Gen. Grants Official Report

" í' -üu. u ■ una i ui' 11 un ik-W , [ l'imBlRCi. April U, lü'. ƒ Capt. N. H. "Maltón 4. A. Oen. Utpl. of the Ülississippí, St. l.eui", Mo. (J.U'tain: It beconies my duty again to report a battlo, foughc betweeu two great ansies, one contcnding for the msiutcnanoe of the bost government ever devisedj the other for ita destruotion. It is plensant to record the success of the anuy cüiitcnding for the former priueipla. Ou Sunday morning our piokets wero attacked aiid driven lp by the encmy. - Innnodiutely the five divisioas statioued ;it this place wero drawn up iu line of battle readrf to meet theai. The battle suoti waxej warm on the left and centre, varyiBg ut times to ill parts of the line. Tho most coutinuous firioj of musket ry and artillery ever heard on this continent was kept up uutil niglitfall, the eniiiuj having foicod the cntire line to fail back nearly half way from their uauipá to the landiug. At a late hour in the aftenioon a efl'ort was made by the eneuiy to turn our left and u-et possesion of the landing, transport, e. Tlge point wns guarded by tho guuboats Tyler and Lcxington, Captains B and Shirk, U. S. N., coiiiuianding, four 20 pounder Pari'üt guna, and a battery of rifled guns. As there is a doop and impagable ravino' for artillen' oí cavairy, and very diificult forinfuntry at thispoint,no troopswere stationed hcre cxoept the iieccssary artillerists, and a small infantry force for their support. - Jugj at this momeat an advance of Major General Buell's column, (á part of the división of Gen. Nelson), arrived, the two "Gimierais uained, both being preaeut. An uvaue was immediately luade upon the poiut of attack, and the eneniy soon driven bark. In this repulse much is due ty tho presonce of the guuboats Tylcr aud Lexington, and their able oommanders, Captains Gwynn and Shirk. - During the night the divisions uuder Generáis Crittenden and McCook arrived. (Jen. Lew. Wallaoe, at Crump's Lauding, si:; miles below, wa ordercd at nn early hour in the morning to hold his división in readincss to be moved in any direetion to which it miglit be ordered, At tibout 11 o'clook, the order was deivered to tnove it up to Pittsburg, but owing to its being led by a cirouitous route, did not arrive in time to take Dart in Sunday's act ion. Before the close of the action the advanco of Gen. Wood's división arrived o time to take part in the action. My force was too inuch fatigued from two days' hard üghting and exposuro in the open air to i drenohing rain during tha iutervcniüg night, to pursue imincdfately. JN'ight closed in quietly and with a heavy rain, makiug the roads impractieablo for aitillery the next morning. General. Sherman, however, followed the eneuiy, onding that the main part of the army had retreated in good order. Hospitals of the cnetuy'ü wounded were found all along the road as far us the pursuit was made. Dt'ad bodies of the eueiny, and mauy jinives were also found. 1 enoloso herewith the report of Gen. Sherman, which will explain more fully tho result of the pursuit. Of the part taken 1 y each separate eommand, I cannot tjko special uotioe in tb. is report, but will du io more fully when report of divigiou comnianda are handcd in. During the night all was quiet, and feeling that a great moral advar.tago would be gained by becomiug tho attaeking party, an. advanee was ordered as soou as day dawned. Tho result waa a general repulse of the eneniy at all points of the line, from morning until protfably about five o'cloek in tho afternoon, whcn :t became evideut that tha encmy wcrc retreating. General l3uell, coming on tho field with a distinet army under liis commaud, and which did such efficiënt service, commauded by himself iu person oa the field, will bo muoh better able to notiee those of his eommand who partieularly distlQguished themselvea, thun I possibly can. I feel it a duty, however, to a gallant and ablo offieer, Brigadier-General W. T. Sherraau, to make a special mention. He not only was with his eommand during the entire of the two days' uotion. but displayed great judgment and skill in the management of his men, Altliough severely wounded in the haud the first day, his place was nevar vacant. He was again wounded and had three horses killed under hini. In making thia mention of a gallant officer, no disparagement is iuteuded to the other divisirvu commanders-Major. Gonerals John A. MoClernard and Lew. Wallacc, ajid Brigadier Generáis S. A, Hurlburt, B. M. Prentiss and W. H.L. Wallaee, all of whom ïnaintaiued their glaces with credit to themselves and tho cause. Gen. Prentiss was taken prisoner in the first day'sactiou,audGeu. W. H.L. Wal. hce severely wounded. His Assistaut Anjutant General, Capt. Win. MoMichael is missing, probably taken prisoner. My personal staff are all de3erving of partioular mention, they haf ing been eugagod during the entire two daya q carrying orders to every part of the field. - It consista of Col. J. D. Webster, Chief of the Staff; Lieut Col. J. B. MePherson, Chief Enginoer ; assisted by L'euts. W L. B. Jenny and "AVilliam. Kossae, Capt. J. A. Rawlings, A. A. General, W. S Hillyer, W. E. Rawley and C. B. Lagow, Aids de-Cainp, Col. G. G. Pridí, Volunteer Aid, and Capt. J. P. tlawkins, Cbief Commissary, who accoui. panied mu on the fiöid. The Medical Department, under direoiioD of Surgeou Hewitt, Medical Director, bliowed great energy in providir.g for the woundtd, and in gettiug thetu from the field regardless of danger. Col. Webster was placed in specias charge of all tho artillery, and was con - s'antly ou the field. He displayed, al always horetofore, both skill and bravery. At least in one instanco he was the mean s of placing an entire regiment in position of doing most valuable service, and where it would not have been but for his exertions. Lieutenant Colouel McPherson, a-ttiched to my stafi' as Chief of Enginesrs, deserves more thaq a passing notico for his activity ai.d courage. All the groaodü boyond our comps tor mile havo been reconnoitered by him, an4 plats, caiefully prepared under his supervisión, giving accurate information of the nature of approaches to our liues. Duritks the two days' battle he was conslaiitiy in the saddle, leadiug troop as they arrivcd to points where their services were required. Dui'ing the eagagem ;ut ho had oao horse shot uuder him. ïhe couutrv will have to mourn th loss of many brave men who feil at the battle of Pittsburg, or Shiloh, njore properly. Tlie exact loss in killed audwouud ed wil! be kuown in a doy or two; art present I eau only give it approximately at 1,500 killed and 3,500 wouuded. Tho loss of arüllery was great, many pieces being disitbled by the enemy' shots, aud súino losing all aheir horses and man; men. There were probably not lesa than two hundred horses killed. The loss of the enemy, in killed and left upon the field, was greater thau ours. In wounded the estímate cannotbe made, as many of them must have been sent to Corinth and other poiuts. Th; cnemv suffered terribly from demoral zation and desertion. A flag of truce was sent in to-day from Gen. Beau' regard. I inc!ose herewith a copy of the correspondeuce. ,} aiü, respectfully, your o'bt. serv't,