The Question is already agitating the public mind as to who was the hero of the great battle at Corinth. It is asserted by some that General Grant was the man. Others say it was General Buell. Some are inclined to think it was General Halleck, while others stoutly contend that it was General Wallace. But we have the unspeakable pleasure to state, on the authority of a private telegram received by ye Local at this office, that no one of the Generals above designated was the true hero of the battle. They were all heroes in a subordinate sense.
The victory was positively one by “Old Strategy!” He alone did it, and no one participated with him in the glory of the transaction. While quietly snoozing in his pavilion on the banks of the Pottymack, and while his servitors were fanning the musketoes from his lordly brow, his faithful nose smelled afar off the coming battle at Corinth!
He started from his deep sleep, and called for his boots! His voice as like the rushing of many waters in a Des Moines river flood!
Said he, - “Bring the clothes-line here and establish a Telegraph office immeditly [sic] at the side of this bead-post!” The order was obeyed. The operating instruments were brought in, and the machine was put in motion. All right! Old Strategy had engineered the battle at Fort Donelson by Telegraph, when there was a chasm of 100 miles for the lightning to leap over without the aid of wires! Lightning could do it, and “Old Strategy” did it!
Click! click! went the instrument, making the clothes-line vibrate with thrilling commands.
“There!” said “old Strategy,” wiping his benign visage, and ejecting a dark colored fluid from his mouth, “General Prentiss by my orders has attacked ‘em at Pittsburgh Landing. He is giving ‘em fits!”
Click! click! General McClernand was ordered to reinforce General Prentiss!
Click! click! General Hurlburt’s [sic] Division was thrown forward to support the centre!
Click! click! Major Taylor’s Battery from Chicago was ordered by “Old Strategy” to mow down the luxuriant rebels, and the Battery went to mowing!
Click! click! General Grant was directed to ride among the raining bullets for diversion, with his hat off, and he rid!
Click! click! The federal gun-boats Lexington & Tyler were directed to rain shell on the rebels and they rained for an indefinite period.
At this point the Tennessee terminus of the Telegraph went poking into the ribs of General Wallace, informing him that his services were needed in the battle, and that he was lost in the woods! This was a grand stroke of “Old strategy” which was highly appreciated by General Wallace, although his ribs gave evidence of painful abrasion!
Click! click! General Nelson with new reinforcements was advised that it was his duty to go in on his muscle, and he went in with his sleeves rolled up and his collar unbuttoned!
Click! click! It was ordered that the Iowa Regiments should be restrained as long as practicable, because if they were to let loose on the rebels, they had a dangerous disposition to hurt “our dear Southern Brethren!” This order from “Old Strategy” was the only one which was fully disregarded. The Iowa Regiments waded into the battle with the unconquerable devotion for which they are distinguished, and a part of their war-cry was – “Old Strategy be cussed!”
At nightfall Sunday, “Old Strategy” looked fatigued. He retired early to his couch, and slept with the profound quietude which is characteristic of the classic Pottymack! He arose early, threw back his locks from his massive brow, and called for lunch. – Lunch came, and then came the ubiquitous Telegraph.
Click! click! Generals Wood and Thompson were ordered to reinforce. The reinforcements came.
Finding that he possessed such magnetic and irresistible power over the masses, “old Strategy,” taking a good ready about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, gave a thrilling order to the rebels to “skedaddle” with much haste to Corinth! This was sufficient! No sooner did the words electric reach the rebel hosts, than Beauregard’s arm and army went off simultaneously, and the grand army of the Confederacy, gallantly turning their backs on the enemy, made a Bull Run advance on Corinth with the Federal cavalry in full pursuit. Who, then is the hero of the Corinth battle? “Old Strategy,” of course.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862
The victory was positively one by “Old Strategy!” He alone did it, and no one participated with him in the glory of the transaction. While quietly snoozing in his pavilion on the banks of the Pottymack, and while his servitors were fanning the musketoes from his lordly brow, his faithful nose smelled afar off the coming battle at Corinth!
He started from his deep sleep, and called for his boots! His voice as like the rushing of many waters in a Des Moines river flood!
Said he, - “Bring the clothes-line here and establish a Telegraph office immeditly [sic] at the side of this bead-post!” The order was obeyed. The operating instruments were brought in, and the machine was put in motion. All right! Old Strategy had engineered the battle at Fort Donelson by Telegraph, when there was a chasm of 100 miles for the lightning to leap over without the aid of wires! Lightning could do it, and “Old Strategy” did it!
Click! click! went the instrument, making the clothes-line vibrate with thrilling commands.
“There!” said “old Strategy,” wiping his benign visage, and ejecting a dark colored fluid from his mouth, “General Prentiss by my orders has attacked ‘em at Pittsburgh Landing. He is giving ‘em fits!”
Click! click! General McClernand was ordered to reinforce General Prentiss!
Click! click! General Hurlburt’s [sic] Division was thrown forward to support the centre!
Click! click! Major Taylor’s Battery from Chicago was ordered by “Old Strategy” to mow down the luxuriant rebels, and the Battery went to mowing!
Click! click! General Grant was directed to ride among the raining bullets for diversion, with his hat off, and he rid!
Click! click! The federal gun-boats Lexington & Tyler were directed to rain shell on the rebels and they rained for an indefinite period.
At this point the Tennessee terminus of the Telegraph went poking into the ribs of General Wallace, informing him that his services were needed in the battle, and that he was lost in the woods! This was a grand stroke of “Old strategy” which was highly appreciated by General Wallace, although his ribs gave evidence of painful abrasion!
Click! click! General Nelson with new reinforcements was advised that it was his duty to go in on his muscle, and he went in with his sleeves rolled up and his collar unbuttoned!
Click! click! It was ordered that the Iowa Regiments should be restrained as long as practicable, because if they were to let loose on the rebels, they had a dangerous disposition to hurt “our dear Southern Brethren!” This order from “Old Strategy” was the only one which was fully disregarded. The Iowa Regiments waded into the battle with the unconquerable devotion for which they are distinguished, and a part of their war-cry was – “Old Strategy be cussed!”
At nightfall Sunday, “Old Strategy” looked fatigued. He retired early to his couch, and slept with the profound quietude which is characteristic of the classic Pottymack! He arose early, threw back his locks from his massive brow, and called for lunch. – Lunch came, and then came the ubiquitous Telegraph.
Click! click! Generals Wood and Thompson were ordered to reinforce. The reinforcements came.
Finding that he possessed such magnetic and irresistible power over the masses, “old Strategy,” taking a good ready about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, gave a thrilling order to the rebels to “skedaddle” with much haste to Corinth! This was sufficient! No sooner did the words electric reach the rebel hosts, than Beauregard’s arm and army went off simultaneously, and the grand army of the Confederacy, gallantly turning their backs on the enemy, made a Bull Run advance on Corinth with the Federal cavalry in full pursuit. Who, then is the hero of the Corinth battle? “Old Strategy,” of course.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862
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