under the murderous fire which the enemy in overwhelming numbers poured upon it; but even while their comrades were falling thickly around them, the men would rally, re-form, and again drive their bullets in the faces of-their desperate enemies.

Harris's, Stone's, and Parsons's batteries ceased firing shell and round-shot, and hurled into the very bosom of the advancing host a storm of grape and canister, until the ground was literally covered with dead and mangled rebels.

was against this that the rebel leaders directed their fiercest assault. Emerging from the shelter to which they had retired after their first repulse from this portion of the line, they advanced in heavy masses toward our position. Their ap pearance, as regiment after regiment, and mass after mass, came forth from beneath the woods and advanced down the slopes of the hills, was imposing in the extreme. Distance concealed the rags composing their uniform; the bright sunbeams glancing from their bayonets flashed like lightning over the field; and the blue flag with a single star waved all along their lines, as proudly as though it were not the emblem of

But with ever-increasing strength the enemy continued the assault. He placed several lines upon sloping ground, in such a way that the whole could fire at once, and although this ar-treason, slavery, and death. At their head adrangement enabled our batteries to operate with more deadly effect, it created such havoc in our single line of battle as no soldiers could endure. A portion of the Twenty-first Wisconsin, supporting Stone's battery, broke and fled. The greatly superior numbers of the assailants enabled them to outflank our line; and from both front and flank they rushed upon us, delivering their fire within a few feet of our lines, and charging up to the very muzzles of the guns.

vanced a general mounted upon a white horse, and surrounded by a numerous staff, all having horses of the same color. However one might hate these traitors, he could not but admire this conspicuous and daring valor, for each one of these "pale-horse" riders instantly became a mark for a shower of bullets, several of which sped not upon their way in vain. Near the foot of the slope of hills, the wooded crests of which had formed their original position, they planted a dozen pieces of artillery, raking the Third Ohio and Forty-second Indiana, which now advanced

The Eightieth Illinois and One Hundred and Fifth Ohio gave way before this mad onset, leaving Capt. Parsons's battery exposed. The artil-to the summit of the hill, (upon which Loomis's lerymen at once abandoned their hitherto nobly defended pieces, and all but a single gun fell into the hands of the enemy. Four of Capt. Harris's guns were also left upon the field, but the rebels had not time to carry them off, and I think they were all recovered to-day.

and Simonson's batteries were posted at the be ginning of the action,) in order that they might meet the dense masses of the enemy's infantry, which were advancing under cover of the fire from their artillery. As soon as these two gal lant regiments appeared upon the crest they were saluted with a tempest of bullets from the muzzles of at least four thousand muskets, at the same time that the cannon of the enemy thundered upon their front and flank. The Third Ohio, Col. John Beatty, sustained the heaviest fire, and as long as it remained upon the hill its ranks were continually ploughed by the terrible discharges from the enemy's artillery.

Our line being thus broken, the entire division retreated, perhaps a quarter of a mile, where it halted, and held its ground until the battle ceased. But it retreated only after its division commander, Gen. Jackson, and one brigade commander, Gen. Terrell, were killed, and the other, Col. Webster, was mortally wounded. Not a suspicion will ever be cast upon the valor of these noble men; and if it be not true, as some declare, that two But while it remained there, (and it remained companies of the Twenty-first Wisconsin, posted until a third of its number strewed the field,) it near Stone's battery, broke and ran away with never for an instant ceased to belch forth a volley unseemly haste, then all the troops of Gen. Jack-of flame into the face of the foe, nor could the son's division will hereafter be classed among the veterans of the Union army.

rebel legions, with all their desperation, summon courage to charge it. Every officer stood like a The partial success of the rebels upon this rock to his post, and the gallant Col. Beatty, disdivision, encouraged them to recommence the at- mounting from his unmanageable horse, placed tack upon Rousseau, and now began one of the himself coolly and calmly in the centre of his bloodiest passages at arms which has occurred regiment, cheered both by voice and example his during the war. I witnessed it from beginning dauntless men, and, seemed totally unconscious to end, and gazed upon it with an indescribable that death was everywhere around and about horror, which took away all sense of danger. | him.

Those whom I have longest known and best At last a shell from the rebel cannon set fire loved in the whole Union army here fought and to a pile of straw, the flame of which instantly fell in scores before my eyes, and died in every communicated to a large barn upon which the terrible form of death. I may behold great bat-right wing of the Third Ohio rested. In a metles hereafter, and my heart may become some-ment the whole was in a blaze; the heat became what callous to their bloody scenes, but never intense and unendurable, and though some of the shall I forget what I saw at that time, nor will heroes stood until their faces were blistered raththe impression made thereby ever pass away. er than break their ranks, they were compelled The Seventeenth brigade (Col. W. H. Lytle, at length to retire in confusion upon the centre of the Tenth Ohio, commanding) formed, as I and left of the regiment, which they also threw have said, the right of Rousseau's division, and it into disorder. Slowly and reluctantly the officers

began to follow their men down the hill, at the foot of which they immediately re-formed the torn and bleeding ranks.

One of his sergeants lifted him in his arms and was endeavoring to bear him from the field. "You may do some good yet," said the hero; "I During this time the Fifteenth Kentucky, Col. can do no more; let me die here." He was left Curran Pope, which was in the rear of the Third there, and fell into the hands of the enemy. It Ohio, and under shelter of the hill, became in- is fervently hoped that his wounds were not mortensely anxious to advance, and more than once tal, and that he may yet again be restored to us sent up to ask the Third Ohio to retire, and allow to fight for the cause he loved so well. The them for a time to face the foe. As soon as the brave Major Moore was badly wounded while disaster of the burning barn threw the Third into doing all in his power to retrieve the terrible disorder, Col. Pope shouted "forward" to his blunder which some one had made. Lieut.-Col. regiment, and with the utmost alacrity it rushed Burke, with almost superhuman courage, endeav up the eminence. No matter that muskets, rifles, ored to rally his men, succeeding at last, and cannons hurled immediately against it every dead-forming the shattered remains of the Tenth in ly missile of war; no matter that the roar of line of battle a considerable distance to the left. musketry and artillery which greeted its appearance sounded not like successive volleys, but like the continued rattle of ten thousand drums. No matter that its ranks were decimated ere it had been there a single minute; it stood like a wall until Lieut.-Col. Jouett and Major Campbell were both killed, and Col. Pope was wounded and his horse shot from under him. Then it retired, and rallied at the foot of the hill.

All this time the Tenth Ohio were lying upon their faces to the left of the Third, near the summit of the same hill, and upon the other side of a lane, as I have before mentioned. And now occurred the most terrible disaster of the day.

The retreat of the Third Ohio and Fifteenth Kentucky had left the right wing of the Tenth uncovered, and a whole brigade of the enemy, forming in mass, advanced toward them over ground of such a nature that if the Tenth did not receive warning from some source, the rebel column would be upon them and annihilate them before they could rise from their faces and change front. Colonel Lytle was expecting the enemy to appear in his front, over the crest of the hill, and had intended to have the gallant Tenth charge them with the bayonet.

And they still lay upon their faces, while the enemy was advancing upon their flank, stealthily as a cat steals upon her prey. Nearer and nearer they come. Great heavens! will no one tell the Tenth of their fearful peril? Where is the eagle eye which ought to overlook the field, and send swift-footed couriers to save this illustrious band from destruction? Alas! there is none. The heroes of Carnifex are doomed. The mass of rebels, which a rising ground just to the right of the Tenth has hitherto concealed from view, rush upon the hapless regiment, and from the distance of a hundred yards pour into it an annihilating fire, even while the men are still upon their faces. Overwhelmed and confounded, they leap to their feet and vainly endeavor to change front and meet the enemy. It is impossible to do it beneath that withering, murderous fire; and for the first time in its history the Tenth regiment turns its back upon the enemy. They will not run; they only walk away, and they are mowed down by scores as they do so.

The noble, gifted, generous Lytle, the Chevalier Bayard of the Ohio troops, was pierced with bullets and fell where the storm was fiercest.

During all these bloody conflicts, Gen. Rousseau seemed everywhere present, and, as if he possessed a charmed life, rode fearlessly amidst the iron hail, directing and encouraging his men. If the "dark and bloody ground" had furnished for the Union army only two such men as Pope and Rousseau, the patriot might cry exultingly, "Well done, Kentucky!"

While the Tenth Ohio was being so terribly cut up, another immense body of rebels filed off to the left, disappeared behind the woods fronting General Sheridan's division, and soon after commenced a desperate assault upon our right and right centre. But Mitchell and Sheridan were ready to receive them, and the high hill to the right of the road, occupied by the latter in the morning, instantly became a huge volcano, belching forth from every quarter volumes of fire and smoke, and flinging into the midst of the dismayed and staggering traitors, ten thousand projectiles, deadly as a volley of stones shot from the crater of Etna. After vainly endeavoring to storm the hill, the shattered masses of the enemy gave way, and were pursued by General Mitchell beyond Perryville.

And now while the Seventeenth brigade was still struggling gloriously, and even after its frightful losses, was actually holding the rebels in check, the Ninth and Twenty-eighth brigades, both of which had borne a distinguished part so far, came to the rescue. A half-dozen regiments rushed up along the crest of an eminence situated to the left, and with loud shouts bore down upon the enemy. Around a farm-house to the left of the Seventeenth brigade and in a woods in front of it, (the same under cover of which the rebels had advanced in their assault upon Jackson's division,) the combat raged with unintermitted fury for more than half an hour. But when the attack upon our right was repulsed, the enemy retired from this portion of the field.

Just about sundown a last despairing effort of the baffled foe was made upon the right of Rousseau's division. Our line of battle in all this part of the field, had now completely changed direction, ranging from north to south instead of from east to west, as in the beginning of the day. A battery, which I believe was Captain Loomis's, repulsed this last assault. But the firing of artillery continued half an hour into the night, forming a scene awfully sublime. At last its thunder

ceased as by mutual consent, and the Union army lay down upon its arms while the rebel hordes silently and rapidly resumed their retreat, leaving us in possession of the field of battle, and large numbers of their dead and wounded in our hands.

most desperately contested engagement within my knowledge. Fearfully outnumbered, our troops did not hesitate to engage at any odds, and though checked at times, they eventually carried every position, and drove the enemy about two miles. But for the intervention of night, we should have

I visited the various hospitals the next morn-completed the work. We had captured fifteen ing, and rode over the field of battle, where numbers of the slain and too many of the wounded were still lying, and I estimate our loss at five hundred killed and twelve hundred wounded, although I am, perhaps, the only person, that has yet made an estimate, who puts it so low.

I do not believe the enemy's loss was greater, but I think it was equally severe. A few hundred prisoners were taken by each side. We lost seven pieces of cannon, and captured a number of wagons and ambulances. Several of the rebel guns were disabled, and may now be in our possession.

When the writer of this left the field, our forces were still in line of battle, expecting a renewal of the rebel attack; and consequently he could obtain only a few names of the killed and wounded. From those presented here, nothing can be inferred as to the fate of those not named. Y. S.

SIR: Finding the enemy pressing heavily in his rear, near Perryville, Major-General Hardee, of Polk's command, was obliged to halt and check him at that point. Having arrived at Harrodsburgh from Frankfort, I determined to give him battle there, and accordingly concentrated three divisions of my old command-the army of the Mississippi, now under command of Major-General Polk-Cheatham's, Buckner's and Anderson's, and directed Gen. Polk to take the command on the seventh, and attack the enemy the next morning. Withers's division had gone the day before to support Smith. Hearing, on the night of the seventh, that the force in front of Smith had rapidly retreated, I moved early next morning, to be present at the operations of Polk's command.

The two armies were formed confronting each other, on opposite sides of the town of Perryville. After consulting the General and reconnoitring the ground and examining his dispositions, I declined to assume the command, but suggested some change and modifications of his arrangements, which he promptly adopted. The action opened at half-past twelve P.M. between the skirmishers and artillery on both sides. Finding the enemy indisposed to advance upon us, and knowing he was receiving heavy reenforcements, I deemed it best to assail him vigorously, and so directed.

The engagement became general soon thereafter, and was continued furiously from that time to dark, our troops never faltering and never failing in their efforts.

For the time engaged it was the severest and

pieces of artillery by the most daring charges, killed one and wounded two brigadier-generals, and a very large number of inferior officers and men, estimated at no less than four thousand, and captured four hundred prisoners, including three staff-officers, with servants, carriage and baggage of Major-General McCook.

The ground was literally covered with his dead and wounded. In such a contest our own loss was necessarily severe, probably not less than twenty-five hundred killed, wounded and missing. Included in the wounded are BrigadierGenerals Wood, Cleburn and Brown, gallant and noble soldiers, whose loss will be severely felt by their commands. To Major-General Polk, commanding the forces, Major-General Hardee, commanding the left wing, two divisions, and MajorGenerals Cheatham, Buckner and Anderson, commanding divisions, are mainly due the bril liant achievements of this memorable field. Nobler troops were never more gallantly led. The country owes them a debt of gratitude which I am sure will be acknowledged.

Ascertaining that the enemy was heavily reenforced during the night, I withdrew my force early the next morning to Harrodsburgh, and thence to this point. Major-Gen. Smith arrived at Harrodsburgh with most of his force and Withers's division the next day, tenth, and yes terday I withdrew the whole to this point, the enemy following slowly but not pressing us. am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, BRAXTON BRAGG,

General Commanding.

To Adjutant-General, Richmond, Va.

KNOXVILLE "REGISTER" ACCOUNT.

I

KNOXVILLE, Oct. 18, 1863. Col. R. C. Tyler, of the Fifteenth Tennessee regiment, reached this city yesterday, directly from the scene of conflict in Kentucky. He advises us that the skirmishing commenced on the sixth between the cavalry, and occasionally there was an artillery duel. On the seventh Buell occupied Perryville, making it the centre of his line of battle. On the night of the seventh Hardee moved up his division, fronting Buell's army. On the evening of the seventh a portion of the right wing of the army of the Mississippi (Cheatham's division, composed of Donelson's, Stuart's and Maney's brigades) moved from Harrodsburgh to Perryville, where they rested on their arms in line of battle till daylight. The pickets skir mished all night. On the morning of the eighth, at daylight, at the centre of the lines, there were cavalry fights, and many were wounded on both sides. About half-past nine o'clock cannonading commenced.

At half-past ten we discovered that the enemy

were massing troops on their left to turn our The loss of the enemy in killed and wounded right wing. At this juncture Cheatham's divi- was enormous. The field of battle was everysion, above-mentioned, was moved from the left where strewn with the killed, wounded and dyto the right of our lines, about one and a half ing. In places they were piled up on each other. mile. During all this time a brisk fire of artil- We retired in perfect order, each regiment and lery was kept up. Carnes's battery was imme- brigade in proper position, to Camp Dick Robindiately brought into action, which, admirably son and its vicinity, where our army was concenserved, did great execution. (This was Jack-trated. Our loss in killed, wounded and missing son's battery at Columbus, Ky.) will not reach two thousand five hundred. The killed in Cheatham's division number two hundred and nine and about one thousand two hundred and fifty wounded. This division suffered most.

We formed our lines and remained on the ground during the night. On the morning of the The forces opposed to us at Perryville consistninth, believing it would be hazardous with his ed of the right wing of the "army of the Ohio," weary troops to renew the conflict with a reen-composed of Buell's veteran army, Major-General forced army of the enemy, Gen. Bragg or Polk ordered our army back to Harrodsburgh.

against nine divisions of the Abolition army, composed at least of five thousand each, making forty-five thousand men. Gens. Rousseau, J. S. Jackson and Sill were among the division commanders.

hind a stone fence, what Adams supposed to be our own men, ordered him to cease firing.

"I tell you, sir, they are Yankees," cried the excited Austin. "I think not, and you had better go forward first and ascertain," replied Adams. Our forces consisted of Brig.-Gen. Patton An- I go, sir, but I don't think it necessary, for derson's division, composed of Col. Powell's bri- I know they are Yankees," insisted Austin. gade of the Twenty-fourth Mississippi, First Ar- "Well," said Adams, "I will go myself," and kansas, Forty-fifth Alabama, Twenty-ninth Ten- dashing forward on his charger, he had not pronessee, and Barrett's battery; Gen. Adams's bri- ceeded one hundred yards when a furious storm gade of the Thirteenth, Sixteenth, Twentieth, of Minié balls whizzed by his ears from the enTwenty-fifth Louisiana, and Slocomb's battery emy, who were shooting from a rest at him from of Washington Artillery, who took position on behind a stone wall! The General turned imour left; Col. Jones's brigade of the Twenty-sev-mediately, and riding up, cried out: "You're enth, Thirtieth, Thirty-seventh Mississippi, and right, Major-they are Yankees, and you may Lumsden's battery; and Gen. Brown's brigade of the First and Third Florida, Forty-first Mississippi, and Palmer's battery, formed our centre. Gen. Buckner's division, which was posted on our extreme right, with Anderson's division, formed the "left wing of the army of the Mississippi," under Major-Gen. Hardee. The Cheatham's and Withers's divisions formed the "right wing of the army of the Mississippi," under Major-Gen. Polk; Withers's division was absent, being with Major-Gen. Kirby Smith.

Thus we had but three divisions in the field. Before the battle commenced, Gen. Cheatham, who had been in position on our extreme left, was ordered to our rear, between Perryville and Harrodsburgh, Gen. Bragg having anticipated that the greatest force of the enemy was pressing on our right to cut us off from connection with Harrodsburgh. The reverse, unfortunately, proved the case, as the greatest force of the enemy was on our left. As I have stated, the lion-hearted Liddell opened the fire on our right, the supposition being that we were fighting the right wing only of Buell's army. Gens. Jones and Brown, on the centre, acted with Gen. Liddell, and Gen. Brown being wounded early in the action, the command of his brigade, the First, devolved on Col. W. Miller, of the First Florida regiment, who fought most gallantly, being the last to leave the ground on the next morning towards two o'clock.

The engagement on our left did not commence until about noon, and then it was only-skirmishing for a considerable time, Col. Powell's brigade holding the extreme left of our lines, and gallantly driving the enemy back for about a mile, against superior forces. It was about this time, towards four P.M., when Gen. Smith's brigade, belonging to Cheatham's division, was ordered back to our assistance, that Gen. Adams, with his brave Louisianians, was holding the enemy in check against fearful odds, when he was forced to fall back from his position. Gen. Hardee, seeing the importance of holding the point, ordered Gen. Adams to retake it, telling him he would be supported by reënforcements. It was while advancing again, and anxiously looking for the reenforcements, that General Adams, seeing that the gallant young Major Austin (commanding a battalion of sharp-shooters) was picking off, be

give them goss." Austin then poured in a deadly fire, the Washington artillery, Slocomb's battery, also, doing terrible execution, driving the enemy back with fearful slaughter. Towards six o'clock, as I have said, the firing became incessant on both sides. There stood Adams, with his little brigade, holding back a division of the enemy, left as it were alone to his fate, until, seeing there was no chance of being reenforced, he gradually fell back, in most excellent order, but not without considerable loss.

It was at this time the cheering was heard on the part of the enemy, in the centre, and which was returned by our troops, which led us to believe that the enemy was being routed, when they opened a battery and shelled us from the Schoolhouse Ridge. Soon after this, night came on and closed the scene of strife, our troops sleeping on and remaining victors of the battle-, field, besides capturing over five hundred prisoners. Our loss is estimated at between two and three thousand killed and wounded. The ene my's loss, at a low estimate, is between five and six thousand. Among the killed is Major-Gen. J. S. Jackson; Brig.-Gens. Ratcliff and Terrell wounded. We took eleven pieces of the enemy's cannon, destroyed four, and brought seven off the field. It was another battle of Shiloh, without any decisive results. Had we have had five thousand more men, or had Withers been with us, we would have completely routed and annihilated the enemy, leaving us the way clear to Louisville. No troops in the world ever fought with such desperate courage as ours. Whole regiments of our men went into that fight barefooted, fought barefooted, and had marched barefooted from Chattanooga! The First Tennessee, Col. Field, formerly Gen. Haney's old regiment, went into the fight with three hundred and eighty men, and lost all but ninety! Lieut.-Col. Patter son was killed, and eight captains out of the ten

On the

On the same day Gen. Kirby Smith whipped Gen. Tom Crittenden's forces between Lawrenceburgh and Salvisa. Gen. Withers, with Gen. Morgan, capturing seven hundred and forty prisoners and an ammunition train of wagons. next morning, the ninth, our infantry fell back from Perryville towards Harrodsburgh, and our cavalry on the Danville pike. At twelve M. the enemy hoisted a white flag over the town, and