The latest.
The Western mail for a week past has brought us nothing from any point beyond Knoxville, and we are entirely dependent upon our Southern exchanges for intelligence from the army of the Mississippi. We continue our summary from papers received last evening.
Southern account of the Second day's fight at Shiloh.
The following graphic account of the second day's fight is from the army correspondent of the Mobile Register, who also furnished the interesting narrative of Sunday's battle which we copied recently from the Savannah Republican:Battle-field of Shiloh, (Near the Tennessee River,) Monday Night, April 7th, 1862.
We have had another day of battle and blood. The fight was renewed this morning at 8 o'clock by the enemy, who had been reinforced during the night, and with the exception of short breathing spells, it raged with tremendous violence and fury until night separated the combatants. The apprehensions expressed in my letter of last night have been realized. Buell did come up this morning, and with him came large reinforcements — But I am anticipating the events of the day. Let me resume the narrative where my last letter left it, and rehearse the varying fortunes of the day in the order of their occurrence. This is necessary to a proper understanding of the battle; and until this general sketch or outline is drawn, it will be impossible to enter into those minor details which constitute an interesting feature in the picture.
Night alone prevented us from reaping the fruits of our brilliant victory of yesterday. It was quite dark when we chased the foe back to Pittsburg Landing, where he sought protection from his gunboats and river works. Had Beauregard possessed the power of Joshua to command the sun to stand still in the heavens for the space of an hour, our victory would have been as complete as that of the great Hebrew warrior. As it was, we expected to be able to capture so much of the Federal army this morning as could not be transferred to the other bank of the river last night, unless large reinforcements should come to their relief.
The enemy received the most important aid from his gunboats. Indeed he is indebted to these gunboats for his escape from certain destruction. They, together with his river works, answered the valuable purpose of fortifications to which he could retire when beaten on the field. With only our light field pieces, it was impossible to operate at night with any hope of success against these works and boats, or to prosecute during the heavy storm that followed the work of completing the victory. Our forces had reached the river in one or two places as night came on, and in this way had gained some knowledge of the ground, and the nature and position of the enemy's defences. With this knowledge, and the enemy driven into close quarters, and caught between our lines and the river, there was every reason to believe we would be able to capture the larger part of his forces this morning, provided they were not reinforced during the night or transferred to the other bank of the river.
The boats kept up a constant fire during the night from their heavy guns. It appears that the enemy did not seek to recross the river. Knowing that large reinforcements were at hand, he hold his position on the river bank until morning. Gen. Beauregard knew there was a division of 7,000 men at Crump's Landing, a few miles below Pittsburg, and he gave orders last night to proceed against them this morning, and to capture them.--This division succeeded, however, in forming a junction with the forces at Pittsburg, and at 8 o'clock this morning the Federals, thus reinforced, moved out from the river and offered us battle. They must have known that other reinforcements were at hand, and that they would arrive upon the field at an early hour. The fight was renewed about a mile and a half from the river, or midway between the river and the Federal encampment.
The enemy came up to the work with great spirit and resolution. Appeals had doubtless been made to the men during the night, and the repossession of their camp represented to them as a point of honor from which there could be no escape. The attach was directed against our centre; and though vigorous spirited, and not expected, it was repulsed and the enemy driven back with great slaughter. He rallied again, however, and the time he moved with an increased force upon our right wing. Here, too, he was repulsed and forced to retire. His next attempt was directed against our left wing, his attacks growing more vigorous and his forces increasing with each succeeding movement. Indeed, it was now evident that he had received large accessions to his ranks, and that he had fresh troops and heavy odds to against. But the Confederates nobly their duty, and the attack on the left also repulsed. The enemy again retired, but only for a time; for Buell's forces had come up, and the attack was renewed at along our lines, on the right, centre, and in Simultaneously with this, an attempt was made to turn both our wings.
The battle now raged with indescribable fury. I have never heard or imagined anything like the roar of the artillery, and the incessant rattle of the small arms. The thunder base of the one, and the sharp, tenor of the other, intermingled with shrieks of bursting shells and the whi- cleaving rifled cannon balls, were grand beyond description. It was the awful Hy- Battle, rolling upward to the skies and literally shaking the earth beneath. It was solemn anthem, the notes of which we traced in blood, and uttered from throats, that might have satisfied Mars himself.
The Confederates stood their ground age, the furious onset, and for the fourth times enemy was compelled to retire.
‘"As meets the rock a thousand waves — So Inistall met Lochlin."’
It was now one o'clock. Our men were greatly exhausted; they had fought eighteen hours, and withal had slept but little, h- been engaged much of the preceding night searching out and taking care of the wounded. It was evident, too, that the enemy had been largely reinforced, and that each proceeding attack was made by fresh troops overwhelming numbers. In view of these facts, and in order to rest his men, and prevent an unnecessary lose of life, G- Beauregard availed himself of the falling back of the Federals to withdraw his troops to the enemy's line of encampment, whe- rested last night. This was about a mile and a half from the point where the fight commence this morning.
The enemy hesitated for some time, in finally came up and renewed the conflict. He was met with undiminished courage and resolution by the Confederates, who displayed the greatest possible gallantry. The battle raged on and night alone separated the combatant. At length the enemy fell back, and so did the Confederates, both sides badly worsted. And severely punished. Hardee, who commanded the front line or corps, held his ground until the enemy withdrew. Our reserved and been engaged throughout the day, and Folk, Bragg, and Hardee, each in his proper position, were in immediate command upon the field, and nobly co-operated in the work of the day. They deserve great credit, as do the brigade and regimental officers, act the gallant spirits whose they led to battle. Gen. Breckinridge particularly distinguished himself. Though not a military man by profession, Gen. Beauregard is reported have said that he displayed great aptitude sagacity and handled his brigade with skill and judgment.
Having said thus much, I feel it to be my duty as a faithful chronicler of the time, is refer to a matter here which had a controlling influence upon the fortunes of the day.
Our attack yesterday was so sudden and successful, that the enemy found it impossible to remove his Quartermaster and Commissary stores, or even to save the baggage of the men. The temptation thus presented was too great for our troops to resist. Sunday night large numbers of them, supposing there would be no more fighting, set to work together up such spoils as the Federal encampment contained. There were arms, overcoats, caps, shoes, coffee, sugar, provisions, trunks, blankets, liquors, private letters, and numberless other things which the enemy had been compelled to abandon. Such of our troops as were engaged in searching out the wounded and dead, or were not restrained by a sense of duty, wandered from their respective camps and spent much of the night in plundering. Orders had been issued by Gen. Beauregard positively prohibiting anything of the kind, but many of the troops are raw, and officers and men were alike elated at our success and consequently necessary steps were not taken to enforce the orders of the commander-in-chief. At an early hour this morning, the men renewed their search after the spells of victory, and many of them were separated from their commanders when the enemy renewed the battle. Some of them had even started back to their camps, loaded with articles as they had been able to find.
After deducting the killed and wounded, and those who were engaged in removing the wounded, it would be no exaggeration to say that 5,000 sound and able bodied men had th- wandered out of line, and took no part whatever in the battle to-day. On the other hand, the enemy had been largely reinforced.
Thus, with a diminished force on our part, we had to meet fresh troops, and a more numerous army than that we encountered yesterday. And thus, too, the spoils have prevented us from again driving the enemy back into the Tennessee, notwithstanding great odds in his favor.
It was well enough, while the conflict lasted, that our troops should exchange their smooth- bored muskets and shot guns for the splendid arms thrown away by the retreating foe; but there can be no excuse for the disgraceful proceedings to which I have alluded.
The spoils of victory are not less demoralizing than defeat and disaster. Such is the lesson taught by history in all ages of the world, from the time when Achan was reduced by ‘"the wedge of gold"’ down to the present day. It is hoped that the experience of this day will not be thrown away either by our officers or soldiers. P. W. A.
