The Guns of Shiloh

troop to see the white flag floating over

ried, "the fleet h

t here. Now I wonder what General Grant will say when he

ing was already spreading among the soldiers that this man, whose name was recently so new among

Winchester and his troops galloped rapidly back toward the army, which they soon met, toiling through swamps and even through shallow

y horse near the head of one of the columns. This man, like all the others, wa

n of firing mean, Colon

outhern force, which was drawn up outside, retreated southwar

f satisfaction pass over the

nd tell him that the army is coming up as f

Foote, were in anxious consultation. Most of the troops were soon camped on the height, where the Southern force had stood, a

ston, after the destruction of his eastern wing at Mill Spring by Thomas, was drawing in his forces and concentrating. The news of the loss of Fort Henry would cause him to hasten his operations. He was rapidly falling back from his position at Bowling Green in Kentucky. Buckner, with his division, was about to march

ck and his comrades, as they sat before the fires at the close of the s

d another fort anywhere they please along the Tennessee, and stop our fleet. This general of ours has a good notion of the value of time and a

distance between them is not great, but our ships can'

f the Cumberland, and down the Cumberland to Donelson. It would require only four

nt would be allowed to arrange things as he chose. But several days passed and they heard nothing from the Confederates, although Donelson was only about twenty miles awa

rtune had placed the great generals of the Confederacy, with the exception of Albert Sidney Johnst

nts that might be coming, take them back to the Ohio, and thence into the Cumberland. Fresh supplies of ammunition and food were brought up,

ed the energy and courage of his opponent. He had shared the deep disappointment of all the Southern leade

consin and Minnesota, were a stalwart crowd. War, save for the bullets and shell, offered to them no hardships to which they were not used. They had often worked for days at a time up to their waists in icy

to face. The forces against him were greatly superior in number. The eastern end of his line had been crushed already at Mill Spring, the extreme western end h

Buckner, with his division, was sent from Bowling Green to help defend Donelson against the threatened attack by Grant, and he arrived there six days after the fall of Henry. On the way were the troops of Floyd, defeated in West Virginia, but afterwards sent west

to the cities North and South. The name of this new man, Grant, spelled trouble. People were beginning to talk much about him, and already some suspected that there was more in the back of

antagonist, but his years had brought only experience and many triumphs, not weakness of either mind or body. At his right hand was the swarthy and confident Beaureg

y down there in the Confederacy. But others remembered his successes, particularly at Belmont and Fort Henry. They said that nothing could be won in war without risk, and they spoke of his daring and decision. They recalled, too, that he was master upon the waters, that th

rs was of supreme value to the North. Buell embarked his army on boats on Green River in the very heart of Kentucky, descended that river to the Ohio,

. There were fresh regiments of farmers and pioneers from Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. They we

onelson, across there on the other river, and the men asked to be led against it. Inured to the hardships of border life, there was little sickness among them, despite the winter

t to which Dick now belonged, and the fifth evening after the

d Warner. "The chances are at least ninety per cent

plied Whitley. "We are all ready an' as you've obs

have seen their cavalry in the woods watching us, but only in the

ow, who commands them, isn'

nt will have his work cut out for him. The Johnnies, besides having their fort, can go into battle with just ab

ennessee, and Dick, to his great surprise and delight, received a letter from his mother. He had written several letters himself, but he had

endleton many reports about General Grant. They say that he does not spare his men. The Southern sympathizers here say that he is pitiless and cares not how many thousands of his own soldie

us, and I do not know either whether these reports are true or false, though I fear that they are true. Your uncle, Colonel Kenton, is with General Johnston, and I hear is one of his most t

taff. It is best to be with one's own people. I have known Colonel Winchester a long time, and he has all

ick was sitting by the fire when he read it. Then he read it a second time and a third time, folded

. Although a little over forty, his figure was still slender, and he had an abundant head of

from home?

ad I am in your command. She speaks very highly of you,

s of the colonel. Dick thought it w

to read what she says

u don'

letter again and r

ry fine woman," said

sir," said Dick

ent of General Grant, where a conference of officers was to be held.

bold fellows who say they're going to lick the spots off us. They say they have a big army at Donelson, and they'

ong hand on the reins. He did not notice here the doubt and uncertainty that had reigned at Washington before the advance on Bull Run; in Gran

a formidable nature, and Grant's own army was not provided for a winter campaign. It had few wagons for food and ammunition, and some of the regime

ed his confiden

were shut tight together, which means a resolve to do at all costs what one has intended to do. I still admit that the

river and the submerged lowlands, and the air was full of raw, penetrating chill. An abundant breakfast was served to everybody, and then with warmth and co

Colonel Newcomb and Major Hertford, who led the slender Pennsylvania detachment beside the Kentucky regiment. Thus the army emerged from its camp and beg

y were the cavalry of Forrest, but they were too few to stay the Union advances. There was a scattered firing of rifles, but the heavy brigades of Grant move

rrest's cavalrymen passed out of sight, "and if we were not i

's country, and we needn't think that we're going to m

when we get Donelson. I've been hearing so much

not try to impede Grant's advance. When the sun was well down in the west, the vanguard of the army came within sight of the fortress that s

upon a semi-circular hill which could command the river for a long distance, and around all of these extensive works, several miles in length, including

uthern reinforcements from reaching the other side of the river and crossing to the fort under the shelter of its numerous great guns. He was yet to learn the truth, or at least the partial truth, of Napoleon's famous saying, that in war an army is no

moment that he looked in the face of mighty events. The things of the minute did not always appeal to him with the greatest force.

do you think of it

I didn't know General Grant I'd say that

ad, too, Dick. I'd like to see the smoke of its fu

food and ammunition. The afternoon had turned warm, and many of the northwestern lads, still clinging to their illusions about the climate of the lower

ve on the northern side where Hickman Creek flowed, deep and impassable. The general's own headquart

as heard, but it was only the pickets exchanging shots at long range and without hurt. Dick and Pennington wrapped their blankets about them and sat with their backs against a log, ready

essee. This, too, was a great river. Dick was glad when the last of his errands was done, and he could come back to the fir

rs of high rank were still entering it or leaving it, and he

eepy to have more than a vague impression of anything. He saw the coals glowing

fasts some of the great guns from the fort began to fire at the presumptuous besieger. The heavy reports rolled sullenly over the desolate forests, b

with him were the generals, McClernand and Smith. Colonel Newcomb also arrived, attended by Warner. The high officers examined the fort a long time through their glasses, but

ntervals of a minute or two there was a flash of fire from the fort, and the menacing boom of the cannon rolled through the desolate forest. Now and then, a

Winchester wrote somet

r for the regiment to hold itself in complete readiness, altho

he fort screamed over his head in such a menacing fashion that it seemed to be only a few i

d noticed his sudden bow, and galloped on with the order. The lieutenant-colonel read it and nodded. Then Dick ro

went to their brigades. General Grant was

y," said Colonel Winchester to Dick.

on the right opened with a tremendous crash and the battle for Donelson had begun. A Southern battery replied at once and the firing spread along

de it seemed for hours. Then the guns on the Northern side ceased suddenly, bugles

. The Southerners inside the fort fired their cannon as fast as they could now, and at closer range opened with the rifles. Dick heard once again

le town of Dover, they pressed in far enough to secure some hills that protected them from the fire of the enemy, and from which Southern cannon and rifles could not drive them. Then, at the order of Grant, his troops withdrew el

from their native state. Neither Dick nor Pennington was wounded. Warner had a bandaged ar

was not so hard for them to do it either. How can we ever

rning fast and h

n into the enemy's lines, and if those reinforcements come it will be thrust furthe

lose. The field upon which the assault had taken place was within the sweep of the Southern guns. Some of the Northern w

regretted bitterly the blankets that they had dropped on the way or left at Fort Henry. Detachments were sent back to regain as many as possible, but long befor

desolate forest rimming it around, lay exposed fully to the storm. Dick, at intervals, saw the short, thickset figure of the commander passing among the men, and giving them orders or encouragement. Once

deep, then three inches, then four and still it gained. Through the darkness and the storm the Southern cannon crashed at intervals, sending shells at random into the Union camp or o

wounded who were yet there. They carried lanterns, but the darkness was so great

e from the forest. All the tents they had were set up, and the men tried to cook food and make cof

did not sleep an instant that terrible night. He could not. He, Pennington, and Warner, relieved from staff service, worked all through the cold and darkness, helping the wounde

n; "I knew that war would furnish horrors

," said Dick. "I feel it in every bon

emember, Mr. Pennington, that while this is pretty bad, worse can happen. Remember, too, that while

s height. Along a line of miles the fires burned and the men crowded about them. But Dick, who had been working on the snowy plain that was the battlefield, and w

t hope for a moment or two. How could anybody, no matter how resolute, maintain a siege without ammunition and w

could see men moving inside the earthworks. Certainly the Southern flags had a right to wave defiance at

rogram today, Dick?

certain that we won't attempt

, who was standing by, "bu

t, and then another and another. To the northward t

coming up the Cumberland to our help! Oh, you men of Donel

from the fleet, and the crash of th