right. At this time reinforcements which had been ordered forward had not arrived, Wallace’s division having taken the wrong road from Cruness [sic] Landing, did not come up until nightfall. When they arrived they had no way of crossing the river except by transports used for Quartermaster and commissary stores which were too heavily laden to carry any considerable number.
We were therefore contesting the field against fearful odds, our force not exceeding thirty-eight thousand, while that of the enemy was upwards of sixty thousand. Our condition was critical. Large numbers of men were panic struck, others worn out by hard fighting. Gen. Grant and staff recklessly rode along the lines during the entire day amid unceasing storms of bullets, grape and shell, inciting the men to stand firm until reinforcements could cross the river. In the evening Col. Webster, Chief of staff, got into position with heaviest pieces of artillery pointing on enemy’s right, while a large number of batteries were planted along the entire line from the river bank on the Northwest to extreme right, two and a half miles distant. About four before dusk a general cannonading opened on enemy from along our whole line, with a continual crack of musketry. – for a short time the rebels repelled vigorously, and effectively, but their return became less frequent and less destructive, wile ours grew more rapid and more terrible.
Gun boats Lexington and Tyler which lay a short distance off the left wing, rained shell on rebel hordes. This last support was too much for enemy and ere dark, firing nearly ceased and all combatants rested from work of blood and carnage. Our men rested on their arms, on the field, in the position they held at nightfall until Gen. Wallace arrived with his division and took position on our right. Nelson’s division of Buel’s [sic] army having arrived, was ordered to form on left. Crittenden’s division also of Buel’s [sic] army ordered to his support.
On Monday morning the battle was renewed at day-break, simultaneously by Nelson’s division on left and Wallace’s division on right. Nelson’s force opened most galling fire on rebels and advanced rapidly as the rebels fell back. The fire soon became general along the whole line and began to have terrible effect on the enemy. The men of Gen. McClernand’s, Sherman’s and Hurlbut’s division, although terribly jaded from previous day’s fighting, still maintained the honors won at Fort Donelson. The resistance of rebels was at all points gallant and worthy a better cause, but not enough, however, for the undoubted courage of our troops and dreadful destruction produced by our artillery, which sweeping them off like chaff convinced them that defeat now would be death to their hopes.
The rebel Generals still urged them on in the face of certain destruction, hoping by flanking our right they might turn the tide of battle. Their success was once more cheering as they began to gain ground there, but our left under Gen. Nelson was driving them and by 11 o’clock had succeeded in flanking them and capturing their batteries. They rallied on left and right and forced themselves forward in another desperate effort. Reinforcements from Gens. Wood and Thomson coming in, regiment by regiment was sent immediately to Buell, who had again commence driving the enemy. About 3 p.m. General Grant rode to the left, and finding the rebels still wavering, sent a portion of his body guard to the rear of each. Five regiments were then ordered to charge across the fields, himself leading with brandished sword and waved them on while cannon balls were falling like hail around him. The men followed with shout heard above the roar of battle. The Rebels fled in dismay as from a destroying avalanche and never made another stand, and were followed. By half past five the whole Rebel army were in full retreat to Corinth with our Cavalry in hot pursuit, with what result is not yet learned. It is impossible yet to learn what amount of material is captured; it is known however, a large amount of their artillery and a number of prisoners were taken. The Rebels took some prisoners, estimated several hundred, among them Gen. Prentiss. He is also reported wounded. The killed on the rebel side includes the Commander-in-Chief, A. Sidney Johnson [sic], who was struck by a cannon ball Sunday afternoon.
There is no doubt of this, as the fact is corroborated by several rebel officers taken. It is further reported that Beauregard had an arm shot off. Rebel Generals Breckinridge [sic], Bragg and Johnson, all had commands. Our loss in officers is very heavy, but it is impossible at present to state the number. Among them are W. H. L. Wallace, Col. Pegram, Col. Ellis, acting Brig. Gen., killed; Major Gadduck, 15th Ill., Lieut. Col. Conrad, 72nd Ohio Lieut. Col. Kyle, 41st Ind., Col. Davis, 41st Ill., mortally wounded; Gen. Sherman, Col. Sweeney, acting Brig. Gen., wounded; Col. Dave Stuart, acting Brig. Gen., Shot through the breast Sunday, but remained on the field until Monday. Gen. Sherman had two horses shot under him. Gen. McClernand not hurt but had bullet holes through his clothes. Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing is variously estimated at from ten to twenty thousand – Rebel loss twice that number. This, however, must be greatly exaggerated. Our force on Monday numbered about 80,000.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862
No comments:
Post a Comment