Late and interesting News
The following summary is compiled from papers received by the
Southern and Western mails last night:
The battle of Shiloh.
[Correspondence of the Knoxville Register.]
Amid the excitement and bustle prevalent here just now, I snatch a moment to give you what I know of the fight at
Corinth yesterday, and the day before.
From the most accurate information I have, about 3 o'clock, Saturday evening, our pickets were driven in by the enemy's, when the
Confederates advanced and commenced an attack upon the enemy's lines which was returned and continued till late in the evening, when firing ceased.
Early Sunday morning a general attack was mad, engaging the entire force of the enemy, but not more than half of ours — there being some twenty-five thousand in active on the field, besides a reserve under
Gen. Van Dorn, at
Memphis, and the 2d Brigade, under
Acting Brig. Gen. White, at
Burnsville.
As the day advanced the battle increased in fury, and by 10 o'clock it was raging at every point along the line.
The dead and wounded lay, thick; the reign of Death was supreme.
At every successive charge of our brave boys the enemy's ranks were perceptibly thinned; but they died like heroes.
On both sides the men seemed perfectly wild.
Now the
Federal would waver and falter before the sneering aim of our men, but again they would rally their broken columns, and thus it continued the live-long day, each striving for the mastery; and at 3 o'clock one could not tell which way fortune would turn the scale.
The slaughter on the enemy's side was by this time terrific — whole regiments had been demolished, and others thinned to skeletons.
And on the
Confederate side, also was the slaughter terrible.
The best information I have, says that the
Federal less in killed and wounded was 8,000--in prisoners 6,000. Late in the evening the
Federal fell back, taking their dead and wounded from the field as far as possible — The engagement then ceased.
Our victory was then complete, though dear bought.
Many of the braves spirits of the
Confederacy fell
Tennessee, while she has her part of the glory, has more than her share of the glorious dead
Tennessee has redeemed herself; if there was a state upon her fair ex, on account of
Donelson or
Mill Springs, it has been forever wiped out with their own precious blood on the plains of
Mississippi.
Our line of battle extended fourteen miles; the right was commanded by
Gen. Johnston; the centre by
General Beauregard, and the left by
Gen. Cheatham.
As the day advanced, the enemy threw their whole fore on the left wing, when
Gen. Beauregard changed his position to that wing.
Another account.
The Memphis
Appeal, of Tuesday, has the following from its correspondent:
‘
En armende for my brusqueness at the passed you, and in compliance with your request.
I send you a brief and hurried account of the
battle of Shiloh, more glorious than
Taylor's victory, when
Davis,
Quitman, McCrung, Grad ford,
Hays, and brave lamented
McCulloch, led Yankees to victory.
’
Allow me, however, in justification of myself, to promise that I am worn out in body and mine, and therefore unable to render the settle in minute detail.
Early yesterday morning I approached the field of battle, and was directed by our gallant (himself hurrying or) to the point of attack.
While the thunder of artillery and tempest of musketry rose on air, I galloped through an old four miles Northeast of
Monterey, where all the elements that spent their powers as a grand prelude to the which the fate of empires now hangs.
In striking contrast with all that is horrible and sublime, the bluebirds were singing their Sunday morning anthems, and the landscape seemed wedded to the quiet sky.--But you are impatient of prevailing weakness and eager for facts.
I find myself on the left wing of our forces.
In
Col. command.
His men are fighting against overwhelming odds, and falling like autumn's leaves around him. A battled to his right pours a terrific fire on the foe and seems the last hope of our poor fellows, who are charging to the cannon's month — they waver, fall back, seem almost cut to pieces; the gallant Colonel falls, (shot in the thigh,) but not, as you have it, killed I thought the day already lost and fall back to a place of safety with a full determination to remain in the rear, but encountering
Gen. Cheatham's division, and some gallant fellows whom I had seen on another battle field, my anxieties got the poster of my discretion; I galloped along the lines and gave more flattering accounts than I ought.
The different companies shout as I give the news; and
Lieutenant-Colonel Tyler cordially exclaims: "I will gladly give my life to save this wing." Poor fellow the next time I saw him his gallant was stretched in an ambulance — his cheek blanched that never blanched in danger, and his chest contrasted in agony.
He had received a horrible wound in the thigh.
Gen. grant it be not mortal.
They are in the hall of grapes and musketry, which had brindled our left wing before reinforcement.
Col. Smith a regiment in almost decimated, but cross like the air ever their wounded and dying at each belch of the vandal's cannon.
Stephens's and
Douglas's regiments are on the left, obeying the order of our gallant, great, but unpretending "Frank--"Drive them into "
In this charge
Capt. Rogers fell wounded, and poor John, of the gallant 6th, paid the plane of liberty.
Alas! Alas! for these regiments!
Like
Bares's and
Smith's, they are completely riddled; and though they have forced the enemy from his position, they cannot long stand against overwhelming numbers.
Bark! what shout is that in our rear?--Whence those martial orders, from officer to officer?
Halt! Halt! Dress! Forward, march!
Breckinridge, far as the eye can reach along the bills, leads on his martial host.
Already the enemy's left are, retiring on his gunboats — has given way — his centre shaking, and shouts of victory pierce the air.
But I could only guess at what transpired beyond my own little sphere.
Suffice to say our gallant leaders,
Beauregard,
Bragg,
Johnston,
Gladden, Pork, Ruggies, Chalmere,
Hindman,
Cheatham,
Bowen,
Clark,
Breckinridge,
Loring,
Wood,
Slaughter, and
Hardee, were charging a line three miles in length of a desperate and determined foe.
That they whipped them at every point, and at night fall, are masters of the field.
I was so fortunate as to capture two Federal, whom I brought to your city as the first of the 6,000 taken by our brave boys on the field.
Results of the battle.
The
Appeal, of Tuesday, sums up the result as follows:
A gentleman of distinction, who arrived in this city last night, upon the very best official authority, estimates the
Federal loss in the battle of the 6th as follows: Killed and wounded, twelve to fifteen thousand; prisoners, two to three thousand; field artillery, about one hundred pieces; small arms, twenty thousand, together with all their tents, baggage-wagons, ammunition, camp equipage, enemy the night after the battle, using their hospitals for our wounded.
The Confederate loss in killed, wounded, and missing, is estimated at five thousand.--Of these
Memphis his furnished her full share, and our citizens are looking for the is with the greatest anxiety.
It is to be hoped there will be no unnecessary delay in spreading them before the public at the earliest moment.
A certainty, even should it be contrary to our wishes, is preferable to continued suspense.
The foregoing accounts only furnish us the hurried details of the first day's fight.
The Western mail last evening brought us nothing from any point beyond
Lynchburg, and we consequently have no
Memphis papers later than Tuesday.
The Norfolk
Day Book, of yesterday, says:
‘
A late number of the Baltimore
American states that the loss of the
Federal at
Shiloh.
Was twenty-three the , killed, wounded, and taken prisoners.
’
These figures are above what we have received from other sources, but as the
Yankees are likely to know their own loss, we are disposed to receive the above statement as correct.
This information the
Day Book probably received through the flag of truce, which communicated with the enemy on Monday.
From the West.
We clip the following items from the Memphis
Appeal, of last Tuesday:
We have information that a skirmish took place two or three days ago, on the plank road leading to New Madrid, between some of our troops and a party of the enemy, in which seven of the Lincolnites were killed and wounded, and two of our people wounded.
Reported Civil troubles in Illinois.
We have had rumors, for a day or two, of serious civil troubles in
Southern Illinois, which, it is reported have gone so far as to make the interference of the military, and the shedding of blood necessary, in order to quell the insurrection.
A general disposition on the part of the people to resist the payment of the war tax, followed by a protest of some twenty members of the Legislature, against the doctrines of
Lincoln's message, is said to be the origin of the difficulty.
The recusant members were arrested by the abolition authorities.
Trouble followed, which a single regiment found it impossible to quell, when several others were out, and the peace party was crushed it the point of the bayonet.
The strong opposition that has been known to exist in
Southern Illinois to the war policy of the dominant party at the
North, gives to the above statement an air of plausibility
Lincoln has but a few adherents in that section, and we have long believed the people were only kept under subjection by the strong arm of military power.
It seems highly probable that, favored by a dark and stormy night, a Federal gunboat succeeded in the blockade" of our batteries on Island 10 and the
Tennessee shore, and found refuge under their land batteries at New Madrid.
The feet was accomplished on Tuesday night of last week.
Connected with this is another report that the guns of
Rucker's battery were spiked, which is improbable.
On Friday three yawls from the gunboat at New Madrid made a reconnaissance some distance dawn the river, but were induced to put back by the appearance of our gunboats.
A large number of coal barges, with sweeps, have been secured and prepared by the enemy at New Madrid and
Point Pleasant, the object of which is to be to assist in placing a portion of their troops across the river below the island, with the hope of cutting off supplies to our forces.
The
Memphis Argue, of the evening of the 8th says: ‘"The
H. R. W. Hill arrived this morning from Hollinsville, having left there last evening.
Everything around Madrid bend and Island 10 was quiet — so her officers informed us. The gunboat which passed the island and reached New Madrid is supposed to be the
Benton or
Essex.
It had come down to
Point Pleasant, and was lying under the of the battery opposite
Tiptonville"’
The Peninsula.
A correspondent of the Petersburg
Express, writing from the
Peninsula, April 10, says:
‘
The enemy have attacked us at more than half a dozen points, and as many different times invaluably being handsomely repulsed.
The regiments attacked have displayed great gallantry, but there is such a multiplicity of rumors I forbear giving you any particulars, and this reason I refrain giving you many pleasing incidents that have come under my notice.
But I will state to the many admirers of
Benjamin Phillips, the
Morgan of the
Peninsula, that he is still at his good work, daily making the enemy bite the dust.
The number said to have been killed by him is so large, I decline giving it to you, as I am afraid it will be doubted by the credulous.
He is a Hampton refugee and over sixty years of age.--The example shown by this old hero is one worthy to be emulated by the youth of our country.
’
The Virginia and the Monitor.
The Norfolk
Day Book understands that the
Federal at
Old Point now say that the
Virginia was afraid to come out from under the guns of
Sewell's Point to show fight to the
Monitor, and if she had gone up towards Newport News the
Monitor would have given her battle.
This, of course, is but a Yankee backdown, as the
Virginia, in her last two trips occupied the same position she did before, and at that time the guns at
Sewell's Point did not interfere, nor would they now.
