396 OPERATIONS OF GEN. MITCHELL. small, and in occupying Decatur, Florence, Tuscumbia and Huntsville, they were necessarily much scattered. The left wing of our army investing Corinth, was soon able to prevent any attack upon him from that direction; yet he was in the heart of the enemy's country, and surrounded by desperate and vigilant foes, and the utmost watchfulness and circumspection were at all times necessary; qualities which Gen. Mitchell exercised in an eminent degree. He avoided surprises and was uniformly successful in all his enterprises. This was owing to his extreme vigilance, and the great celerity of his movements. If danger threatened him, he cautiously withdrew to positions of greater safety, only to return to them at the proper time. He then withdrew from Decatur and Tuscumbia, while those positions were in danger of attack from a division of Beauregard's army. bridges and retired to Huntsville. His generals burned the same time building a bridge beyond Stevenson. His operations here are thus described : "While his two Generals were engaged in destroying the bridge at Decatur, Generals Mitchell and Siel were engaged in building another at a point beyond Stevenson-the division commander having determined to contract his lines and hold the positions gained north of the Tennessee more strongly. It must be understood that Gen. Mitchell did not hold the whole of this part of the rail road north of the river. His left was at Stevenson, or rather a few miles east of it, but the rebel right was north of the Tennessee, and advanced to the very left of General Mitchell. They thus had the bridge at this point by which to cross the river, and were only separated from us by a stream three hundred feet wide, and which is fordable in half a dozen places near the scene of action. In contracting his line by drawing in his right, he appears to have purposed extending his left, and placing the river between himself and his foes at Chattanooga. OPERATIONS OF GEN. MITCHELL. 397 "General Mitchell was aware of the movements from Chattanooga to Bridgeport, and the work of intrenching going on at both places. The enemy's force consisted of two regiments of cavalry, amounting to one thousand six hundred men, five regiments of infantry, and a battery of light rifled pieces. These had advanced to the west end of the bridge at this point, ten miles from Stevenson, and had thrown up a long rifle pit, at the right of which was an unfinished fort. This position defended the approach to the bridge which spans the Tennessee. These works were on the crest of a hill which ran at right angles with the bridge, and which the rail road passed with a slight cut." Gen. Mitchell, on the 21st of April, finished the bridge four miles east of Stevenson-the same day on which that at Decatur was burned. He built this bridge, three hundred feet long, in twenty-four hours, over water about twenty feet deep. As soon as the bridge was completed, he commenced his movement on Bridgeport, and advanced by rail road within four miles of that place, where he left the cars and marched the remaining distance. The rebel force was stationed at a point commanding the rail road, over which Gen. Mitchell was expected to advance. But that was not his purpose. By a detour he reached the main road to Bridgeport, dragging his artillery by hand, and after a rapid and toilsome march of two hours, he threw his forces into that very dangerous position between two bodies of the enemy. On his right, and one mile in his rear, were one regiment of infantry and two of cavalry. About the same distance in front were four regiments of infantry in line of battle, and hidden from view by a hill, on the right a thick wood, and on the left an open field. At the foot of the hill, Gen. Mitchell formed his line of battle, his two pieces of artillery, charged with shell, in the centre. The order for advance was given, and the line proceeded to the crest of the hill. The artillery dropped two shell into 398 OPERATIONS OF GEN. MITCHELL. the enemy's camp. It produced the utmost consternation. The rebels in front, concluded that the infantry and cavalry in their rear had been taken, and at once made the most vigorous efforts to save themselves. Our forces followed them at double quick, but they were resolved to leave the stream between them and ourselves, before they wasted any time in a battle. The bridge was crossed and fired, but the fire was extinguished. The cavalry and infantry which we had flanked, hearing our fire, came hastily on down the railroad. We had then possession of the late position of the enemy. Our artillery was turned upon them, and not discovering that their friends had left, and that the northern vandals were in their places, they dashed boldly on, until within about three hundred yards. Here they paused, undecided what to do; but a discharge of grape and canister among them, threw them at once into confusion, and induced a very rapid flight, becoming soon a perfect rout. Our cavalry pursued and captured many prisoners. This success gave Gen. Mitchell a clear field. The capture of Bridgeport was a severe loss to the insurgents. It heralded the capture of Chattanooga, which soon followed, and gave us full control of the Tennessee. The energy of Gen. Mitchell, and his fertility of invention in emergencies, are thus attested : we "When we reached the stream, over which the bridge was to be built, on Sunday-Muddy creek, as it is called found that the back-water had flooded it, until it was three hundred feet wide, and at least twenty feet deep. How to cross it, was the question; and when put to Gen. Mitchell, he replied: 'Oh, I have a bridge in the cars.' A road was quickly made to the edge of the stream, and down this was rolled a pontoon bridge-that is, the men unloaded and rolled down the bank sixty-six bales of cotton. They were placed in the stream, two wide, and guy ropes stretched from OPERATIONS OF GEN. MITCHELL. 399 Rails were run through the tree to tree through the water. the ropes of the bales, and thus bound them together. Then planks were laid from one bale to another, placed as the boats. for pontoon bridges are placed, and the bridge was complete. General Mitchell stated that he had calculated the buoyancy of a bale of cotton, and discovered it to be four hundred and eighty-six pounds. Some idlers, who knew their weight, added that of four of themselves together, five hundred and three pounds, and stepped on a single bale on the water. It sunk to within an inch of being submerged, and proved the calculation of Gen. Mitchell to be correct. "On the march from the point at which we left the rail road, Gen. Mitehell was always in the rear. On reaching the road leading to Bridgeport, he asked of a stranger what road it was. "To Bridgeport,' said the man. 'Can you guide us?' asked Gen. Mitchell. 'Oh, you can not travel it,' said the man, 'for a bridge is burned and the timber fallen in.' 'Show me the route,' said the General. The man refused. "Take him prisoner.' A half-dozen cavalrymen had him in an instant. 'March him along!' and away they went far ahead of of the party. Directly, we saw the whole party returning. Gen. Mitchell brought the column to a halt, and they closed up. The men were ordered, not to 'bear each a bough,' but each one carried a rail, and, demolishing fences, they threw them into the bridge on the works of the old structure, and passed over it. Imagine three thousand men, each bearing a musket on one shoulder and a rail on the other. "At another place, miry and muddy, we found Gen. Mitchell, with his coat off, engaged with his body guard in completing a similar bridge, and the men passed over dry-shod, as were Moses' men crossing the Red Sea." CHAPTER XIII. SIEGE OF CORINTH-SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF ISLAND NO. 10-BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE. The Enemy at Corinth-His Apparent Force-Cautious Advance - Details of the Siege― Its Evacuation - A Barren Victory-The Deception-Exploit of Col. Elliott-Gen. Pope Invests New Madrid-Occupies Point PleasantCapture of New Madrid-Bombardment of Island No. 10-Details and Incidents-The Surrender-Fruits of the Victory-Rebel retreat from Missouri-The Pursuit- Battle of Pea Ridge-Details - Results. After his defeat at Shilo, as recorded in the previous chapter, Beauregard fell back to his intrenchments at Corinth, which, it was believed, he at once proceeded to strengthen and extend, at the same time massing at that point, all his available forces. The divisions of Generals Price and Van Dorn were withdrawn from Arkansas, those of Gen. Bragg from Pensacola; and when our fleet and land forces captured New Orleans, the army under Gen. Lovell, that had been posted for its defense, also joined the insurgents at Corinth. The vigorous execution of the conscription act added still farther to that force. It seemed evident, from this large array, that a resolute and desperate stand would be made by the enemy at that point. It was generally believed that they had there massed an army of nearly two hundred thousand men. They constructed defensive works, which our Generals believed to be very strong. The Federal Generals met these extensive preparations of the enemy with corresponding vigor. All the operations were directed by Commanding General Halleck, who took the field |