THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE.

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disaster which had occurred was to the transport Cosmopolitan, which grounded in crossing the bar off Hilton Head, and was temporarily rendered unfit for service.

A much more important and decisive event which occurred at this period was the desperate battle of Perryville, or Chaplin Hills, in Kentucky, in which General Buell encountered the Rebel hero Braxton Bragg, on the 8th of October. The immense army of Buell had been fol lowing in leisurely pursuit of the enemy for some time, and the uniform distance between them on their route seemed to indicate that they would never approximate each other. Nevertheless, the Rebels having proceeded from Frankfort toward Harrodsburg, were overtaken by General McCook's corps, of Buell's army, near Perryville, and an action, though probably not desirable by either commander-in-chief, became at length unavoidable. The two armies were drawn up on opposite sides of the town of Perryville. Of Buell's army only McCook's corps, with a part of Thomas's, were engaged. The division commanders were Rousseau, Sheridan, Jackson, and Gilbert. The action began before daylight. The mellow light of the moon still threw its pale splendors over the sleeping world, when the skirmishers of the enemy commenced a sharp fire upon the eightyfifth Illinois. Soon the contest became more general. New batteries of the enemy commenced to shell the Federal forces, who, upon the first alarm, had instantly formed in line of battle throughout the whole of the army. The enemy came on, pouring destructive volleys into the Federal ranks. They compelled the second Michigan cavalry to retire by the fury of their onset. They pressed forward, and came near taking the hill on which the thirty-sixth brigade had been stationed. This hill was in the centre of the Federal line, and its possession was a matter of the utmost importance. At that crisis, which was of importance to the issue of the day, the second Missouri regiment, commanded by Captain Hoppe, which had distinguished itself in the great battle of Pea Ridge, rushed forward with cheers and charged upon the enemy. They were opportunely supported by the second Michigan and the fifteenth Missouri. After a desperate battle-shock the Rebel ranks recoiled and broke up in confusion. They were pursued for more than a mile, and the defeat of this portion of their troops was for the time being complete.

But this operation was only preliminary to the chief combat of the day. It was now after ten o'clock. Thus far the cavalry had distinguished themselves, prominent among whom was a portion of the ninth Pennsylvania. The artillery now came prominently into action on both sides. In front the legions of the enemy lay massed on wooded hills, which partially concealed their strength and precise position. At length, about eleven o'clock, the enemy, with their usual promptness and spirit, opened the struggle with a cannonade on the batteries of Simonson and Loomis, in whose vicinity the division of General Rousseau was posted. The Fed

eral guns responded with vigor, and soon new batteries of the foe were revealed successively from new positions, as their forces came more completely into action. At two o'clock the cannonade had become general and terrific along the whole line of both armies. Many were slain on both sides by this distant assault. At three o'clock General Bragg brought his infantry into action. He led the charge in person. He made a ferocious assault upon the centre and left centre of the Federal lines. At this point he made a combined attack of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. General Rousseau maintained his position, and hurled back the tumultuous and ferocious masses of the advancing foe with complete success. His guns ploughed bloody avenues of death through their serried columns. Volleys of musketry mowed down whole ranks of them as their tides rolled forward frantically toward the Federal lines. They retired from this portion of the field in confusion, leaving the ground covered with multitudes of their dead and wounded.

But the Confederates gained more success in another portion of this field. Compelled to retire before Rousseau, they made a charge upon the division of General Jackson with better effect. This division was on the extreme left wing. Buckner led the assault in this portion of the field, which exceeded in ferocity any thing which the war had yet exhibited. In spite of a brave reception at the beginning of this charge, the Rebels soon proved themselves irresistible, and the twenty-first Wisconsin, eightieth Illinois, and one hundred and fifth Ohio, gave way and fled before the mad onset of the foe. The artillery connected with Captain Parsons' battery abandoned their guns, all of which fell into the hands of the enemy. Soon the panic spread. The entire division of Jackson became disorganized, and fled a quarter of a mile. At that point they were stopped, and gradually reformed. In this deadly charge Generals Jackson and Terrell were slain, while heroically attempting to steady their men, and correct the disgraceful rout and panic which had overtaken them.

Emboldened by this success General Bragg determined to resume his attack upon the division of Rousseau, and particularly on the seventeenth brigade, commanded by Colonel Lytle. His chosen legions now approached the Federal lines in heavy and formidable masses. As they emerged from the woods to which they had retreated, and advanced down the slopes of the hills, their appearance was extremely imposing. Their long lines of burnished bayonets gleamed brightly in the sun. The precision and regularity of these movements, their many proud secession banners waving gracefully in the passing breeze, the spirit-stirring sounds of martial music; above all, the singular apparition of their commanderin-chief, who could be seen marching at their front, mounted on a magnificent white charger, surrounded by a numerous and brilliant staff, all riding horses of the same color-these features of the scene presented one of those