CAIRO, April 14. – The first fighting at Pittsburg on Sunday morning last was opened by Col. Peabody sending Major Powell with one hundred and thirty men to reconnoitre; they met a large force of the enemy and were driven back; 300 were then sent out and they were driven back again. The enemy then attacked our men while breakfasting; they rushed to arms and pitched in to fight on their own hook. Gen. Grant was down on the steamer Tiger. – Col. Peabody was shot in the thigh.
Gen. Prentiss is reported to have said that he would sooner be taken prisoner [than] to retreat.
The rebel Col. Bushrod Johnson, who violated his parole given at Donelson, was taken prisoner.
A son of Gov. Sam Houston is wounded and a prisoner in St. Louis. Also a son of Pierre Soule has been taken prisoner.
The government has bought the steamers January and City of Louisiana for floating hospitals.
Col. Wood’s cavalry has gone to St. Louis; only 115 men of his regiment that are not taken prisoners, except what were in hospitals on Friday.
The Iowa 14th reported not taken prisoners.
One half of the 14th and 35th Illinois were taken prisoners.
The Missouri 19th went into the fight on Sunday with 600 men, and only ninety could be found at evening.
The 18th Missouri, 61st Illinois and 16th Wisconsin were in the centre of Prentiss’ division held their position for four hours in the middle of the day on Sunday.
Adj. Gen. Bilman of Prentiss’ division said he could muster only seventeen hundred men out of sever regiments on Sunday evening.
One of our sick men left in one of our tents is reported to have been hauled out thirty yards and his throat cut on Sunday night from ear to ear. Another had his boots stolen off his feet.
A man who helped bury the dead says he counted on a certain spot 170 dead rebels and only 38 Federals, they never put in less than two rebels to one Federal.
The rebels hauled off their dead Sunday night.
A surgeon visited 34 regiments of Grant’s army to ascertain the loss, and says the average killed is 34 to each regiment killed, and one hundred wounded.
Gen. Grant informed a surgeon just before leaving on Friday, that our loss was 1,500 killed 5,000 wounded and 3,500 prisoners. I have this from the surgeon. It seems too small.
We have one thousand rebel prisoners. Five hundred are wounded. The dead are buried.
Twenty five hundred wounded loyal troops lien in the transports at Pittsburgh receiving medical care.
Every facility is given by Gen. Strong to friends to help them in search of wounded and killed.
– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Tuesday April 15, 1862 and also in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862
Gen. Prentiss is reported to have said that he would sooner be taken prisoner [than] to retreat.
The rebel Col. Bushrod Johnson, who violated his parole given at Donelson, was taken prisoner.
A son of Gov. Sam Houston is wounded and a prisoner in St. Louis. Also a son of Pierre Soule has been taken prisoner.
The government has bought the steamers January and City of Louisiana for floating hospitals.
Col. Wood’s cavalry has gone to St. Louis; only 115 men of his regiment that are not taken prisoners, except what were in hospitals on Friday.
The Iowa 14th reported not taken prisoners.
One half of the 14th and 35th Illinois were taken prisoners.
The Missouri 19th went into the fight on Sunday with 600 men, and only ninety could be found at evening.
The 18th Missouri, 61st Illinois and 16th Wisconsin were in the centre of Prentiss’ division held their position for four hours in the middle of the day on Sunday.
Adj. Gen. Bilman of Prentiss’ division said he could muster only seventeen hundred men out of sever regiments on Sunday evening.
One of our sick men left in one of our tents is reported to have been hauled out thirty yards and his throat cut on Sunday night from ear to ear. Another had his boots stolen off his feet.
A man who helped bury the dead says he counted on a certain spot 170 dead rebels and only 38 Federals, they never put in less than two rebels to one Federal.
The rebels hauled off their dead Sunday night.
A surgeon visited 34 regiments of Grant’s army to ascertain the loss, and says the average killed is 34 to each regiment killed, and one hundred wounded.
Gen. Grant informed a surgeon just before leaving on Friday, that our loss was 1,500 killed 5,000 wounded and 3,500 prisoners. I have this from the surgeon. It seems too small.
We have one thousand rebel prisoners. Five hundred are wounded. The dead are buried.
Twenty five hundred wounded loyal troops lien in the transports at Pittsburgh receiving medical care.
Every facility is given by Gen. Strong to friends to help them in search of wounded and killed.
– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Tuesday April 15, 1862 and also in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862
