CAMP NEAR CORINTH
, May 31, via
CAIRO
, June 1
A special dispatch to the
New York Tribune says: Yesterday
morning our reserve divisions were brought up, and our entire front moved
forward, the men having two days rations in their haversacks.
During the day
we kept up a tremendous cannonading , shelling the woods furiously.
The rebels hardly showed themselves, but replied feebly with a few shots.
Last night we
threw up breastworks along the entire front, and slept on our arms within a
thousand yards of the enemy’s breastworks.
At six o’clock this morning Pope entered
Corinth
, without the slightest resistance, and took possession.
At the same time the Major, who had come out on a different road, met
Gen. Nelson, and surrendered the town to him.
There were no
inhabitants remaining, except women, children and old men; the rebels succeeding
in carrying away absolutely everything, except a few provisions, which, with the
warehouses and railroad depot, were burned before we arrived.
They took every
invalid from the hospital, and every letter from the post office.
They did not have a single gun. And had been moving away troops more than
six days and stores two weeks.
The most of the
troops have gone towards
Grand Junction
. The rebel rear guard, under Gen.
Bragg, 10,000 strong, marched Southward at midnight.
Citizens assert positively that Beauregard was there in person and left
with it.
All concern
that never more than 60,000 troops were there at once and usually much less.
The rebel fortifications were five miles in extent, from the
Memphis
and Charleston Railroad to the M. and O. Railroad, but they were much weaker
than we supposed at any time.
The few
prisoners we have are deserters from the rebel rear guard.
There is great mortification in our army.
I have these details from one who was there in person.
Source:
The
Indiana
Democrat:
Indiana
,
Pennsylvania
, 5th June 1862
