My Days and Nights on the Battle-Field

eak till T

ees were putting out their tender leaves. The air was fragrant with the

s folded, their knapsacks laid aside. They were to move unencumbered, that they might fi

ns, whinnying for their oats and corn. A few teamsters were astir. Cooks were rekindling the smouldering camp-fires. The pickets, a mile out, had kept watch through the night. Ther

therefore doubled his grand guard, and extended the line. He also ordered Colonel Moore, of the Twenty-first Missouri, to go to the front with five companies of his regi

, hearing the firing, hastened forward. It was hardly light enough to distinguish men from trees, but the steady advance of the Rebels convinced him that they were making a serious demonstrat

urg La

s division.

lace's divisio

d's divisio

division. A

division. B

brigade. C

division. D Brecke

. The second brigade was composed of the Eighteenth and Twenty-third Missouri, Eighteenth Wisconsin, and Sixty-first Illinois. The Twenty-third Missouri was at Pittsburg Landing, having just disembar

n his rear, near the Landing, informing them that the Rebels were attacking his pickets in force.

ets, on their return from the front, discharged their guns, and so accustomed had the soldiers b

not risen when the Twenty-first Missouri came back upon the double-quick, with Colonel Moore an

t, commanded by Major-General Hardee, the second corps next, commanded by General Bragg; the firs

brigades. The first division was commanded by General Ruggles, and contained Gibson's, Anderson's, and Pond's brigade

ed by General Clark, and contained Russell's and Stewart's brigades. The second division

ght of Hardee's line. It was composed of the Twenty-first, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth Alabama, and First Louisiana, with Rober

ng horses, seizing guns and cartridge-boxes, and forming in ranks. Gladden advanced rapidly, sendi

d from sleep, were hardly in condition to act coolly. He ordered his whole force forward, with the ex

no one to oppose him, pushed his own brigades into the gap, flanking Prentiss on one

Chalmers was on the right, farther east than Gladden. He had the Fifth, Seven

oved rapidly upon Prentiss's left flank. Gage's and Robertson's batteries both opened with shell. Jackson came up

de of Sherman's division, which was a mile distant on the Hamburg road. The regiments on the left began to break, then those in the cent

onel Peabody, rallied the faltering troops in front, b

!" shouted Colonel Peabody, and some Missourians as brave as

shot came screaming through the woods, knocked him from his horse, inflicting

en him and the brightening light in the east. His men were losing strength. They were falling before the galling fire, now given at short range. They were beginning to flee. He must fall back, and leave his camp, or be surrounded. His troops ran in wild disorder

e moved his division forward upon the double-quick. Prentiss's diso

s, and devoured the warm breakfast. They were jubilant; they shouted, danced, sung, and thought the victory won. Two or three hundred prisoners were taken, d

me in, breathless, with startling accounts that the entire Rebel army was at their heels. The officers were not out of bed. The soldiers were just stirring, rubbing their eyes

and stood in undress to see what it was all about. The Re

here, quick!" were the

fficers for their sabres, artillerists to their pieces, teamster

ayonet-charge upon Sherman's camp, and routing his unformed brigades in an

Next to it stood Buckland's brigade, composed of the Forty-eighth, Seventieth, and Seventy-second Ohio. On the extreme right, west of the church, was McDowell's brigade, composed of the Sixt

the church, and began a scattering fire, which was returned by Sherman's pickets, which were still in line a few rods in front of the regiments. There was an open space between the Fifty-seventh and Fif

chum's battery, moved upon Sherman's front. He had Gibson's brigade on the right, composed of the Fourth, Thirteenth, and Nineteenth Louisiana, and the First Arkansas. Anderson's brigade was next in line, containing the Seven

inst the avalanche rolling upon him from the ridge south of his position. He sent word to Hurlburt that a force was needed in the gap between the church and Prentiss. He was everywhere present, dashing along his lines, paying no attention to the constant fire aimed at hi

dee's line, moving down the slope. The sun was just sending its morning rays through the forest, shining on the long line of bayonets. Instead of advancing, Hildebrand fell back and took position by Waterhouse, on the ridge

-house. Ruggles came into the field, halted, and began to form for a ra

front. He hesitated to open fire till it was ascertained who they were. He rode down to Waterhouse, and told him to fire into the field. He galloped up to McDowell's brigade, where Barrett's battery was stationed, and told the officer commanding to do the same. In a moment the field was smoking hot, shells bursting in the air, crashing thro

enth Ohio before they began their fire. They yelled like demons, screeching and howling to frighten the handful of men supporting Waterhouse. Taylor saw that they intended an attack upon Waterhouse. He rode to the spo

and, without serious opposition, were gaining Sherman's left flank. Waterho

ep cool. Give them grape. Let the

ned a fire which raked the long lines and again held them in check. Taylor sent to Schwartz, Dresser, a

ined the ridge which enfiladed Hildebrand. Cleburn and Wood swung up against Waterhouse. He wheeled still farther north, working his guns with great rapidity. They rushed u

formed upon the right of Waterhouse. The other two, the Forty-third and Thirtieth Illinois, were on the left, in rear. The fight was in Hildebrand's camp. There was a fierce contest. Two thirds of Hildebrand's men had been killed and wounded, or were missing. Most of the missing had fled towards the river. The regiments that remained were m

ast the church into Hildebrand's ranks. Sherman tried to hold his position by the church. He considered it to be of the utmost importance. He did not want to lose his camp. He exhibited great bravery. His horse was shot, and he mounted another. That also was killed, and he took a third, and, before night, lost his fourth. He encouraged his men, not only by his words, but by his reckless

dred joined the Eleventh Illinois, of McC

ral regiments of Polk's line immediately moved into the gap. It was a reinforcement of the centre, but it was also a movement which tended to disorganize the Rebel lines. Gibson

in danger of being cut off. He reluctantly gave the order to abandon his camp and take a new position. He ordered the batteries to fall back to the Purdy and Hamburg road. He saw Buckland and

htened, and rode off with the caissons, leaving five unspiked guns to fall into the hands of the Rebels! Sherman and Taylor, and other officers, by their coolness, bravery, and daring, saved Buckland and McDowell's brigades fro

. Officers and men in the Rebel ranks alike forgot all discipline. They threw off their old gray rags, and appeared in blue uniforms. They broke open the trunks of the officers, and rifled the knapsacks of the soldiers. They

vicinity of the church, let us go towar

ceived notice from General Sherman that the Rebels were driving in his pic

the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Forty-eighth Illinois, to Sherman. The troops spran

battery, commanded by Lieutenant Brotzman, Ross's battery, from Michigan, and Meyer's Thirteenth Ohio battery. He marched out on the Ridge road, and me

of the hut was a peach-orchard. Mann's battery was placed near the northeast corner of the field. Williams's brigade was placed on one side of the field, and Lauman's on the other, which made the line

f cotton, the leavings of last year's crop. It is perhaps forty or fifty rods across the field to the forest upon the other side. Hurlburt and his officers are riding along the lines, cheering the men and giving directions. The fugitives from Prentiss are hastening towards the Lan

uring the day. Indignant at the manifestation of cowardice, he rode down to Mann's battery, and called for volunteers to work the abandoned guns; ten men responded to the call. A few other volunteers were picked up, and although they knew but little of artillery practice, took their places beside the guns and opened fire. The horses with the caissons were dashing madly through the forest

igades of Sherman's division by the church were giving way. Half of Waterhouse's battery, and all but one of Behr's guns were taken. Sherman and Prentiss had been driven from their camps. Four of the six guns composing Meyer's battery coul

e advance was ten miles east of Savannah, and then hastened to Pittsburg on a steamboat. He arrived on the ground about nine o'clock. Up to that hour there was no commander-in-chief, but each divis

oth of Hardee's flanks had been held back by the stout fight of Sherman on one side, the weaker resistance of Prentiss on the other. This gradually made the Rebel force into the form of a wed

der arms. You remember his position, near Snake Creek, and nearer the Pittsburg Landing than any other

inois infantry and the Eleventh and Thirteenth Iowa, with Dresser's battery, and the third brigade with Schwartz's and McAllister's batteries. It was a complete change of front. These movements of Wallace and McClernand were directly against the two sides and t

orest, determined to save his camp if possible. His men had seen hard fighting at Fort Donelson, and so had General Wallace's men. They were hardened to the scenes of battle, whereas Sherman's, Prentiss's, and Hurlburt'

on the extreme right, we find Sherman reforming with his left flank a little in rear of McClernand's right. There is McDowell's brigade on the right, the Sixth Iowa, Fourth Illinois, and Forty-sixth Ohio. Buckland's brigade next, the Forty-eighth, Seventieth, and Seventy-second Ohio. A few men of Hildebrand's brigade, not five hundred in all, of the Fifty-third, Fifty-seventh, and Seventy-sixth Ohio. Next the regiments of McClernand's division, the Eleventh Iowa, Eleventh, Twentieth, Forty-eighth, Forty-fifth, Seventeenth, Twe

, the Twenty-eighth, Thirty-second, and Forty-first Illinois, by the log-huts of the cotton-field on the Hamburg road. Here are Cavender's guns, eighteen of them. Next is Lauman's

regiments, the Twenty-first, Twenty-third, and Twenty-fifth Misso

Stuart, who ordered his brigade under arms at once. He waited for orders. He saw after a while the Rebel bayonets gleaming through the woods between himself and Prentiss. He placed the Seventy-first

. Statham's batteries opened upon Stuart's camp. Breckenridge had moved round from his position in rear, and now formed the extreme right of Johnston. There were eight regiments and a battery in front of Stuart. The battery forced the Seventy-first Ohio from its position. It

creek towards the north. They crept into the thick bushes, hid behind the trees, and commenced a galling fire, forcing the cavalry back and stopping the advance of the infantry. The remainder of his force kept Statham back on the front. His line of fire was across an open field, and as often as Statham attempted to cross it, he was sent back by the well-directed volleys. Stuart received assurances from General McArthur, commanding one of Wallace's brigades,

o'clock t

he church, Cleburn's and Wood's east of it. Hindman's and the regiments of Polk's corps which had broken off from their brigades w

Gladden, Chalmers, and Jackson were on Hurlburt's right, while

of McClernand's head-quarters, but could not break the line. For a half-hour more, they stood and fired at long musket range. Dresser, McAllister, and Schwartz gave their batteries full play, but were answered by the batteries planted around the church, on the ground from which Sherman had been driven. Bragg advanced his men to short musket range, fifteen to twenty rods distant. Trees were broken off by the cannon-shot, splintered by the shells; branches were wrenched from the trunks, the hazel-twigs were cut by th

eir dead and wounded, but they were winning. They had the largest army, and

Polk's brigades moved to the front, and charged upon the line, but they were checked. McCl

zed by their long contest in the morning to take much part in this fight. They sto

. The men ran in confusion across the field swept by the Rebel artillery. The pursuers, with exultant cheers, followed, no longer in order, but each Rebel soldier running for the

Landing, to seize the transports, using his force as a wedge to split the Union army off from the river. He might have deflected his force to Grant's right, and av

of confusion, and by a word, a look, or an act inspire his men. He posted Cavender's three batteries in commanding positions on a ridge, and kept his infantry well under cover behin

t of Wallace. The men who had fought their first battl

mpts to crush him, but he had not sufficient power to break their triple ranks. He could hold his ground, but he could not push the superior force. His coolness, endurance, br

rned to its work, but was unequal to the heavy task. I brought up Gibson's brigade, and threw them forward to attack the same point. A very heavy fire soon opened, and after a short confl

he moved east, and came down towards the river in front of Stuart's brigade. General Johnston and staff were upon the hills which b

e up to General Johnston

ntend to show these Tennesseeans and Kentuckians tha

t he was a coward, because he had

rtillery fire of an hour, he moved into the centre of the field, rushed through the peach-orchard, and came close to Hurlburt's line by the log-cabin. But the fie

hell exploded above the General and his staff. A fragment cut through General Johnston's right thig

orders to keep General Johnston's death a sec

see the wounded drag themselves back to the woods, to escape the storm, more terrible than the blast of the simoom, sweeping over the field. Hurlbu

s line in front of Wallace to another officer and rode down t

nemy; Brigadier-General Withers with his division utterly exhausted, and taking a temporary rest; and Major-General Cheatham's division of Major-Ge

ral Wallace, on the righ

arried to the rear, followed by his division. The giving way of this division, and the falling back of Prentiss before the masses flanking the extreme lef

r of his gunboats at the Landing. He had left nearly all his light artillery in our hands, and some three thousand or more prisoners, who were cut off from their retreat by the closi

arched towards Corinth. They had possession of the camps of all the divisions except

y Eve

sion. Half of the artillery is lost. Many of the guns remaining are disabled. Some that are good are deserted by the artillerymen. There is a stream of fugitives to the Landing, who are thinking only how to escape. There are thousands on the ri

his hour, just before sunset, there is not much to hope for. But there are s

. It is an officer of the gunboat Tyler, commanded by Captain Gwin, who thinks he can be of some service. Shot a

e his own discretion and

boats have heard the roar of the conflict coming nearer and nearer, and have had no opportunity to take a part, but now their time has come. The vessels sit gracefully upon the placid river. They cover themselves with white clouds, and th

there a week, but there are no artillerists to man them. Volunteers are called for. Dr. Cornyn, Surgeon of the First Missouri Artillery, offers his services. Artillerists who have lost their guns are collected. Round shot and shell are carried up from the boats. Fugitives who have lost their regiments are put to work. Pork-barrels are rolled up and placed in a line. Me

t at the

tteries. 4

tteries. 5

avi

leads up to Shiloh church. There you see six brass field-pieces; then Captain Richardson's battery of four twenty-pounder Parrott guns; then a six-pounder and two twelve-pound howitzers of Captain Powell's battery; then the siege-guns, under Surgeon Cornyn and Captain Madison; then two ten-pounders, under Lieutenant Edwards, and two more under Lieutenant Timony. There are more guns bey

long the bank, bringing up all their guns, to cut their way by shot and shell. If they can but gain a foothold on the other side, the day is theirs. The Union army will be annihilated, Tennesse

l gone, and was not reorganized during the fight. Colonel Moore, commanding a brigade, says: "So unexpected was the shock, that the whole line g

ckians, was comparatively fresh. Withers's, Cheatham's, and Ruggles's divisions were at the head of the ravine. Gibson, who had been almost annihilated, was there. Stewart, Anderson, S

oaks are torn asunder, broken, shattered, splintered. Cannon are overturned by invisible bolts. There are explosions in the earth and in the air. Men, horses, wagons, are lifted up, thrown down, torn to pieces, da

ravine. The gunners aim at the cloud along the southern bank. They rake the R

heltered in front by the tall trees above and the tangled

nd canis

m double

your

ck!

t stake! Ah! but how fast they die down in that ravine! Up, down, across, through, over it, drive the witheri

, and endeavored to press forward to the water's edge; but in attempting to mount the last ridge, we were met by a fire from a whole line of batteries, protected by infantry and assisted by she

f the First Arkansas,

ack by overwhelming numbers, intrenched in a strong position. That all was done that cou

of the Fourth L

lso from the rifle-pits. The regiment retired, formed again, and again charged. There fell

e he so much covets. He has possession of all but one of the division camps. He can keep his promise made to his soldiers; they can sleep in the camps of the Union army. This is his first s

t well, but they are exhausted. Tomorrow morning

d upon the hill by the Landing discover on the opposite bank men running up the road, panting for breath.

uell's a

hurrah!

ush on board. The steamer settles to the guards with her precious cargo of human life; recrosses the river in safety. The line of blue winds up the bank. It is Nelson's division. McCook's and Crittenden's divisions are at Savannah. Lewis Wallace's division from Crump's Landing is

nt to Savannah, took on board McCook's and Crittenden's divisions of Buell's army, and transported them to Pittsburg. Few words were spoken as they marched up the hill in the darkness, with the thousands of wounded on either hand, but there were many silen

t the forest on fire. The flames consumed the withered leaves and twigs of the thickets, and crept up to the helpless wounded, to friend and foe alike. There was no hand but God's to save them. He heard their cries and groans.

nd

to astonish Beauregard by advancing. Nelson's division was placed on the left, nearest the river, Crittenden's next, McCook's beyond, and

ty-fourth Ohio; next, Colonel Bruer's brigade, First, Second, and Twentieth Kentucky; next, Colonel Hazen's brigade, Ninth Indiana, Six

and Fifty-ninth Ohio, and Ninth and Thirteenth Kentucky. Colonel Smith's was composed of the Thirteenth Ohio, and Eleventh a

enth, Sixteenth, and Nineteenth Regular Infantry. The second brigade was commanded by Brigadier-General Gibson, and consisted of the Thirty-second and Thirty-ninth Indiana, and Fo

eventh and Twenty-fourth Indiana, and Thurber's Missouri battery. The second brigade was commanded by Colonel Thayer, and contained the same regiments that checked the Rebels at the brook west of Fort Donelson,-the First

ion arrived during the day, but not

e from the gunboats. Officers were hunting for their troops, and soldiers were searching for their regiments, through the

erves was there. Breckenridge, with his other brigades, or what was left of them, was east of the church, also the shattered fragments of Withers's division. Gladden's brigade had crumbled to pieces, and Colonel Deas, co

forced, and the runaways were brought back and placed in line. Although exhausted, disorganized, and checked, the Rebel

tuart and Hurlburt retreated. Crittenden is where Prentiss was captured, McCook where

commenced furiously. Beauregard was marching brigades from his left, and placing them in position for a concentrated attack to gain the Landing. General Crittenden had not advanced, and Nelson was assailed by a superior force. He held his ground an hour, but he had no battery. He had been compelled

ck and annihilate Grant, not be attacked and driven.[20] He ordered up f

ied and came back, followed by fresh troops. There was a short, severe struggle, and Hazen was forced to leave the pieces and fall back. Then the thunders rolled again. The woods were sheets of flame.[21] The Rebels brought up more of their reserves, and forced

, quick!" was his reques

ugh the woods, over stumps and trees, the horses leaping as if they had caught

the carriages to the ground. The caissons wheeled, bringing the heads of the horses towards the Landing, trot

he said to the lieutenants commandi

long the Rebel lines. Their musketry ceased. Their columns staggered back. All the while Mendenhall was pounding them. The Nineteenth Ohio, from Crittenden's div

e extreme right of McCook's division. They had been in battle before, and were ordered across to meet the enemy. You see them fly through the woods in rear of Rousseau's brigade. They are upon the run. They halt, dress their ranks as if upon parade, and charge upon the Rebels. Colonel Stambough's Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania follows. Then all of Kirk's brigade. It is a change of position and a change of front, admirably executed, just at the right time, for Rousseau is out of ammunition, and is obliged to fall back. McCook's third brigade, General Gibson, comes up. Rousseau is ready again, and at eleven o'clock you see every available man of that division contending for the ground

e Rebels gave way, retreated from the camps which they had occupied a single night, fled past the church, across the brook, up through the old cotton-field on the

diana, finding some of his men were getting excited, stopped firing, and drilled them, ordering, presenting, and supporting arms, with the balls whistling through his ranks; how the men became cool and steady, and went in upon a charge at last with a wild hurrah, and a plunge of the bayonet that forced the Rebels to give up McClernand's camp; how Colonel Ammen coolly husked ears of corn for his horse, while watching the fight, with the shells falling all around him; how Colonel Kirk seized a flag and bore it in advance of his brigade; how Color-Sergeant William Ferguson of the Thirteenth Missouri was shot down, how Sergeant

s nearly equal,-about thirteen thousand killed, w

was brave, almost fearless, and very adroit. He said to a friend, when the battle began in the morning, that he should not live through the day. But he was very active, riding recklessly through showers of bullets. It was just at sunset when he rod

w the gunboats beat back the exultant Rebels, how the victory was won. Beauregard was completely defeat

, April

etary of War

rs and thirty-six pieces of cannon. Buell reinforced Grant, and we retired

ureg

e did not hesitate to send a false despatch, to mislead

ved Beauregard's report. O

was nothing in comparison to our victory at Shiloh. General Buell is killed, General Grant wounded and taken prisoner. Soon we will prove too much for them,

n the truth was known their hopes went down lower

there were prayers to God. Instead of the musketry, there were songs of praise. There were tears shed for those who had fallen, but there we

conducting the service,

O Lord, O

enting re

ic soldier, who cried, "No sir, not unless t

had reference to the Reb

examining all the graves. Suddenly a dog, poor and emaciated, bounded towards her, his eyes sparkling with pleasure, and barking his joy to see his mistress. When her husband went to the army, the dog followed him, and was with him through the battle, watched over his dead body through the terrib