The New York Herald Newspaper, June 5, 1862, Page 2

° NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1862.—TRIPLE SHEET. supposed and presumed they were origiamlly intendea to be—active offeusive movetents—to the slower but not less effective advances of a regular siege, is apparent to those who look upon the scenes as they transpire, if not £0 plain to those who in the distanes judge from hearsay. His later movements have been made upon evidence, strong and coavineing, of the strength of the enemy in hts position at Corinth. These reports have bean ob- tained from numerous deserters, one of whom, a topo- graphical engineer, has furnished a map of the works and @ full statement of the rebel force. This latter Statement has received hundreds of confirmations. De- sertions are numerous enough to satisfy any one of the demoralized condition of Beauregard’s forces. But at the same time such is his strength, such his force, 80 Strong his position, that General Halleck has determined of that organization, You know all that I know of Popo’s arrival. The army which fought on Sunday and was defeated hag been reorganized, and, under Major General G. H. Thomas, as the Army of West Tennessee, it now forms the right wing of the Army of the Southwest And the Kentucky army of Gen. Buell, minus two divisions and a brigade. Thomas’ old division added to his new corps, Mitchel’s operating in North Alabama and Nogley’s brigade in Contral Tennessee, the old Kentucky army still under Buell, and still called the Army of the Ohio, now forms the centre. On tho left is Pope with his Army of the Mississippi, which has lately been roinforesd by those divisions of Sigel and Davis, which formerly belonged to it, have been operating with Curtis, and with a grand army in the rear under Gen. McCler- nand the force is completely named, With these troops to bring on no general engagement. in their severa! respective positions as named, THE REBRL PORCE AT CORINTH. General Halleck has slowly marched forward Thad hoped to get you a full statement of the different | until he has assumed his present position and bas thrown up his works and began the siege, The advance has been slow. I know no reason for it. Ineed not detail that march. I need not tel! how 't advanced as if in lino of battle. There is no necessity for explaining how each corps—each division—became connected by telegraph with the headquarters of General Halleck, and he watched the progress with anxiety, be- holding everything at a glance. The topographical engi- neers, taking advantage of every advance, mapped the country and laid it before the master mind in his quar- tors in the rear. And then it became necessary to change he base of operations, and the whole line deflected to the left until they came within four miles of Corinth; and then again deflecting to the right, after an armed recon- neissance along the whole lineon May 20, threw up their firat line of intrenchmonts, one and a half miles from the outer works of the rebels and within three miles of Corinth. divisions of the five grand corps d’armee of the rebel General in chief. Such a statement is in camp, and is mine by promise; but the party promising it has not ‘been enabled, up to this time, to give it to me, and Iam compelled, consequently, to defer sending it. It will State that the fivecorps are nearly equal in strength, each corps being subdivided into three grand divisions, each of which contains three brigades, averaging about two thousand men, and making the whole effective force Of Beauregard about 90,000. His army consists of not Jess than seven formerly distinct armies, at different times operating in districts far remote from each other, but now concentrated for the purpose, as they assert, of driving Haileck into the Tennessee, and pushing the war ‘Deyond the Ohio, and in this delusive hope they have followers who indulge; but nobody suspects Beauregard of indulging in it. The seven armies which I have stated as thus concentrated THE FIRST PARALLEL. Bishop Polk, Crittenden, Bragg, Lovel Price, and that formerly commanded by A. Sid+ mey Johnston. The great army, of Bowling Green which, for such a length of time, kept central Kentucky in terror, isnow commanded, ai least one division of it, ‘by Major General John C. Breckinridge, who was nomi- nated to that position for his gallant conduct at Shiloh. In the corps of General Bragg there is the Pensacola ‘army, with Anderson in command of one division and Brooks commanding another, composed of Tennessee re- cruits and impressed men. Brooks is a Tennessee State Major General, and raised hisjtroops under Harris’ last call. He is of small calibre. Polk, Price, Van Dorn, When the first works were thrown up the right of General Thomas—the right wing—rested on the Purdy road, and his left on the main Corinth road. Buell’s right was on the main Corinth road, and extended to Pope’s right—the Iatter’s left resting one mile from Farmington, on the Farmington and Hamburg road, a continuation of the Corinth and Farmington road. The advance was made, and the position being found secure and tenable, the work of intrenching began. With their arms stacked near and the artillery in position, the whole line went to work and had soon completed its labors. One who has not watched the process can have no idea how soon a regiment will intrench its entire line. Lovell and Crittenden have about the same organizations as formerly. The organization of this force into five corps is rather a weakness than a strongth added to it. The corps d’armee will not number more than 18,000 men each, if so many, and it is pretty nearly positively ascertained that their whole force will not aggregate over 95,000 or 100,000 men. The brigades of four and five regiments do not aggrogate 2,000 effectives. It was ‘said that the impressed men were forced into incomplete regiments, and no new ones were being formed; but this, if true, will not bring them up tothe maximum. The regiments may average 500 men, but it is doubtful. ‘We have two rumors in regard to rebel commanders. One is that Beauregard has goné East, leaving Bragg as the senior Major General in command; but this is doubt- ful. In going to the Fast Beauregard could obtain no Perior command, as both Lee and Johnston are his supe- riors. He is now, since Johnston’s death, the fourth General in rank in the confederacy—Cooper, Lee and Johnston ranking him. The other is that Price is dead— killed at the battle of Farmington; but there is no telling thisfor the truth. Price may be dead or may not be. ‘We only know that his corps is on the right of the ene- my, forming their right wing for the defence of the ap- proach via the Farmington and Corinth roads, and that he ig antagonistic to Pope's corps and will have to fight Sigel and Jeff. Davis, whose divisions have just taken po- sition on the leftof Pope and at Farimngton. If you dave a Stanton censor in your compositors’ room who objects to the last portion of the preceding sentence, please Femind him that the Cairo special correspondents to the ‘Western papers have stated, over and over again, that reinforcements are being sent here, naming the regi- mentseven. It will do no harm to tell that these rein- forcements are Davis’ and Sigel’s divisions. Will it not rather create dismay in the rebel ranks of Price to find that they are again to fight the men who turned the scale at Pea Ridge and drove them from Missouri, and is it not a neat bit of poetical justice that these old enemies should meet again! ‘THE REBEL FORTIFICATIONS BEFORE CORINTH. Tam told this forest in which we now are, and in ‘which we have been since Pittsburg Landing, was left in the rear, and the horrors of its battle field no longer present to the eye, is almost intermisable, and as far as it concerns General Halleck’s movements, might as well be absolutely so. It extends, dense, dark and boundless ‘ag it is, to the outer worksof the rebels (which are one and a half mile from Corinth), and, felled for some dis- tance in their front, forms a terrible abattis and for- midable barrier to our approach. The rebels intend to fight behind their works. There is no doubt of this— General Bragg has said so—and our near approach would have doubtless tempted them from their works sooner bad they intended to make an attack. They have con- ‘sequently strengthened their works s0 as to render them as formidable as possible. In default of a ground plan, and dispensing with the aid of the woodcutter, let me try and give you an idea of these defences. Imagine a road—a country road such as are usually designated as dirt roads—running from Farmington to Corinth, five miles in length, and running neariy duo @ast and west. Farmington is east from Corinth, and on the map this road runs in the direction I have stated, ‘varying its course, however, to glide around ridges, to avoid swamps and to avoid the necessity of bridge build- ing. Then imagine a road running from Purdy to Corinth—a road of the same character—and as its course ts due south from Purdy, it runs, of eourse, at right angles with the Farmington and Corinth road, the latter point being that of the convergence of the two roads. A third road must befixed in the mind. It runsfrom The great sapling trees are felled with a rapidity that is astonishing, and practiced woodsmen ply the axe upon the fallen trees, cutting them to the correct length, as busy hands place the timbers in their position. The brushwood is piled upon it, and the spades and shovels quickly bury the mass inthe clay and soil thrown up from the rear. This is the side that Pillow was accused of ditching upon; but I imagine the renegade old rascal knew what he was about. You have no idea how strong these works are after they have had afew hours to settle. A six-pounder would hardly penotrate a foot, if dis- charged at only half a mile distance. At the right of each brigade (except that on the extremo right), a bat- tery of artillery was to be 1ooked to, and the infantry rogi- ments on either side of them had the labor to perform. In some instances mere breastworks were thrown up, but in moet cases neat, strong and extensive domi lune forts have been constructed with embrazures for the six pieces. This gives an enfilading fire which the rebels will find quite dangerous should they conclude to attack. ‘Siege guns were also put in position, the telegraph con- nected the different headquarters, the camps were moved forward, and peaceable possession taken of the new po- ition. Peaceable! I was looking for “‘Agate,” of the Cincinnati Gazette, in the camp of the Fourteenth Ohio, when a abell took off the top of Colonel Steadman’s tent, and exploded fifty feet from us. You could have heard the Colonel order the boys to “fall in’? had you been at Corinth. But that was the only disturbance of our peace which I saw or of which I neard. THR SECOND PARALLEL. But we rested in peace only aday. Our generals dis- turbed us this time, and another advance was ordered. ‘We had been encamped two regiments deep behind the first paralicl—that is, a brigade formed in camp ina ‘square of four regiments. But when we rested behind the second works I found we had advanced a quarter of a mile further forward, more than that distance to the right, and now all fronted the line. General Sherman's works extended beyond the Purdy road. General Buell’s right, General Wood’s division, crossed the main Corinth road, but Pope’s left rested where it had been before, save that it was a mile in the advance. By this you will understand that the line was lengthened—lengthened the length of a division, about half amile. De you see what it threatened? The left flank of the rebels. Do you see what it exposed? Our own right flank. And 80 forward moved the right reserve, two divisions, and protected it. I rode along the line yesterday despite of provost marshals and my doctor. The works are of the same character as those described under the preceding head—they are built in the same manner, is what I mean. It must not be sup- posed that they are built on scientific plans, from drawings by‘ topogs ;” but each colonel of a regiment throws up his breastwork to suit the ground infhis front— thus the line is often broken and unconnected. One of the division commanders here—Port Royal Sherman—made his brigadier generals sign document, binding them- selves to attend to the duty of throwing up the works in their front, and retired to Kussell’s house, to partake of certain luxuries derived from a neighboring sutler. On my trip along the line I got into Nelson’s division, and found my eye gladdened by an open tield—almost a prairie. But in the midst of it an unaccountable growth of small timber caught my eye, and I rode towards it; approached and passed around it. Six terrible black thirty twos were bebind it. ‘A masked battery of siege guns,” said the guard iv reply toan inquiry. A little farther on I found four other guns, and near by, completely hidden, an en- tire regimental camp. Crossing, afterwards, to the right Corinth northeast through Monterey to Pittsburg Land- {ng, and is known as the “Main Corinth road,” or the Ridge road to Corinth.” As the former is the name in common wso in the army, I shall call it by that name- At @ point on the Farmington road two miles and half, or thereabouts, the road is crossed by a small stream, called “Seven Mile Creek,” and which ex. tends to beyond the Purdy road, at distances from Co- rinth varied at from one and ahalfto three miles. Its head waters aro in the ridges west of Corinth, and it makes almost a complete semi-eircle about this little city of rebeldom. This stream is perhaps not more than five feet in width at its widest point, and not over two feet in depth—not s very formidable stream behind whieh to build works you willsay. Buton either side of this stream there stretches a swamp as wide as Broadway, and as miry as were the roads to Manassas during the winter solstice, s0 memorable as the season fn which “all was quiet on the Potomac.” This swamp is reprosented to be similar to those which we have left in our rear, and which, I venture to say, have no coun- torpart in creation. It is impossibie to cross them with out bridging them. A horse sinks to his knees, founders, ‘exerts himself, and at last ceases his efforts to find bim- felf up to his hips in the mire. After one has been bridged, or corduroyed, for the second or third time, a ca! ) OF ammunition wagon, or even a piece of artil- lory, Tay succeed in crossing them. Such is the natu- ral moat or ditch in front of the rebel works at Corinth. ‘The aim has been, of course, to strengthen the works atthe points of advance by the three roads. On their Tight, at @ point two mi ies and a half on the Farmington end Corinth road, oF equi-distant between the two places, the rebels have built forte and breastworks to defend that spproach. Lanettes and dem) lunes in front Of immense bastions frown upon the read, while breast- worksof every ‘eseription have been thrown up in front of these to enable the protected sharpshooters to har ass our gunners. In these forts are mounted tho largost quns used in field operations—thirty-two pounders, I be. lieve; but it isnot true that they have larger guns, a, has been stated. At the point of crossing of the swamp Sy the] Pittsburg Landing or main Corinth road, they have erected other forts, and on the Purdy and Corinth there are similar forte, These works are of the most substantial character; the ditches deep and steep; the moat or ewamp such as I have described; the breast- ‘works strongly rivetted, and in some cases sodded. The three forts, or series of forts, guarding these approaches aro connected one with another by continuous rifle pits ‘and occasional batteries, These are represented to be of ‘a most formidable character, and will give General Hai- Jock considerable trouble to reduee them. The camps have all been retired within the works, and “Seven Mile oreek’’ is unmolested, save by the occasional rencontres of rebel and loyal pickets and scouts. THR GiRGR HRGINA, And now what can I say of Gen. Halleck’s movements ‘and position that will aot be centraband? Two months nearly gone since the gromt fight fifteen miles in our rear, and what has been accomplished? Let ussee, A new army bas been onganized. You kuow all that I do I found similar masks, behind one of which I found “ Lady Halleck,” “ Lady Buell,” ‘Old Abe,” and some other thirty-two pounders, standing stately and silently in « heavy demi lune, and looking grimly on Corinth. There are hundreds of other mat- ters of interest along the line which I cannot give at this time. The division and brigade organizations of the three grand corps have been seut you for use at the pro- per time. WHEN THE BALL 18 TO OPEN. And thus resting before Corinth the question comes up, ‘When will the ball open? Three weeks ago I came from Pittsburg Landing to the advance, because! understood that the army was ordered to be in line of battle at three o'clock the following morning. I believe I have heard the same story every morning and evening since, and yet no general engagement. It is told this afternoon, as coming from General Thomas, that the left will opem to~ morrow morning. If there is no postcript stating that fact you can consider it all false, as Ihave no doubt it is. Indeed, the near approach to the rebel! pears to have produced a rather fraternal feeling. The pickets in front of Nelson’s division had quite a pleasant conversation with the rebel pickets yesterday, and exchanged coffee of the Union persuasion for rebet sugar, of which the “burners” have left a quantity on hand. For the past two days everything has been un- usually quiet. There has been no picket shooting or any skirmishing along the line, whereas a few days since the whole line was engaged at it. These skirmishes have cost us daily not less than twenty-five men in killed and wounded. We know not what has been the effect on the rebels. A deserter told me that a shell, a few days since, interrupted a pleasant game of poker, in the rebel ranks, by summarily disposing of the four captains who wero indulging in it. I saw @ Second Minnesota boy pick off a rebel sharpshooter who had posted himself in a tree, and who was easily discernible with a marine glass. I said the line had been quiet, but since writing the above General Pope has opened @ brisk cannonading on the left, and is keeping it up with vigor as I write, Perhaps he is playing the overture for to-morrow’s opera- tions, Iam not inclined to think we shall have a fight until we advance, I went out sbout haifa mile in the advance yesterday, and found a topographical engineer sketching the topography of @ bridge which runs nearly parallel with our works, He told me that we were then just three-quarters of mile from Corinth, which was south-southwost from that position—the centre of the army. I think the third parallel will be thrown up on thia ridge, or else, under cover of the seige guns from our present position. we shall advance and ——? The result may well be called questionable. If we are defeated our broastworks will be the terminus of our retreat, We shall retire for » second conflict. But where aro the rebels going? Not to Grand Junction’ We are under no obligations to follow them there. They can only retreat farther South. The Missis- sippi must be avoided by them, and if they must retreat further we can woll afford to follow them, Our base can be removed to Florence, Ala.,or, upon the consequent fall of Memobis and Fort Pillow, we can begin a new campaign, with the Mississippi for a base, nd push eastward until Louis Napoleon bebolds a pro- bable junction of Buell and Burnside. But surmise, an- ticipation, imagination itself cannot picture the extent of such a disaster to the rebels as their defeat in their stronghold of Corinth. But in them they must be de- eated. That at least is unquestionable. A NEW ORGANIZATION, We hear of new plans of organization here, one of which has the laudable design of saving Uncle Sam’s Pocket; but it is likely to be productive otherwise of considerable trouble. The plan is vo compose the bri- gades of troops from the same State, and divisions of thesame. All regiments not numbering five hundred men, effectives, are to be consolidated into full regi ments and the officers appointed. It is calculated that this would save many hundreds of thousand dollars to the government, but would never pay for the trouble which it would occasion. There would be, of course, thirty-four dissatisfied officers for every regiment under five hundred men,and they would produce almost mu” tiny among their mon. It is not supposed the plan will go into operation, at this time at least. Works Barons Contra, May 27, 1862. A Strong Doubt Entertained, and Why—The Kebels are Clamorous for Rations—A Third Parallel—A Partial Evacuation—How Beauregard Fires the Rebel Soldiers with Confederate Patriotiim—A Bombardment—An Achievement is Signalized— What Is It? dc., fc. HAVE THE REOELS RVAGUATED? “Do the robels intend to fight?’ has become a ques- tion of some moment, and army officers are seriously doubting the probability of an encounter at all. It is doubted that they are there in force, and, to tell the truth, it does look probable that they have left. Indeed, the probabilities of an evacuation having been accom- plished without harm by them are much greater than that they still remain. The conflict may open to-mor- row, but I record to-nignt my earnest conviction that the works of the rebels are doserted, and that they are ‘Quaker guns” which frown upon us* My reasons for this belief are manifold. There s mo doubt of the fact that the rebels have been on short rations. Their men have suffered terribly from this cause, but less even than their ani- mals. It is established as a cortainty that provender of all kinds is very difficult to obtain, and we can readily conceive how absolutely impossible it would be to do without animals or the animals to do without their food, They have sent us all tho prisoners in their hands at Corinth, releasing them on parole, any way, 80 as to get rid of them; and the released prisoners tell the same stories of want and suffering in the ranks of the rebels One hunired and thirteen of them, lately released, acquiesced and agreed in a story to the effect that they had been fed on a meat which they never remembered to have tasted before, and the rits of which, as large as those of a hog, were perfectly round. Perhaps some ofjyour scientific naturalists can tell us what delicacy the Commissariat of the rebels fur nishes to its troops. Asecond reason is that they have allowed us to ap. proach within three-quarters of a mile of their main works without having thrown a single shell into our camps. They have allowed us to throw up works at that distance, some of which have been made in clear open fields, and though crowds have been engaged in broad daylight in doing this they have not beon disturbed. These batteries, thus erected, have been deliberately made and the largest siege guns have boen mounted in them. Pickets are posted within half a mile of the works and see no one, give no alarms, and are not fired on. When one mile further to the rear we could distinctly hear their drums at tattoo and reveille; now we hear none, though they may be too wise to sound them as for- merly. We could hear, too, the shrill whistle of their locomotives, but that sound is only occasionally dis” tinguishablo in the lull of our own drums and bugles. ‘The cars a week since were quite busy. Tennessee con- ecripts, who had deserted, tell us that baggage and stores were being removed to Aberdeen, Miss. Great fires have for days past been distinguishable along the rebel lines, or in that direction, They de stroyed, as they fell back, and have doubtless completed the work of destruction, all that could be valu- able to us. These and many other significant move- ments indicate that a partial, if not full, evacuation has taken placo. I am convinced it is what General Halleck has been striving at, and what he will eventually accomplish. That he has no desire to fight the force for another two days, as he did at Pitts- burg, I am also positive. He thinks, as Colonel Willich of the Thirty-second Indiana, has remarkéd of the Pitts- burg Landing battle, “Dat is just so hard fighting as I wants.” A MAP OF THE REBEL POSITION. T have imposed on the good nature of a friendly captain of topographers for a sketch of the rebei position, which I send enclosed with this. I wrote you a description of the position yesterday, which letter you will find accom- panying this. 1 failed to send it previously, as I had hoped to do ,as the individual who was to have taken it did not go. It is dangerous sending it by the mail, as it is said General Halleck quietly drops all such letters into @ waste bag, and I have no ambition to fall into his hands to be similarly disposed of. The map does not pretend to give a true outline of the rebel works; but the topography is correct, and indeed so are the main forts on the right and left. The whole will give your readers a fair and correct idea of the rebel position. It will be the more welcome from the fact that the maps of the country in our front have given no idea whatever of the topography of this region. I refer you to the text of my letter of yesterday for the letter-press of the map. A THIRD PARALLEL. A third parallel of works is approaching completion in our front, three or four hundred yards nearer the ene- my. Going along the line to-day, I found batteries being built in the advance of our works and within thirteen hundred yards of the enemy, in which siege guns were being planted. These preparations are of the most for- midable character, and ought to reduce the rebels’ works in a short time and cause an evacuation, if one has not already taken place. In front of Pert Royal Sherman's divisionI found Robert McCook’s brigade engaged’ in throwing up protection for four thirty-two-pounders, which looked directly upon the rebel centre. Similar batteries approach completion, and I hope to hear the opening of the cannonading to-morrow. Whether the enemy be theroor not, the bombardment will not bo jong. The siege will quickly terminate when once the preparations are ended and the conflict opens with the vigor which those preparations promise. ‘THE PARTIAL RVACUATION. And as General Halleck knows the ‘good people and dear public” are likely to look upon @ successful evacu- ation of Corinth as a rebel victory, he is not soon likely to admit by telegraph that the evacuation began several days since, and that at this time, in all probability, it is only the division of General Cheatham which remains ia the rebel works. Butthis fact must become apparent ere long. That it isa fact, many circumstances and the statements of deserters amply testify. The circumstances are in our unobstructed approach over a country at any point of which an enemy ora small force would have proved a terrible obstacle. The cronsing of the swamps ‘and morass, which abound here, could have been pre- vented by any force half our own strength, But no obstacle to our march to within three-quarters of a mile of their works has ever been made, Branches of Seven Mile creek are in some placey in our pos- session, and we will soon have the main stream, osly half @ mile from the rebel works; and, remaining in quiet possession, we are allowed by the rebels to throw up works which must reduce theirs ina short time. Sharpshooters have disappeared, and our pickets are no longer molested. Regiments make fortifi cations fer siege guns, and ne shell disperses them and delays the labor. A force intimately acquainted with the country allows us to take peaceable possession of points of importanee tous and affecting the safety of vulnerable points of their own, Beauregard dares not cope with the force which he knows is being brought against him. He has not the ferce to do it, even behind his works. I have put his force st 90,000, but 1 meant it for the outside statement. It is not, nor has it ever beem more, and many entertain the opinion that it is not 70,000. The conscription has added little to the effective force, for the conscripts have but taken the weapons and places of less abler men. Despite of the Nashville and her cargo, there exists a scarcity of arma which they cannot supply. If with Nashville and New Orleans in our pessession, we shallat once take Memphis and Richmond, the rebels will never be able to manufacture a weapon of any kind, not even submarine batteries, in which article Memphis is said to have been 80 prolific. HOW TO FIRR THR AEPELSOLDIERS’ HRARTS. ‘This morning the pickets of the Tenth Indiana, lying in hearing of the rebel camps, heard an officer making a speech to the Southern soldiers, and heard very distinct ly their shouts of applause. Thoy were not able to dis tinguish what language was used by the spoaker, but Supposed it to be an apology for quitting Corinth. The men, by their cheering, would seem to approve such a course; or the speech may have been an inflammatory appeal to them to stand by the sinking cause, When speeches have to be made to encourage soldiers to fight, the cause is desperate indeed. GENERAL SIGEL'S DIVISION. The divisions which haye joined Pope from Curtis army are thoso of Jeff. C. Davis and that of Sigel, now commanded by General Asboth. I was mistaken in say- ing that Sigel had arrived. May 28, 1862. ‘A DISTANT BOMBARDMENT. I was awakened early this morning by tho loud voices . of men near the door of the quarters in which I have been so hospitably entertained and sheltered from provost marshals, the said voices being engaged in speculating as to the cause and meaning of distant firing of heavy artil- lery. Igot up, and found that, by intent listening, we could plainly distinguish the rapid firing of artillery in the far distance. Though just discernible, each separate report was distinctly heard, and we came to the con- clusion that Farragut and Foote were effecting @ junc- ture, and that Fort Pillow was suffering in consequence. The firing was certainly not along our own line. AN ACHIBVEMENT 18 SIGNALIZED. But having felt more interest in an incident of the past night, I sallied forth to find an explanation of the dis- charge of rockets immediately in our front about mid- night of last night. I had been awakened by the discharge ofa cannon near my quarters, and immediately after heard the discharge of a “‘sky rocket.” This was fol- lowed by another report of artillery and a second rocket~ I passed the works of the second parallel, and pushed through the denge and pathless woods towards the open field on our left, where McCook had been engaged the day previously in erecting abattery. I found that the work was now finished, and from the four embrazures of the little fork looked four huge, black thirty-two poun- der rifles. The battery garrison was in possession and offered objections to my minute examination of the work, and, taking advantage of the fact that General McCook and staff were galloping off in the direction of the creek, I followed on, and immediately in their rear passed unmo- lested through the outposts, who, I find from experience, never halt a man who pushes ahead as if he knew where he was going and what he was going far. It is oply your modest and delicate individuals who are ever halted. General McCook halted on the bank of Seven Mile creek. Ifound, on halting at the same point, that the ‘Thirty-ninth Indiana regiment was in possession of that point, and that the bridge or corduroy road by which I bad been enabled to cross the swamp to the pretty little stroam flowing near by, had been mado during tho night by tho samo regimont. I here found a solution to the rocket problem. It appears that the expedition had been undertaken by General William Nelson, and the purpose had been, if possible, to bridge a road across the swamp of Seven Milo creek to enable his division to make areconnoissance beyond the swamp and under the very walls of their fortifications. On gaining possession of the creek the General, as ordered, had discharged the cannon and rockets as a signal to the whole line of his success, Tam told that this position will be held and that the whole line will advance and take possession of the creek to-day. Gen. Nelson has encountered no pickets—no opposition. He has half bridged the swamp and has not been molested. We are in undisputed possession of Seven Mile creek and so near the rebel forts that it isf doubtful if their guns can be so deflocted as to roach the gallant ‘Thirty-ninth, which was tho first to taste the water of this running brook—the first water not stagnant since we left the Springs of Poa Ridge in our rear. Rese. Fort on Leer or Tas Mam Conwrra Roan, Owe ap 4 Haty Mite rrom Corinth, May 30, 1862. Inside of the Rebel Works at Last—The Reconmoissance of the Twenty-Eighth—Work an the Left Wing—Our Troops Bivouac on the Field—Pope Plants a Battery—The Fight With the Rebel Battery—The Rebels Strike their Flag— Joy of the Union Froops—A Night's Rest in the Swamp— The March into the Town—Description of the Enemy's Works—Scenes and Incidents, &c. INTO THE RESEL WORKS. All our doubts are cleared up. Operations before Co- rinth are ended. The last reconnoissance has been mad and we are in the evacuated works of the rebels. The story of two days is to be told. I did not furnish that of the 28th. Be content with what little you will got of minutia. Along a line of five miles in extent you can well imagine a man could see but little. But I have heard enough, such as 4it,is, You can hear fof ex- ploits as great as those of the 6th and 7th at Pitts- burg—wonderful achievements in the face of a feo Heaven only knows how many miles away. But give | the men credit. They went forward in works where they saw danger and a foe, and no man flinched. Oh, if we had such generals as we have volunteers | THE RECO NNOISSANCH OF THE 28TH. It was nine o'clock on the morning of the 2sth, which was Wednesday, before Pope opened on the left and be- gan the reconnoissance, which, it was soon evident, was general from the rapid firing in McKeon’s division, and further to the right in (Kentucky) Sherman’s. Ihad from the first anticipated that the work would be on the right—that Thomas, corps would have todo the labor, and I pushed from she right of Buell—the centre— towards the right. I found myself shortly after in front of the division of Sherman (Port Royal), and conclud- ed that it would be wisdom to retire to his rear ere he beeame engaged. I passed Mcleon, who was marching forward in splendid style, in line of battle, unbroken except where his loft brigade filed around a demi-curve in the third paral- Jol and again formed in a broad open field to the right of the house which the topographical engineers have uot dignified by a name. 1 fell in with a battery of artillery belonging to Major Cavender’s battalion, and saw some excellent practice at the tops of tall and distant beech and hickory trees. They told me the shells which were trimming the tops of the trees were falling in the works at Corinth, to which in silence I acquiesced. sherman and Hurlburt were quiet. Infantry and artillery were advancing down the Purdy road and the thousand and one roads which have been mado in the past few days, but they had encountered no enemy as yet. Indeed the right and centre have had a comparatively easy time of it; but Pope, on the left, has suffered in his advance. Tho right and centre encountered no enemy until they had reached the swamp and pushed through it towards the creek. Pope, on the contrary, met a determined resistance, and Ifoucd at night that his line has but little further ad- yaneed than the third parallel of the centre and right. Operating in an open space of some miles in extent, he has not been able to advance his lines as rapidly as did Buell and Thomas. But the engagement—if the skir- the day can be called such—began mishing of when tho right and contre had reached the swamp, and while yet the left was trying to obtain the same position. There was no distin- guishing anything. A reporter had need to bave the hun- dred eyes of an Argus to behold all that was going on. Along the whole line—a bundred yards in my front—the fight was raging. You could hear the sharp reports and the shouts, the commands, the cheers, the loud laugh- ter. But what more eould be seem, save occasionally the white amoke rising from th led weapon which had just been discharged? The ambulances were being slowly filled. The wounded bodies were being brought from the swamps, and the surgeons would gather around the subject. You could hear cries of pain, and curses, and groans, mingling with the wilder cries of the excited combatants, who were hidden in the woods that encircled them. This style of skirmishing was kept up during the wholeday. The combatants on the right and centre maintained their ori- ginal position, and Thomas and Buell bivouacked where they had fought—in the damp, miry swamps. The night was spent in preparations for an advance in the morning. ‘Was it not plain that no force was at Coriath. ON THR LEFT WING. The resistance of the rebels to Pope’s advance was more stubborn and the conflict during the day was more deter- mined, more exciting, and resulted im greater loss than perhaps in both the other corps. Not enly was he op- posed by infantry but artillery, and so exposed was his position that the latter, I am told has occasioned quite a heavy loss. It is said Pope’s killed ‘will alone amount to one hundred and afty; but I think the statement exaggerated by the camp rumors. The point of crossing of the oreck was defended by a battery of rifled guns which Pope had found exceedingly effective, ‘and he was content when night came to rest in the plain and make his preparations for reducing the battery at early dawn of the following day. The troops of the three divisions bivouacked on the fleld, where they had stood mostly inactive the whole day, Hamilton's loft posting on the Farmington road, A MIVOUAC ON THR FELD, 1 chanced, during the afternoon, to find myself near the love nth Kentucky, and I spread my blanket and shared the repose of the Kentuckians on the field, Supperloss to bed, I found myself soon dosing, falling to sleep at last with my ears full of the speculations of those around me as to the fina) result of the conflict of the next morning. They had waited for the day with patience, and they knew that it dawned with the rising of the next sun. Men grow serious undor such circumstances. They talk, however; there isa fascination in the subject, and they talk itover, Many and many was the speech I heard that night, beginning, ‘If I get killed, boys.” Strange and odd, comical and melancholy, unnatural, foolish, tender and loving were the wishes they made and tho messages they sent home. One wished that his body might be sent home if it was possible, and he wanted to be buried with his feet to the east. Another had a horror of being buried ina pit. One near me sent home his watch to his sister, ‘If I die to-morrow,” said one, ‘and you get out of ft, tell father he had better plant the old orchard field in hemp.” And thus around me were expressed in strongest terms and uncouth language the many strange ideas that haunted the brains which pondered on probable death on the morrow. And above all this din of voices you could hear from distant parts of the fleld—dark and dismal flela—the monotonous but not unmusical chaunting of the old church melodies and psalms, had heard them in the old church near which childhood had been spent, and in many a scene of later years, but never did they strike so clearly and melo- deously in my ear as on that night of our bivouac. POPE RRECTS A BATTER ‘There was bustle in the field long before the sun was up. Arms, which had served for pillows the night be- fore, were newly burnished, to preserve from rust. The contents of the haversacks were quickly despatched, and the cartridge boxes filled anew; and there had been busy hands during tho night; but the tabor which they had done had Ween accomplished quietly. Picks and shovels had been brought into requisition, and in the stream. I do not know with what feelings others this morning; but I firmly resolved that, whether w@ took Corinth er not, I should sleep no more in that swamp with the great green and black lizards crawling over aud chilling my boay, and the gross and hideous frogd perched near my head and croaking in my ears. If sucla is the sacred soil of Mississippi, the day of its invasion will need be remembered by many a Northern soldiof unacclimated to swamps of stagnant water and unaccugs tomed to social intercourse with frogs and lizards. OUR LINE AS IT BXIBTED ON THURSDAY NIGHT. On Thursday night we rested in possession of Sevea Mile creek, and within three hundred yards of the ene+ my’s works. On the left the Thirty-ninth Ohio held the bridge of the road, by which Genoral Payne's Ulinois division crossed during the night. On the main Corinth road the Eighteenth regulars and tho Ninth Ohio shared the honor of taking the bridge with one of Wood's regi ments. I did not learn it. Sherman had placed the bri* gade of Stuart, of the Fifty-fifth Illinois, on the southern side of the bridge on the Purdy road, and the rest of his division wore engaged in building roads for the several, brigades composing it. It was then evident that the morning must end the conflict; and, with that anticipa- tion, I retired, but not to sleep. ‘THR REVEILLE OF FRIDAY MORNING. ‘This morning dawned beautifully clear, pleasant and cool. In the gray of the morning our labors began, and the advance was sounded along the whole line. The morning reveille had not been omitted. The first streak of coming light had aroused the drummer boys on the left—Pope’s—away two miles to the east, and we heard hisdrums and the accompanying fifo play the inspiring air which has lost so much of its spirit by its too com- mon use in camp. The noxt division caught up the sound and nearer it came, The twang of the horn is the camps of the artillory and cavalry mingled with the drums of the infantry in pleasing melody, and the whole advance of the line and near the road I saw that anew fortification—a new battery—had sprung into existence. I passed the line, going down the road, and reached this new work, on which I found four thirty- two pounders—thirty-two’s or twenty-four’s, I am not sure which. Tho garrison of the little fort peeked through the embrasures, eagerly expecting, with the dawning sun,’to be fired on. Isaw dimly, through the troes, the flag which was waving over the rebel battery, against which our new work had been designed to ope- rate. It was the old ‘‘stars and bars’? of the rebels. I have heard of different flags which are said to have been army woke to the pleasant strain—pleasing on this morn, waking them, as it did, to the labor whose danger only makes it the more exciting and delightful. There were rations of grog, with the meat and hard -bread (‘Lincoln platforms,” as the boys call the crackers); ‘and cach man, no doubt, felt the better for the draught} quickly, indeed, was that meal despatched. There was a desire on the part of the men to get out of the swamp. For two nights they had slept in their trenches. They thirsted to sleep in those of the enemy, AN LINK OF BATTLE. Noiselossly into line they formed in the centre. ¥ captured along the line, but Ihave seen no other than the old rebel flag with which all are so familiar. With a glass which I obtained at the little fort I could plainly see the rebel fortification. It was a single demi-iune, mounting three guns, and just beyond the moat of Seven mile creek. ‘The artillorists informed me that the reconnoissance had developed the fact that it had been erected for the defence of the bridge on the Farmington road to Corinth. Between us and the rebel works there yawned this chasm of the creek"and two or three ridges and their intervening swamps. It had been expected that as a matter of course the rebels would open upon us ‘a8 soon as morning should discover our position. But the work on the unfinished fortification continued uninter- ruptedly until about eight o’clock, when it was announo- ed that they were finished and ready for work. ‘THE REBEL RESISTANOE TO THE ADVANCE OF OUR LEFT. - Along our whole line the silence of the past night hid been maintained. We know on the left that Buell and Thomas held the creek, that Sherman had crossed the bridge on the Purdy road and Nelson that onthe main Corinth road. The work of bridging the swamp had begun and had been finished during the night, and all waited for Pope. He is not a man to delay any one, and be quickly went to work to bring his line forward with that of the rebels. It had been hoped that the line would be so advanced on Wednesday night that the storming could be b>gan and finished on Thurs- day. But eight and nine o’clock came, and still the ene- my opposed the left. It is now apparent why the re- sistance was 80 great on this wing. The retreat is said to have been by the Mobile and Ohio railroad,and the purpose had"been to obstruct the marching upon that point as long as possible. if rumors were to be believed, the rebels have found serious obstructions in the way of their retreat by that road. I heard on Wednesday night, and again on yesterday, that General James S. Jackson, in com- mand of a brigade of cavalry, consisting of his own Ken- tucky regiment, the Second Ohio and the First Ohio, had pushed south for the purpose cf obstructing'the Mobile and Ohio Railroad; but you cannot be sure of nnything you hear in thecamp. If this be true and the expedition shall succeed, the division, which it is now ascertained we have been fighting, may be captured. ‘THE FIGHT WITH THE REBEL BATTERY. ‘The rebel battery allowed us to make our works under their very nose. It also allowed us tostrike the first blow, and the first fre of the morning came from our battery on the left and roused the whole line from its lethargy. There are practiced artillerists in our ranks—a year’s schooling has made many of them efficient in the art, and with unerring aim the black monsters hurled the hissing bombs into the works of the rebels. The first one served the rebels laid dormant, and he soon began to reply, but not with the skill of his practiced opponent. The infantry stood listlessly watching the interesting duel, and noting intensely the dreadful effect of the shells. The guns of the enemy were twelve-pounders, and no match for our superior and larger guns. The effect of our shots soon became plainly visible. The giassos of the officers revealed and their voices pro- claimed with oaths, drawn forth by the excitement of the moment, that guns had been dismounted and breaches made. But still the rebels continuea to reply; and , to increase the interest of the occasion, the infantry of Gen. Hamilton’s division, marching on the right of the battery, reached the swamp and became en- gaged. The skirmishing companies had hardly succeed ed in deploying as they reached the swamp before they met tho rebel skirmishers,and the fight at long range continued, The division was halted and awaited the re- had rested with the veterans of Mill Spring, and watched them in the morning as they came into line. The ‘ bully Dutch”? of McCook toed the mark with the Kentuckians of the Tenth, and the tall, spare Minnesotians of the Second regiment formed on their left. There was silence and awe, and the men were sori- ous as they stood there at a “ rest ;’” but there was no flinching. Pipes were lighted after the morning meal, and still protruded from the lips of the brave fellows who puffed and looked serious. Men put huge chaws of tobacco in their mouths, ag if they thought it might be their last, or that that chew would have to last them all day. The human face is a wonderful study in such ag hour as that of this morning’s dawn. Would I were adept at language to picture the contradictory ex- pressions which played upon them; to tell how plainly their thoughts were expressed on their features. ‘There was little talking. Faces grew handsome as com- pressed lips and arched brows and intently staring eyes looking on vacancy, told plainly of the intensity of thought which occupied the brain of that motley multi- tude. INTO THE ENEMY’S WORKS, And the knapsacks were thrown from theshouldersand placed in huge piles in the rear. Men threw their blanketa tied about them from their loins, and coats were dis- pensed with and shirt sleeves rolled up. You could see the old crumpled letters taken from knapsacks and put into the pockets of the gray shirta which they wore, and there were letters, newly written and carefully directed disposed of so that by them the body, if it should be life- Jess when the sun set, might be identified. And thes came the bugle, and men started as if startied from thought or sleep. The quick command—oc'ear and Joud—and all came to an “order arms.’’ The prelimina- ries were gone through with and the line moved slowly forward. You know the rest—I havo premised it in my preface to this letter. Up the hill at a double quick—si- Jently and swiftly, over the rifle pit, on to the heavier works, across the ditch, over the walls with a spring and into the works with a choer which told the story to the rest of the line. The works wereempty. The rebels wore gone, and left but the sign of their devastation be, hind them. AND THE CONSEQUENCES. 1 bave been along the whole line. It is a scene of ruin and desolation. Corinth is not demolished, but it is very much deteriorated, about as bad as the Corinth of old. There are tents still unstruck on the numberless hills that abound here. A hospital—I presume it isa hospital—of tents, some hundred ia number, are south of the town, but I am told they are vacant. Inthe town — the scene is dismal indeed—nothing is occupied, all is vacant. The flag of the Thirty-ninth is flying over a depopulated city. In the fields north of the — town, where the rebel camps have been, there are the common evidences of their late presence, but nothing uncommon. Arms are being picked up in allpartsof the field. A few pieces of artillery have fallen into our possession, and a few hundred prisoners, who, if the truth were known, are deserters. Cavairy has gone in pursuit of the rebels, but | know not with | what success. There is reason to be contented with ; what we have gained. Dislodging them from the ‘‘works”’ which they have at this point is an achieve- ; ment which, under the circumstances, there is reason | for General Halleck to pride himself upon. REBEL ACCOUNT ‘S FROM CORINTE Suscssaanaddied of the Mobile yg he yd ey 38) Conwru, May 23—Night. Yesterday was one of great excitement ioe expecta- sult. The intervening swamp kept the foes from reach- ing each other, and Gen. Hamilton had to content him- self with rolieving the skirmishers occasionally and giv- ing other companies a taste of sharpshooters’ practice. Patience had to be exercised until the rebel fort at the bridge should fall. THE REBELS STRIKE THEIR FLAG. Was it one, two or five hours before it struck? I had no idea of time—I have hardly recovered my faculties enough to distinguish the hour by the sun at this time. But at Jast the flag was struck and the rebels fell back. In the dim distance, two hundred yards beyond the fort which had fallen, we had seen their heavier works, and to this we naturally supposed they had fallen back. The firing on the fort ceased, buta few shells were sent afte’ the retreating rebels and into the works beyond’ General Paine, on the left of the road, pushed forward a strong reconnoitering party, while Geno. ral Hamilton did the same from the right, and the skirmishers met at the bridge. Here was an in- stance given of the superior quality oP our troops. ‘The skirmishers met, face tq face, each rushing forward for the same goal, but from opposite directions. They halted, formed, but did not fire. Their coolness saved them from the danger,and they soon recognized each other as friends; and, mingling together, they pushed rapidly forward, and crossed the corduroyed bridge at a double quick. Up the steep hill they rushed, and sprang, with a shout, into the fort—deserted, save by the dead bodios which lay around and the hoge monster, which, spiked and useless, remained to them as trophies. THURSDAY'S WORK OF BRIDGE BUILDING. ‘The shout which told of the victory was ectioed with tenfold force by the corps of General Pope, and in the distance we could hear the shouts of Buell’s and Thomas’ armies, congratulatory of the achievement. General Pope immediately ordered an advance. The Thirty-ninth Ohio reinforced the skirmishing bands which had gone into the fort, and the entire divisions of General Pope's corps advanced to the edge of the swamp. I have often described the swamps which abound here. Imagine this to bea similar one on @ grand scale. The work of bridging it was hastily begun, and all the rest of that long day of Thursday was consumed in tho work. 1 need not tell again how these bridges of corduroy are made from tho sapling trees of this in terminable forest, = Taare 4 MGHT'Ss REST IN TR SWAMP. boards of New Orleans and Hobie ae “Old tray" maaan All the remainder of the line was silent on Thursday, lly and gay as ever, but seriously objected to the but not idle, and when the night came brigdes spaned orinra climate. My {nformant states that there is « tion. Our army had marched out to the tronches with , the fullest confidence that they woul” moet the hosts of | Halleck, and that the God of battles ere this would have pete he with victory jen 4 of Corinth. But hour after hour passed away without any important demon- stration being made, until about three P. M., when our wonried soldiers, who had been under arms since three, — in the morning, returned once more to their: ‘smiore was light skirmishing all along our lines, and’ the enemy's pickets were driven back beyond Farming. ton; but few casualties occurred. It is now evident , that Halleck does not intend to risk a battle until he has | completely fortitied his position, and made his chances of retreat safe in case of a defeat. A Tennosseo coun- | tryman, who had been held a prisoner by Halleck Bag some weeks and who arrived here to-day, reports that the enomy is fortifying his position in the vicinity of | Monterey , and that he had nine heavy siege guns, thirty- | two pounders, : placed in battery. Let him pursue what) course he will I feel confident that every any cr lay is only making more certain his defeat, I ai our people are — the issue with broathtess iatye) Hut let them be of good cheer, and with patience rely confidently on A) rosult, is luck in leisure, while delays to the y are dangor fall hope in an overruling destiny, and trusting to mereiful divinity to shape out our onds, lot us abide ou time, but be vigilant and wary. For as Timoleon, with! his braves of Corinth, delivered Syracuse from the hands, of the Carthagenian tyrants, and put the barbarians to flight with ia reek slaughter, restoring that city to its poo- Beauregard, with hisarmy of Corinth, drive Poou th the seolition tyrants from Tennessee and Kentucky, and restore these States once more to their own peopi ie. ‘There was a little skirmishing early this morning which was attended by the loss of one man on our side, Delonging to the Twenty-ninth Tennessee, and! several of the enemy. also took five pri- soners, who were caught under the followin; cireumstances:—It seems that the enemy had- teen playing a Yankee trick on our pickets by sending their men through the begun of the thiok woods in order to approach as an possible! to our works. To delude our Dleketa and eve this object they wore eow bells around their necks, and when they supposed their igh the brush attracted the attention of our men they would bem the bells so ast Ses pao aay opine Le y ee grazing. ots , SuBpec something wrong letermined on* this occasion to look after horned cattle, and, to, make matters certain, by a ies movement ined eg roar of the beliringers, ‘when they came ‘cutdonty five of the cowbellians, who, not nant wo my Mobile fraternity, were immediately ca; of our men who was ‘capiured at ‘at Inland No, 10 mad his escape from Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio, on t! gous uit, and arrivedhere Yesterday. all the be prisone . who were doing well, were being remov: hnson’ Island, near Sandusky, Ohio, wh when he romnagea to mix in with the crowd of spectators and sloped. He reports that, iynasty. 4 eastern men who believed that the capture of Now Orleans would re-open a and for their produce, now see the contrary effect, and th All commerce ia totally destroyed. Besides this, howe or mre tay have been their fanaticiam againe® slavery, they aro forced now to acknowledge, by (ihe the swamp for every brigade in the army. How wonder. up in the Northwest, a that count . “4 oon & par ggg ST more, we day,,and found It not more, T should imagine, than | faces, wh the overrunning of cut slaves in the North creek and its swamp, ‘The water of the croek furnished | tue yee Beinn yunrery: (ne Row openly avo them a market drank their fill, They had now possession of it—nine anti-Lincoln party grow! whieh fs making itsolf feet sorisaly fait every tow fully the line has been contracted since we commenced look upon the abolition of sla tting the negr this approach! I rode along its whole length on Thurs- aod oraing 4m ‘a competition of labor between ihe twat I four miles. But a fow days ago it must have been seven | if emancipated, would be sure to effect; consoquentiy or eight. ‘The army rested on the south side of the | general Indisposition and apathy ts role against carry t of the the men with @ drinkable beverage, something for the want of which they had endured great suffering. They points of the law—and they anticipated that the coming trugglo would Joave them undisputed owners of the