Battle-Fields of the South (Volume 2); From Bull Run to Fredericksburg with Sketches of Confederate Commanders, and Gossip of the Camps (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1863. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVIII. Fall of "Island No. 10," April 5th--Battle of Shilo, April 6th--Capture of Guns--General Albert Sidney Johnstone killed--The Battle resumed at Daybreak--The Enemy are reinforced by Buel--The Confederate Army retreats--Great Loss--False Reports of the Federal Generals. "Corinth, Miss., April 10th, 1862. "deae Tom, --In exchange for your last entertaining epistle, I send the following hurried scrawl: --It would seem that the army of the West bids fair to rival that of Virginia. As you are doubtless aware, we have fought another great battle, in fact, two, which I consider are without parallel on this continent, and approach more closely to European conflicts than anything which either you or I have participated in as yet. To give a plain statement of things, let me begin at the beginning and go through in proper order. "After the disastrous affair of Fort Donnelson, Johnston re-formed his army, and remained some short time at Murfreesboro', but subsequently fell back to Corinth to defend the Memphis and Charleston railroad. Beauregard came on from Virginia and inspected Columbus. It was deemed inadvisable to defend that place; the works were blown up, and all the cannon and stores transferred to Island No. 10, which, it was SURRENDER OF MACKALL. 217 thought, might be converted into a little Gibraltar, and successfully beat back the enemy's flotillas on the Mississippi. The command was given to General Mackall; Beauregard was installed second in command at Corinth.* What few troops we had were being daily augmented by fresh arrivals from Pensacola, New Orleans, and Columbus, so that in a few weeks we had quite a respectable army of about 40,000 men. "It was known that Buel's force, numbering 40,000 strong, were hurrying on from Kentucky to joi...