We have deferred to the latest moment making up our summary of news. The reader will find but few additional particulars from the battlefield of Shiloh.
It appears that Gens. Johnston, Beauregard, Polk and Bragg had effected a union of their forces at Corinth, Mississippi, a few days before the battle. Corinth is about 90 miles East of Memphis, Tenn., at that point on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad where the Mobile & Ohio Railroad crosses it.
Gen. Grant, commanding the left wing of the Federals, supposed to be 60,000 strong, had pushed his column up the Tennessee River, and landed at Pittsburg, Tenn., a small town on the river, about twenty miles from Corinth. Of this movement our generals were fully aware. The were also advised that Gen. Buell had pushed on his column of 70,000 from Nashville, South, but with the evident design of forming a junction with Grant, at Pittsburg.
Gen. Johnston therefore determined to attack Gen. Grant before Buell could re-inforce [sic] him, destroy his army and return to Corinth.
The Number of our forces is not known; some say 90,000, but we judge that is a large estimate. Our forces moved against Grant on the 6th instant, whose advance column was within 18 miles of Corinth, at Shiloh Church. At an early hour the troops were engaged, and the battle was fiercely contested on both sides during the entire day.
Where all did so well, it would be invidious to particularize, but Gens. Johnston, Polk, Pillow, Breckinridge and Gladden are specially spoken as signalizing themselves. About 2 ½ o’clock, General Johnston fell, a ball having cut the large artery of his leg; he continued in the saddle until he fainted with loss of blood, and expired very soon after. – Gen. Breckinridge is said to have had two horses killed under him, and his clothes were badly torn. Special mention is made of the great valor of the Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana troops, but we have no doubt all fought well. Dispatches state that only 35,000 of Grant’s forces were engaged. – How many of ours is not mentioned. The loss on both sides is said to be heavy, but nothing is mentioned except that our loss is about 3,000, and that we took between 4 and 6,000 prisoners, among whom was Gen. Prentice [sic] and a number of other officers. Eleven car loads of Federal prisoners arrived at Chattanooga on the 9th.
The enemy was completely routed on the 6th, and driven to their boats, leaving in immense amount of ammunition, stores, and guns in our possession, and 100 cannon captured.
On Sunday night Gen. Buell arrived with heavy re-inforcements and attacked Gen. Beauregard vigorously on Monday morning. The battle raged on until 1 o’clock, when both parties seemed to haul off. Gen. Beauregard fell back to Corinth according to General Johnston’s plan, not having been able to save all of his ammunition, supplies and cannon taken from the enemy the day before.
A dispatch from Corinth on the 9th, to the Richmond Dispatch, says, we still hold the battlefield, and it is not though that the enemy will advance. It says that Morgan’s Cavalry on the 8th attacked the enemy in camp and killed a large number of them, and burned the tents of our forces which they had left.
It says that Gens. Gladden, Bushrod Johnson and Hindman were wounded, and at 2 o’clock the firing ceased mutually on both sides on Monday, and both armies fell back.
It is also stated that Gen. Van Dorn had joined Beauregard at Corinth with re-inforcements. Near that point the great battle is yet to be fought.
A gentleman of this City has received a letter from a friend in the west, who states that Ft. Smith had been evacuated by our forces on account of the destitution of forage and provisions in that region, and that Gen. Price had retired to the Arkansas river to obtain supplies. This therefore discourages the rumor of another fight with Curtis.
We learn from dispatches received by the Charlotte Bulletin on the 10th, that Com. Hollins had communicated to the War Department at Richmond that three of the enemy’s gunboats had passed Island No. 10. Of course they will encounter breakers below.
It is states also, that five Yankee batteries commenced the bombardment of Fort Pulaski below Savannah at 6 o’clock A.M., on that day. No fears were felt for the Fort.
We have nothing from the neighborhood of Newbern, except the skirmish given in another article.
A rumor prevailed in Norfolk, which however was believed to be unfounded, that about 300 of our militia had been captured by the Yankees between Elizabeth City and South Mills.
It is also reported that the Burnside fleet was concentrating at Edenton for a supposed advance upon Suffolk. It needs confirmation.
No news about Norfolk or from the Merrimac.
The reported fights on the Peninsula are believed to have been only skirmishes. The enemy was said to be entrenching four miles below Yorktown.
– Published in The North Carolina Weekly Standard, Raleigh, North Carolina, Wednesday, April 16, 1862, p. 1
It appears that Gens. Johnston, Beauregard, Polk and Bragg had effected a union of their forces at Corinth, Mississippi, a few days before the battle. Corinth is about 90 miles East of Memphis, Tenn., at that point on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad where the Mobile & Ohio Railroad crosses it.
Gen. Grant, commanding the left wing of the Federals, supposed to be 60,000 strong, had pushed his column up the Tennessee River, and landed at Pittsburg, Tenn., a small town on the river, about twenty miles from Corinth. Of this movement our generals were fully aware. The were also advised that Gen. Buell had pushed on his column of 70,000 from Nashville, South, but with the evident design of forming a junction with Grant, at Pittsburg.
Gen. Johnston therefore determined to attack Gen. Grant before Buell could re-inforce [sic] him, destroy his army and return to Corinth.
The Number of our forces is not known; some say 90,000, but we judge that is a large estimate. Our forces moved against Grant on the 6th instant, whose advance column was within 18 miles of Corinth, at Shiloh Church. At an early hour the troops were engaged, and the battle was fiercely contested on both sides during the entire day.
Where all did so well, it would be invidious to particularize, but Gens. Johnston, Polk, Pillow, Breckinridge and Gladden are specially spoken as signalizing themselves. About 2 ½ o’clock, General Johnston fell, a ball having cut the large artery of his leg; he continued in the saddle until he fainted with loss of blood, and expired very soon after. – Gen. Breckinridge is said to have had two horses killed under him, and his clothes were badly torn. Special mention is made of the great valor of the Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana troops, but we have no doubt all fought well. Dispatches state that only 35,000 of Grant’s forces were engaged. – How many of ours is not mentioned. The loss on both sides is said to be heavy, but nothing is mentioned except that our loss is about 3,000, and that we took between 4 and 6,000 prisoners, among whom was Gen. Prentice [sic] and a number of other officers. Eleven car loads of Federal prisoners arrived at Chattanooga on the 9th.
The enemy was completely routed on the 6th, and driven to their boats, leaving in immense amount of ammunition, stores, and guns in our possession, and 100 cannon captured.
On Sunday night Gen. Buell arrived with heavy re-inforcements and attacked Gen. Beauregard vigorously on Monday morning. The battle raged on until 1 o’clock, when both parties seemed to haul off. Gen. Beauregard fell back to Corinth according to General Johnston’s plan, not having been able to save all of his ammunition, supplies and cannon taken from the enemy the day before.
A dispatch from Corinth on the 9th, to the Richmond Dispatch, says, we still hold the battlefield, and it is not though that the enemy will advance. It says that Morgan’s Cavalry on the 8th attacked the enemy in camp and killed a large number of them, and burned the tents of our forces which they had left.
It says that Gens. Gladden, Bushrod Johnson and Hindman were wounded, and at 2 o’clock the firing ceased mutually on both sides on Monday, and both armies fell back.
It is also stated that Gen. Van Dorn had joined Beauregard at Corinth with re-inforcements. Near that point the great battle is yet to be fought.
A gentleman of this City has received a letter from a friend in the west, who states that Ft. Smith had been evacuated by our forces on account of the destitution of forage and provisions in that region, and that Gen. Price had retired to the Arkansas river to obtain supplies. This therefore discourages the rumor of another fight with Curtis.
We learn from dispatches received by the Charlotte Bulletin on the 10th, that Com. Hollins had communicated to the War Department at Richmond that three of the enemy’s gunboats had passed Island No. 10. Of course they will encounter breakers below.
It is states also, that five Yankee batteries commenced the bombardment of Fort Pulaski below Savannah at 6 o’clock A.M., on that day. No fears were felt for the Fort.
We have nothing from the neighborhood of Newbern, except the skirmish given in another article.
A rumor prevailed in Norfolk, which however was believed to be unfounded, that about 300 of our militia had been captured by the Yankees between Elizabeth City and South Mills.
It is also reported that the Burnside fleet was concentrating at Edenton for a supposed advance upon Suffolk. It needs confirmation.
No news about Norfolk or from the Merrimac.
The reported fights on the Peninsula are believed to have been only skirmishes. The enemy was said to be entrenching four miles below Yorktown.
– Published in The North Carolina Weekly Standard, Raleigh, North Carolina, Wednesday, April 16, 1862, p. 1
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