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How they retired.
The retirement of the Confederate army was screened from the
Federals so far as such a thing could be done by a covering force of less than 3,000 men and 15 pieces of artillery under
General Breckinridge, posted on elevated ground and commanding a wide view.
Brigadier-General Thomas Jordan,
Beauregard's adjutant-general, who had selected the ground for this covering force says: ‘There I remained until after 4 o'clock, or until the entire Confederate force had retired.
General Breckinridge's troops being the last, and without seeing a single Federal soldier within the wide range of my eyes.’
The Confederate retreat was discovered on some parts of the line but no vigorous effort was made to interfere with them.
An advance by two regiments, accompanied by
General Grant has been dignified into a charge led by that officer, although they advanced but a short distance, and encountered a few skirmishers only.
General Grant reported his loss in the two days fight as 1,754 killed, 8,408 wounded and 95 missing, in all 10,699.
The aggregate of Union troops engaged for the two days was by their own lowest estimate 58,000 effectives.
The total Confederate force engaged was by the very highest estimate 40,335.
