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Newspapers. They have not changed much have they? Interesting read >:)
(Published in the NY Times on April 19, 1862)
ITEMS FROM THE BATTELFIELD.
Correspondents of Western papers give the following items regarding the battle at Pittsburgh:
The regiments that stampeded upon the first attack are said to have been the Twenty-fifth Missouri, Twenty-ninth and Sixty-first Illinois; Fifth, Forty-third, Forty-fifth, Fifty-third, Seventy-first and Seventy-seventh Ohio; Sixteenth Wisconsin, and Fifteenth Iowa.
Many of those were raw troops, who had had their guns but a short time, and some did not know how to load them. There were many instances of cowardice or panic, all of which it may not be proper to relate. It is certain that some twenty thousand were scattered along the foot of the bluff and on the road to Savanna. Numbers took to the river, some swimming, and some getting on logs, &c. A portion of them took possession of the little steamer Saline, and forced her to ferry them across the river. One regiment refused to fight, and their guns were taken from them by another regiment. Another fired one volley and fled. Another threw down their guns in a body. Another stampeded after two volleys. Another was drawn up to defend a battery, and suffered it to be taken without firing a shot. I have not the names of these regiments. Small blame, if any, can he attached to the regiments mentioned above, who broke ranks, as they were mostly new troops, were completely surprised and overwhelmed, and it is no wonder that they became panic stricken.
It is said that Gen. BUELL fired upon some of the fugitives with blank cartridges, but was unable to stop their retreat.
The amount of ammunition used on both sides must have been immense, as there was a continual roar of musketry and artillery during the whole of Sunday and the greater part of Monday. The enemy were mostly armed with Mississippi rifles, using metallic cartridges. Their artillery is said to have been far superior to ours, being mostly composed of rifled cannon.
Of our artillery, SCWARTZ's Battery lost six guns, DRESSER's four, WATERHOUSE's two, and the Second Ohio Battery ten. TAYLOR's Chicago Battery, splendidly drilled company, saved all their guns, recaptured SCWARTZ's Battery, and took four rifled guns from the enemy.
Some accounts state that we had no pickets out, and others that there were pickets out about 200 rods. We had 15,000 cavalry camped four miles from the battle-ground, towards Savanna; but they were able to take little part in the action, the ground being thickly wooded, with few clear spaces.
The rebel retreat could hardly have been an utter rout, as they took time to burn the bridge by which they retreated, built by Gen. GRANT, over a creek six miles from Pittsburgh. This checked the pursuit of our cavalry.
Rebel officers state their attacking force at from 100,000 to 125,000, and their reinforcements at from 70,000 to 80,000 but these figures are doubtless greatly exaggerated. Before BUELL's arrival, we probably did not have 70,000 men fit for duty at and near the scene of action.
The fire of our gunboats and heavy siege guns must have made terrible slaughter among the rebels, as the gunboats sent broadsides into them as rapidly as possible. Their shells set the woods on fire, and numbers of the wounded rebels were burned to death. It is estimated that 500 or 600 suffered in this way some being burned to a crisp.
WILLARD's Chicago Battery did excellent service and lost but six men. Especial credit is given to the Eighteenth and Eighth Illinois, and Eighth Missouri, Eleventh Indiana and Seventh Iowa Regiments, all of which fought with the courage and coolness of veterans, and were fearfully cut up. Scarcely a skeleton is left of the "bloody Eighteenth."
It is positively stated that the rebels had a negro cavalry regiment in the field.
(Published in the NY Times on April 19, 1862)
ITEMS FROM THE BATTELFIELD.
Correspondents of Western papers give the following items regarding the battle at Pittsburgh:
The regiments that stampeded upon the first attack are said to have been the Twenty-fifth Missouri, Twenty-ninth and Sixty-first Illinois; Fifth, Forty-third, Forty-fifth, Fifty-third, Seventy-first and Seventy-seventh Ohio; Sixteenth Wisconsin, and Fifteenth Iowa.
Many of those were raw troops, who had had their guns but a short time, and some did not know how to load them. There were many instances of cowardice or panic, all of which it may not be proper to relate. It is certain that some twenty thousand were scattered along the foot of the bluff and on the road to Savanna. Numbers took to the river, some swimming, and some getting on logs, &c. A portion of them took possession of the little steamer Saline, and forced her to ferry them across the river. One regiment refused to fight, and their guns were taken from them by another regiment. Another fired one volley and fled. Another threw down their guns in a body. Another stampeded after two volleys. Another was drawn up to defend a battery, and suffered it to be taken without firing a shot. I have not the names of these regiments. Small blame, if any, can he attached to the regiments mentioned above, who broke ranks, as they were mostly new troops, were completely surprised and overwhelmed, and it is no wonder that they became panic stricken.
It is said that Gen. BUELL fired upon some of the fugitives with blank cartridges, but was unable to stop their retreat.
The amount of ammunition used on both sides must have been immense, as there was a continual roar of musketry and artillery during the whole of Sunday and the greater part of Monday. The enemy were mostly armed with Mississippi rifles, using metallic cartridges. Their artillery is said to have been far superior to ours, being mostly composed of rifled cannon.
Of our artillery, SCWARTZ's Battery lost six guns, DRESSER's four, WATERHOUSE's two, and the Second Ohio Battery ten. TAYLOR's Chicago Battery, splendidly drilled company, saved all their guns, recaptured SCWARTZ's Battery, and took four rifled guns from the enemy.
Some accounts state that we had no pickets out, and others that there were pickets out about 200 rods. We had 15,000 cavalry camped four miles from the battle-ground, towards Savanna; but they were able to take little part in the action, the ground being thickly wooded, with few clear spaces.
The rebel retreat could hardly have been an utter rout, as they took time to burn the bridge by which they retreated, built by Gen. GRANT, over a creek six miles from Pittsburgh. This checked the pursuit of our cavalry.
Rebel officers state their attacking force at from 100,000 to 125,000, and their reinforcements at from 70,000 to 80,000 but these figures are doubtless greatly exaggerated. Before BUELL's arrival, we probably did not have 70,000 men fit for duty at and near the scene of action.
The fire of our gunboats and heavy siege guns must have made terrible slaughter among the rebels, as the gunboats sent broadsides into them as rapidly as possible. Their shells set the woods on fire, and numbers of the wounded rebels were burned to death. It is estimated that 500 or 600 suffered in this way some being burned to a crisp.
WILLARD's Chicago Battery did excellent service and lost but six men. Especial credit is given to the Eighteenth and Eighth Illinois, and Eighth Missouri, Eleventh Indiana and Seventh Iowa Regiments, all of which fought with the courage and coolness of veterans, and were fearfully cut up. Scarcely a skeleton is left of the "bloody Eighteenth."
It is positively stated that the rebels had a negro cavalry regiment in the field.
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