My Days and Nights on the Battle-Field

northeast corner of the State of Mississippi. The Rebels call it the battle of Shiloh, because it was fought near Shiloh Church. I did not see the terrible contest, but I reached the place so

ed. Having been so early on the ground, and having listened to the stories of a great many persons, I shall try to give you a correct account. It will be a difficult task, however, for the stories are conflicting. No two persons see a battle alike; each has his own stand-point. He sees what takes place aro

the Mississippi. They were obliged to concentrate their forces. They saw that Memphis would be the next point of attack, and they must defend it. All of their energies

urg Landing, the town of Corinth. It is at the junction of the Memphis and Charlesto

efended," said the

Landing an

issued a proclamation calli

he State, without regard to age, to enlist in its service. I command him who can obtain a weapon to ma

t the fame and glory which he had won by attacking Fort Sumter and at Bull Run woul

hed for many months the little frowning fortress on Santa Rosa Island. The troops which had been at Mobile to resist the landing of General Butler from Ship Island were has

olumbus on the Mississippi. General Johnston with his retreating army hastened on,

ey came from Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri. Beauregard labored with unremitting energy to create an arm

Cumberland and up the Tennessee, to Pittsburg Landing. He made his head-quarters at Sa

eir superior force, before General Buell could join him. Beauregard had his pickets within four miles of General Grant's force, and he could move his entire army within striking distance before General Grant would know of his danger. He calculated that he could annihilate General Grant, drive him into the river, or fo

s further down is Crump's Landing. General Lewis Wallace's division was near Crump's, but the other divisions were between the two creeks. The banks of the river are seventy-five feet high, and the country is a succession of wooded hills, with numerous ravines. There are a fe

roads fork. The left-hand road takes you to Hamburg, the middle one is the Ridge road to Corinth, and the third is the road to Shiloh Church, called also the Lower Corinth road. There are other openings in the woods,-old cotton-fields. Three miles out from the river you come to S

d between the cracks. It is thirty or forty feet square. It has places for windows, but there are no sashes, and of course no glass. As you stand within, you can see up to the roof, supported by hewn rafters, and covered with split shingles, which shake and rattle when the wind blows. It is the bes

r northwest towards the town of Purdy. By the church, along the road leading down t

ates. They were considered to be the ablest generals in the Rebel service. General Breckenridge was there. He was Vice-President under Buchanan, and was but a few weeks out of his seat in the Sen

, and Johnston outnumbered Grant's army by fifteen thousand. General Van Dorn, with thirty thousand men, was expected from Arkansas. They were to come by steamboat to Memphis, and were to be transported to Corinth by the Memphis and Charleston Railroad; but Van Dorn was behind time, and, unless the attack was made at once, it would be too late

d marched with great enthusiasm. The Rebel officers, who knew the situation, the ground where General Grant was enca

d the roads in the morning were so muddy that the artillery could not move. It was late Saturday afternoon before his army was in position. It was too near

se. The officers and soldiers did not dream of being attacked. They were unprepared. The divisions were not in order for battle. They were pre

, drove them back to a Rebel battery, losing three or four prisoners and taking sixteen. General Lewis Wallace ordered out his division, and moved up from Crump's Landing a mile or two, and the troops stood under arms in the rain, that poured in torrents through the night, to be ready for an attack from that direction; but nothing came of it. There was more skirmishing on Saturday

amboats are there, and hundreds of men are rolling out barrels of sugar, bacon, pork, beef, boxes of bread, bundles of hay, and thousands of sa

rifle-pits at Donelson, on the right-hand side of the road in the woods. It is commanded now by W. H. L. Wallace, who has been made a Brigadier-General f

ad, two miles out, towards the southwest. Instead of taking that road, you still keep on the right-hand one, travelling nearly west all the while, and you come to McClernand's division, which is encamped in a long line on bo

to Purdy; one from the northeast, which will carry you to Crump's Landing; the road up which you have travelled from Pittsburg

facing northwest, but nearly south. McClernand's left and Sherman's left are close together. They form the

igade of Sherman's division is there, guarding the crossing. The brook which gurgles past the church empties into the creek. You see that Prentiss's entire division, and the left wing of McClernand's, is between Stuart's brigade and the rest of Sherman's division. There are detached regiments e

from a superior force. McClernand ought not to be at right angles with Sherman, Stuart ought not to be separated from his division by Prentiss, and General Lewis Wallace is too far away to render prompt assistance. Besides, General Grant is absent, and there is no commander-in-chief on the field. You wonder that no preparations have been ma

hurl the entire army upon Prentiss and Sherman. He had four lines of troops, extending from Lick Creek o

Bragg's corps added on the right. The artillery was placed in front, followed closely by the infantry.

is left wing supported by cavalry, his batteries in position to advance at a moment's notice. The reserve, under General Breckenridge, followed close upon Polk. Brec

no drums beat the tattoo, no bugle-note rang through the forest. They rolled themselves in their blankets, knowing at daybreak they were to strike the terrible blow. They were confident of succes

e the battle. Although Johnston was commander-in-chief, Beauregard planned the battle. Johnston was Beaur

General Breckenridge in that battle. He escaped from the Rebel service a few months later, and has published an interesting narrative of what he saw.[8] He

'Little Napoleon,' as Beauregard was sometimes fondly called, ten or twelve generals, the flickering light playi

e group, gesticulating rapidly, and jerking out his sentences with a strong French accent. All listened attentively, and

ht-gray military cloak which he folded around him. His face was pale, but wore a determined expression, and at times he drew nearer the centre of the ring, and said a few words,

ds of counsel. General Bragg spoke frequently, and with earnestness. General Polk sat on a camp-stool at the outside

pective commands, I heard General Beauregard say, raising his hand and pointing in the direction of the F

on and numbers. This knowledge was obtained through spies and informers, some of whom lived in

ts, enthusiastic, ardent, expecting a victory, stealing upon a foe unsuspicious, unprepared, with brigades and divisions widely separated, with General Grant, th