Decatur Eagle, Volume 6, Number 11, Decatur, Adams County, 17 April 1862 — Page 1

THE DECATUR EAG LE.

VOL. 6.

DECATUR OGLE. IS ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING, BY A . J. HILL, EDITOR, FL’BLISHDR ANU FBOPRIBTOB. OFFICE—On Second Street, In Patterson’s building, over the Drug Store. Terms of Subscription: One cony, one year, in advance, fl 00 If paid within the year. 1 50 If not paid until the year has expired, 2 Oil OTo paper will be discontinued until all arrerages are paid except at the option of the Publisher. Terms of Advertising: One square,(ten lines) three insertions, fl 00 Each subsequent insertion, 25 JTNo advertisement will be considered less than one square; over one square will be counted and charged as two; over two, as three, etc. IT"A. liberal discount, from the above rates, made on all advertisements inserted for a period longer three months. •iLFTIie above rates will be strictly adhered to under all circumstances. JOB PRINTING: We are prepared to doall kinds of job-work, ina neat and workmanlike manner, on theincst reasonable terms. Our material for the completion of Job-Work, beinv new and of the latest styles, we feel confident that satisfaction can be given. THE GREAT TENNESSEE VIC~ TORY. TFRRIFIC BATTLE AT PITTSBURG LANDING. Sixty Thousand Rebels Attack General Grant’s Forces of Thirty-eight Thousand—They Fight two days—Tremendous Slatughtcre on Both Hides—Rebels Defeated, etc, etc., etc., etc. Pittsburg, via Fort Henry, April 9, 320 A. M. —One ot the greatest end bloodiest battles of modern days h .s just closed, resulting in the complete rout of the enemy, who attacked us at daybreak Sunday. The battle lasted, without intermission, during the entire day, and was again renewed on Monday morning, and continued till 4 o’clock in the afternoon, when the enemy commenced their retreat, and are still flying loward Corinth, pursued by a large force ot our -cavalry. The fight was brought on by a body of 300 of the Twenty-filth Missouti Regiment, Gen. Prentiss’ division attacking the advance guard of the rebels, which were supposed to be the pickets of the enemy in front of our camp. The enemy immediately advanced on General Prent is’ division on the left wing, pouring volley after volley of musketry, and riddling our camps with grape, cannister, and shell. Our forees soon formed into line and returned their fire vigorously, and by the time we were prepared to receive them, they had turned their heaviest fire on the left and center of Sherman’s division, and drove our men back from their camps, bringing up a fresh force, opened fire on our le t wing under General McClernand. This fire was returned with terrible effect and determined spirit by both infantry f.nd artillery, along the whole line, for a distance of over four miles. Gen. Hurlburt’s division was thrown forward to support the center, when a desperate conflict ensued. The rebels were driven back with a terrible slaughter, but soon rallied and drove back our men in turn. From about nine o’clock, the time your -correspondent arrived on the field, until night closed on the bloody scene there was no determination of the result of the struggle. The rebels exhibited remarkably good generalship, at t’mes engaging the left with apparently their whole strength. They would suddenly opendd a terrible find destructive fire on the right or center. Even our heaviest and most detractive fire on the rebels did not apppear ito discourage theis solid colums. The fire ofMajor Taylor’s Chicago artillery raked . them down in scores, but the smoke no - sooner cleared away than the breach -would again be filled. The most desperate foray took place tlate in the afternoon- The enemy knew that if they did not succeed in whipping then, that their chances for sucess would be extremely doubtful, as a portion of Bud’s force had by this time arrived on the opposite side of the river, and the other portion was coming up the river f from Savannah. They became aware we were being reenforced, as they could see Gen. Buel’s troops from the river bank, a short distance above us on the left, to which point they had forced their way. At five o’clock the rebels had forced our left wing back so as to occupy nearly two-thirds of our camp, and were fighting their way forward with a desperate degree of confidence in their eflfort to drive us into the nver. anl at the same time heavily enga-

ged on our right Up to this time we had received no reenforcement, Gen. Lew. Wallace (ailing to come to our support until the day was over, having taken the wrong road from Crump’s Landing and being without other transports than those used for Quartermasters and Commissary stores, which were too heavily laden to ferry any considerable number of Gon. Buell’s forces across the river, those that were here having been sent to bring the troops from Savannah. We were, therefore, contending against fearful odds, our force not exceeding 38,000, while that of the enemy was upward of 60,000. Our condition at this moment was extremely critical. Large numbers of men panic-struck, others worn out with hard fighting, with the avarage per centagefof skulkers, had straggled toward the river and could not be rallied. General Grant and Staff, who had been recklessly riding along the lines during the day, a nid the unceasing storm of bullets, grape and shell, now rode from right to left, inciting the men to stand firm until our re-enforcements could cross the river. Col. Webster, Chief of Staff, arriving, got into position the heavest pieces of artillery, pointing to the enemy’s right, while a large number of the batteries were planted along the entire line, from the river bank northwest to our extreme right, some, two and a half miles distant. About an hour before dusk, a general cannonade opened upon the enemy from along our whole line, with a perpetual crack of mus ketry. Such roar was never heard on this continent. For a short time the rebels replied with vigor and effect, but their shots grew less frequent and destructive, while ours grew more rapid and more terrible. The gunboat Lexington and Taylor, which lay a short distance off, kept raining still on the rebel hordes. The last effort was too much for the enemv, and ere dusk the firing had nearly ceased, when, night coming on, all the i combatants rested from their awful work of blood aud carnage. Our men rested on their arms in the position they had at the close of the fight, until the forces under Major Genera) Wallace took position on the right, and met Buell s force from the opposite side. Savannah being now converted to the battle ground. The entire right of Gen. Nelson’s division was ordered to form on the right, and the forces under Gen. Crittenden were ordered to bis support early in the morning. Second Day’s Rattle. General Buel having arrived the preceding evening, in the morning the ball was opened at daylight, simultaneously, by Gen. Nelson’s division on the left, and Major-General Wallace’s division on the right. Gen. Nelson’s force opened a most ; galling fire, and advanced as rapidly as the enemy fell back. The fire soon became general along the whole lin°, and began to tell with terrible effect on the enemy. Generals McClernand, Sherman and Hurlburt’s men. though terribly jaded from the previous day’s fighting, still maintained their honors won at Donelson; but the resistance of the rebels at all points was ierri-, ble and worthy a better cause. But they were not enough for our undaunted bravery and the dreadful desolation produced by our artillery, which was sweeping them away like chaff before the wind; but knowing that a defeat here would be a death blow to their hopes, and that their all depended upon this great struggle, their general still urged them on in the face of destruction, hoping by flank ing us on the right, to turn the tide of battle, Their success was again frr a lime cheering as they began to gain ground on us, appearing to have been reenforced, but our left, under Gen. Nelson, was driving them, and with wonderful rapidity, and by eleven o’clock Gen. Buell’s forces had succeeded in flanking them and capturing their batteries of artillery. They, however, again rallied on the left, and recovered, and the right forced themselves forward, in another desperate effort, but re-enforcements from General Wood and Gen. Thomas were coming in, regiment after regiment, which were sent to Gen. Buell, who bad again commenced to drive the enemy. About 3. P. M. Gen. Grant rode to the left, where the fresh regiments had been ordered, and finding the rebels wavering, sent a portion of his body-guard to the head of each of the five regiments, and then ordered a charge across the tioiu, himself leading, as he brandished his sword and waved them on to the crowning victory, while cannon balls were falling like hail around him. The men followed with a shout that sounded above the roar and din of artillery, and the rebels fled in disg: l ? as from a destroying 3 Y ’.;binche. and never made another stand. ->•- yjcdl followed the retreaitng reb- 1 els, driving tb£ai in spendid and by

‘Our Country’s Good shall ever be our Aim—Willing to Praise and not afraid to Blame.”

DECATUH, ADAMS COUNTV, INDIANA, APRIL 17, 1862.

half past five o’clock the while i »bel ar. I my was in full reireat to Cor’nth, with our cavalry in hot pursuit, with what [ furthe r resuL is not known no’ ba ring returned up to this hour. We have taken a large atroun' of their artillery, and also a number of prisoners. ' We Jost a number of our f»rc( s priso ners yesterday, among whom tsi General Prentiss. The number of our forces taken has not been ascertained yet. It is reported at several hundred. Gen. Prentiss is also leported wounded. Among the killed on the rebel side, was their Commander-in-Chief, Albert Sidney Johnston, who was struck by a cannon ball in the afternoon ol Sunday.— Os this, there is no doubt, as the report is corroporated by several rebel officers taken to-day. It is further reported that Beauregard i had his arm shot off. This P. M., Gens. Bragg, Breckinridge and Jackson were commanding positions of t he rebel forces. There has never been a parallel to the gallantry and bearing of our officers, from the commanding general to the lowest ' officer. General Grant and staff were in the field, riding along the lines, in the thickest of the fire, duiing the entire two days i of the battle; and all slept on the ground Sunday night, during a heavy rain On several occasions General Grant got within range of the enemy’s guns, and was discovered and fired upon — , Lieutenant-Colonel McPherson had his! horse shot from under him, when along side of Gen. Grant Captain C irson Was between Gen, Grant and your correspondent, when a cannon ball took off his head, j and wounded several others. Gen Sherman had two horses killed under him, and Gen. McClernand shared like danger, also Gen. Hurlburt, each of whom received bullet holes through their j clothes. Gen. Buell rem lined with his ( troops during the entire dav. and with J ! Gen. Crittenden and Gen. Nelson, rode , ‘continually along the lines encouraging I their meu. 1 [Correspo idence of the Cincinnati Time o ,] The Tennessee River Expediton—The Battle of Pittsburgh Binding—Desperate Conflict of Fifteen Honrs—lmmense Slaughter on Both Sides —Attack and Repulse of the Enemy—The First Day’s Fight—Over 100,000 Troops Engaged—The B ittie of the Campaign. Pittsburg, April 6—Midnight. —At two o’clock this morning, Colonel Peabody, of Pren'iss’ Division, fearing that all was not right, dispatched a body of | 400 men beyond the camp, for the purpose of looking after any force which might be lurking in that directron. The step was wisely taken, for a half a mile’s advance showed a heavy force of the enemy approaching, who fired upon them with great slaughter. Those who es-i caped fell back to the Twenty-fifth Missouri Regiment swiftly pursued by the enemy. The contest had been of short duration, and and the advance of the Secessionists reached the brigade of Colonel Peabody just as the long roll was sounded and the men were falling into line.— Their resistance, taken so unawares, was :of short duration, and they retreated in as good older as was possible under a ; gallng fire, untill they reached the lines of the second Division. At six e’clock the attack had become general along the entire front of the line. The enemy, in | large force, had driven in the pickets of General Sherman’s Division, and had fal-1 len with vengance on the Forty-eighth Ohio, Col. Sullivan, the Seventieth, Col. ■ Cockerell, and the Seventy-second, Col. Buckland. The troops here had never before been in action, and being so unexpectedly attacked ere they could fully un- ; derstand their position or get into file, I they made an able resistance as was possible, but were, in common with the forces of General Prentiss’ forced to seek; ' support on the troops immediately in their rear. The fifth Ohio cavalry, formerly belonging to this division, had been I removed to General Hurlburt’s command the day before yesterday, and their place supplied and camp occupied by the Second Illinois Cavalcy. These latter knew nothing of the approach of the enemy un- ( tri th*v were in their midst, firing into their tents and applying the torch as they came. The slaughter on this first onslaught of the enemy was very severe, scores falling at every discharge of the enemy’s guns, and all making their best effort to escape or repel the foe. It, however, soon became evident that the Secession force was overpowering, and nothing was left but for the advance line to retreat. This was done in considerable disorder, both officers and men losing every par- , licle of their baggage, it, of course falling into enemy’s hands at P Rst eigni o’ c ’ oC k ie fight had become general along the whole line, the ‘‘JcondlL of divisions having recetved

the advance ia good order atid made ev--1 ery preparation for a suitable reception ol the foe. As ycur correspondent reached the . third line of our forces, he met several thousands of stragglers, many of them from the hospitals, but many more who had never before witnessed the service of the battle field, and who so far had not found it very much to their liking.— Their (aces were turned toward the river, and neither threats or pursuasion could Induce them to change their course. I must say at this juncture your correspondent was strongly reminded o( the; great panic at Bull Run, (or appejrances indicated that the same scenes were to be , re-enacted upon this occasion Men and women came promiscuously singly and ; by dozens, filling the road, limping, staggering along, in some cases supported by the arms o( comrades, but all having the I i same destination and bent on the accost-i ! plishment or the same purpose, viz: To! escape the sound of the whizzing balls, which were flying in every direction. Tne timely arrival of Gen. Grant, who j had hastened up from Savannah, led to j the adoption of such measures as put to a termination this uncalled for flight from ths battle field. A strong guard was postad across the thoroughfates, with I orders to halt every soldier whose face was turned toward the river. Some of the wounded were allowed to proceed, but the self-constituted guard who had chosen that as a means of escape, were made to keep within the lines under penalty of a stronger admonition at the hand of the line of established sentries. All the wagons and other vehicles of ti asportation on their way to the camps were turned back, and the road given as (ar as practicable to the use of ambulances which were now getting plenty- They were not, however, sufficient for the de mands of the occasion, there being in many cases but two to each regiment, and heavy army wagons were used to , make up the deficiency. These rattled I along over the jagged roots and stones, filled to the top with the wounded and such of the sick as were not able to leave the regimental hospitals without assistj ance. At ten o’clock the entire line on Loth sides was engaged in one of the most terrible battles ever known in this country. I The roar of cannon and musketry was without intermission from the main centre to a point extending half way down the left wing. The great struggle was more upon the gathered forces which had falleo back on Sherman’s position into the ni x' line of troops. A desperate charge h"d just been made on the Fourteetnh Ohio Battery, and it not being properly supported by a force of infantry, it was at last relinquished, and fell into the hands of the enemy. Another severe fight occurred for the possession ot the Fifth Ohio Battery, which resulted in three of its guns being taken by the Sei cession forces. By eleven o'clock quite a number of of the commanders of regiments had fallen, and in some cases not a single fi-dd officer remained, yet the fighting continued with an earnestness which plain'y showed that the contest on both sides was for death or victory. The almost ' deafening sound of artillery and the rattle of small arms were all that could be heard as the men stood and silently delivered their fire evidently bent on the work of destruction with a fervor that' knew no bounds. Foot by foot the ground was contested, a single narrow strip of open ground dividing the opponents. Not having had time, in their hasty departure from their camps, to , bring forward the handstretchers so nec- ' essary for the easy transportation of the wounded, such available means as were at hand were adopted, and the soldier’s outstretched blanket received his crippled comrade, as the only available method by which he could be carried to the rear. Many who were ma'med fell back without help, while others still fought in the ranks until they were actually forced back by their company officers. Finding it impossible to drive back the ’center of our column, at twelve o’clock the enemy slackened their fire on our left wing, endeavoring to outflank it by driving it into the river bank at a point about one half miles above Pittsburg 1 Landing. This wing was under command of Gen Hurlburt,and was composed of [the Fourteenth, Thirty-second. Forty 'fourth and Fifty-seventh Indiana, she Eight, Twenty-first and Eighteenth Illinois. Fronting its entire line, however, wasa brigade under General Sherman, composed of the Fifty fourth. Fifty seventh and Seventv-sevent'i Ohio. Tay- | lor’s Fifth Ohio Cavalry were also in Gen era’ Hurlburt’s Division, but from the improper nature of the arms with which they were provided, they were not able to do one-half the execution the men desired. With the first demonstration of the eni emy upon the left wing, it was to be seen that all the fury was being poured out up-

on it with the determination that itsho’ld give way. For nearly two hours a sheet of fire blazed upon both column*, and I could liken the explosion of the small arms to nothing save a cane break in a state of conflagration. The Mississippi riflemen, a large and well organised body of good marksmen and desperate men fought 1 with a valor that was only equalled by those who received theif unerring fire, and returned it with an energy which as sured them that many of those who had endured the fire of Donelson were in the ranks before them. ; In this quarter it seemed, for the period of nearly an hour, that the enemy would succeed in driving otlr forces. Threedifferent times they drove our men slowly | before them, until they came in sight of the river, and weie plainly visible to those . on the main landing below i While the conflict raged the hotest in I the qnarter we are writing of, the gunboat Tyler passed slowly up the river to a point directly opposite the force of the. en- | emy, and poured in a broadside from her i immense guns. The shell went tearing I through the woods, felling trees in their course, and spreading havoc wherever they fell. The explosions were treiuen- , dous, and the shell falling f ir inland, most probably from their direction in the very heart of the Secession force, must have , told with a startling effect. At any rate I attribute the failure of the foe to carry , the left wing, in a great measure, to the well directed shots of the Tyler. The land force might have been able to have successfully kept the immense weight of i the enemy but, from my observation of the matter, I think they were greatly aided by the well directed shots frum the gunboat. Up to three o’clock, it will be remembered, the battle had raged with a fury indiscribable. At every point the rebels had found every attempt to break our lines unavailing. They had striven to drive in our main column, and finding that impossible had turned all their strength upon our left wing. Foiled in that quarter, they now made another attack on the center, and fought like tigers. ■ They found our lines well prepared for ; i and in full expectation of their coming; ! every man to his post and all willing to bring the contest to a definite conclusion. i In hourly expectation of the arrival of ; the forces under Generals Nelson and Thomas, who were at Savannah, and to whom messengers had been sent, a fact ns well known to the secessionists as our-. ; selves, they made every effort tu rout our forces before these reinforcements should have come forward. They were, however, fighting against a wall of fire and sleele, manned by as brave hearts as ev ! er smelled the essence of gunpowder.— Volley answered to volley, and for a time the battle was reenacted over the same ground and with the same vigor on both sides. At five o’clock there was a short ces-: sation in the firing of the enemy, their i lines falling back oil the center for the i ' distance, perhaps, of nearly a half a mile. I Tin y then suddenly wheeled and again ; threw their entire force upon the left wing i for the final struggle of the day in that i quarter. The gun boat Lexington, in i the mean time had arrived from Savannah; and after sending a messenger to General Grant (o ascertain the direction in which the enemy lay from the river, i the two boats took position about half a i mile above the landing and poured their shell up a deep ravine, reaching to the | i river on the right The shots were thick and fast and told with a thrilling effect. , In the mean time General Wallace had taken a circuitous route from Crump’s Landing and appeared suddenly on the right wing of the enemy. In face of this combination of circumstances, the rebels felt that their enterprise was lor the day a failure, and as night was about at hand they reached an advantageous position, somewhat in the rear, and yet occupying the main road to Corinth. The gun boats continued to send their shell alter them until they had entirely got beyond their reach. Thus ends an outline of the battle of the first day. There is no time or opportunity at this hour to obtain a list, or even any accurate knowledge, of the loss by killed, wounded or missing. Some of our Ohio regiments have suffered severely, although the number of those severely wounded is co uparatively small. Gunshots in the arms and legs are very plentiful, it seemingly having been the object lof the enemy to wound rather than kill outright, being in adherence to the policy that it requires four men to take care of one wounded, while none are required to look after the dead. After a wearied watching of several hours of the most intense anxiety, the advance regiments of General Buell’s Division appeared on the opposite bank of the river, at five o’clock this afternoon.— Steamers were immediately sent over, and the work of ferriage began, the Thir-ty-sixth Indianna and the Sixth Ohio be- ' ing the first to cross, followed by the I*

main portion of General Nelson’s Division. ■ They were succeded bv General Bruce’s command, embracing, among others, the 1 Fjrst and Second Kentucky. Cheer after cheer greeted the arrival of the reinforcements, a knowledge of their importance In the crisis being firmly impressed upon all who had witnessed the events of this dreadful day. Without a moment’s delay they disembarked and marched to the advance, where they rested on their arms for the night. They had come at a double quick from Savannah, but their comrades in the field had sustained an unflinching fight for fifteen hours, and they were glad to relieve them and afford them a few hours’ rest. The Second Day’s Fight. Pitt burg, April 7. —During all ths horrors of last night the steamers lying at this point, not too heavily laden, were engaged in ferrying the troops of Nelson's division from the opposite shore. As the troops disembarked, they took their way to the advance on the left wing of our forces. * * * * With the first hours of daylight it wag evident, however, that the enemy had also been strongly reenforced, for, notwithstanding they must have known of the arrival of the new Union troops, they were the first to open the battle, which they did about seven o'clock, and with considerable alacrity. The attack then began i from the main Corinth road, a point to which they seemed strongly attached, and which at no time did they leave unguarded. It mattered net where the fight raged fiercest, there was at all times evidence that the safe security of that thoroughfare was continually cared for. VA ithin half an hour from the first firing of the morning, the contest had again spread in either direction, and both : the main center and left wing were acj lively engaged. The enemv were, Low- , ever, not so anxious to fight their way ' to the river’s bank as on the previous day, having had a slight experience of what they might expect if brought under the guns of the Tyler and Lexington. The foe was not, however, lacking in activity, and they were met by the reinI forcements, together with the still unwearied soldiers of yesterday, with an energy that they certainly could not, have expec- , ted. At nine o’clock the sound of the artillery anil musketry fully equaled that of the day previous, though it could not be said to continue so long in one quarter. It now became evident that the rebels were avoiding the extreme of our left wing, and endeavoring to find some weak point in the lines by which to turn our force and thus cieate an irrevocable confusion. It is wonderful with what perseverance and determination they adhered to this purpose. They left one point but to return to it immediately, and then as suddenly would direct a most vigorous assault upon one division where they fancied they would not be expected.— Tne fire of our lines was now steady as clock work, and it soon became evident that the enemy almost considered the task they had undertaken a hopeless one. Notwithstanding the continued rebuff of the rebels wherever thev made their assaults, up to eleven o’clock they had given no evidence of retiring from the field. Their firing had been as rapid and vigorous at times as during the most terrible hours of the previous day, vet not so well din cted, nor so long confined to one point of attack. Still further reenforceraents continued to arrive. The steamers Crscent Citv, Hiawatha. Louisville, John Warner and others having left SavanYiah, loaded to the guards with troops belonging to Gen. Buell’s command. These immediately mounted the hill and took position upon the right of the main center, under Gen. W allace. So far the fight of the morning had been waged some one and' a half miles within our former lines, and but a short distance from the river’s bank, ill a due western!)’ direction. Generals Grant., Buel, Nelson, Sherman and Crittenden (I learn, though I have not seen him), were everywhere ; directing the movements for a new stroke against the foe. General Wallace’s Division, on the right, had been strongly .reinforced, and suddenly both wings of our army were turned upon the enemy with the intention of driving the immense body into an ixtensive ravine. At the same time a powerful battery had been stationed near an open field known as the “battalion drill ground” lor Sherman’s Division, and this, loaded with canister, poured volley after volley upon the somewhat disgusted rebels. The cannonading of the dav previous had been mostly confined to shell and heavy ball, but t was evident that the change now made was having a telling effect. At half past eleven o’clock the roar of the battle almost shook the earth in this vicinity, for the Union guns were being fired with all the energy that the prospect of the enemy’s defeat could Inspire. The fire of the rebels was not, however, [_continued on second PAUS.J

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