History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 42

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thick underbrush that I was nearer a line of rebel cavalry faced from me than I was to my own line, and the rebels just at that moment gave a cheer, evidently preparatory to charging on company B. I waived my hand to my men, indicating that I desired them to hurry tip. As they came in sight of the rebel line, distant only a few rods, they opened a destructive fire, taking the enemy completely by surprise, and threw them into such confusion that they made but a short stand. My men charged upon them and drove them from the field, killing a considerable number of horses and men, and capturing several prisoners, and company B was saved. I soon discovered that the enemy were reforming in great force, with the evident intention of charging back upon us ; and whilst I was getting my men in position to meet the charge, Major Ricker came up with his Fifth Ohio cavalry, and enquired where the enemy were. I pointed them out to him, and he immediately charged them, dispersing them and capturing several prisoners. I followed him as rapidly as I could. We pursued about a mile when the enemy commenced firing artillery at us. Some of Major Ricker's men charged right into a rebel battery, and one of his men was killed at the battery. We discovered that the enemy had a large force of infantry and artillery in line. We thereupon deemed it prudent to retire to our own lines with as little delay as possible. When we reached our picket line General Sherman was there with several regiments in line of battle. When I rode up to him at the head of my column, with about fifteen prisoners close behind me the General asked me what I had been doing. His manner indicated that he was not pleased. I replied that I had accidentally got into a little fight, and there was some of the fruits of it, pointing to the prisoners. He answered that I might have drawn the whole army into a fight before they were ready, and directed me to take my men to camp. 1 knew enough to know that my proceedings were irregular, but consoled myself that I had saved one of my companies from annihilation, whatever might be the consequences to myself. Soon after reaching camp one of General Sherman's aids came and said, "The General desires you to send him a written statement of what you have done and seen today," which I did the same evening. General Sherman afterward informed me that he sent my statement to General Grant the same night.

I was along the picket line several times during the day, and saw rebel cavalry at different points in front of the line. The pickets reported seeing infantry and artillery. I

saw Lieutenant-Colonel Canfield, commanding the Seventy-second regiment, Colonel Hildebrand, and several other officers of the division, on the picket line watching the movements of the enemy in our front. I talked with Colonel Hildebrand and other officers about the situation, and it was believed by all that the enemy intended to at-

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tack us, either during the night or early in the morning, and I talked with Colonel Hildebrand particularly about the measures we ought to take to prevent a surprise. Colonel Hildebrand went with me to General Sherman's headquarters, and we told him what we had seen and that we apprehended an attack. I saw General Sherman several times during the day, and talked with him about the matter. He said we must strengthen our pickets, and instruct them to be vigilant, and keep our commands in readiness for an attack at any time. He said he was embarrassed for the want of cavalry, that his cavalry had been ordered away that morning, and that the cavalry he was to have in their place had not arrived, and that, as soon as his cavalry returned, he would send them to the front and find out what was there. My understanding was that by order of General Grant there had been a reassignment of both cavalry and artillery, which was being carried into effect on Saturday.

Late in the afternoon I had a consultation with the commanders of my regiments and it was agreed that several additional companies should be sent forward to strengthen and sustain the pickets, which was done accordingly. I also established a line of sentinels from my camp to the reserve of the pickets under command of an officer, with instructions to notify me instantly of any alarm on the picket line. Officers and men of my brigade were well aware of the near approach of the enemy; all were expecting an attack; and such precautions were taken that a surprise was impossible. The same must have been true as to McDowell's and Hildebrand's brigades, for there could hardly have been an officer or soldier in the three brigades ignorant of the fight on Friday, or of the presence of the enemy in our front on Saturday. Officers of my brigade were instructed on Saturday evening to be prepared for a night attack, and to have their men up and at breakfast as soon as daylight or before. As may well be imagined, I was very uneasy during the night, and slept very little. I was up before daylight and ordered my horse fed and saddled. Soon after daylight, before I had quite finished my breakfast, word was brought that the enemy was advancing in strong force. I immediately ordered the long roll, mounted my horse and rode toward the picket line. I found the reserve of the picket's had fallen back across the bridge in front of the right of my brigade, and the pickets were skirmishing with the enemy's advance, and slowly falling back. I instructed the reserve of the pickets to make a stand at the bridge, take to the trees and keep the enemy back as long as they could. I then returned and found my brigade formed on the color line, awaiting orders. I rode through and along the line, and spoke to Colonels Sullivan and Cockerill, and to Colonel Canfield and others in passing, telling them that the rebels were coming, and that we should soon have a big fight, and cautioning them to be

ready. I rode to General Sherman's headquarters, eighty to one hundred rods to the left and rear of my camp, and about in the rear of the right of Hildebrand's brigade. I informed General Sherman that I had been to the front and found the enemy advancing in strong force, and my pickets falling back; that my brigade was in line, ready for orders. He answered, "You must reinforce' the pickets. Send a regiment forward and keep them back." I returned, and met Colonel Sullivan and Lieutenant- Colonel Parker on their horses in rear of the Forty- eighth Ohio. I told them what General Sherman's orders were. They both requested me to send their regiment, which I designed to do, it being the centre regiment. I ordered Colonel Sullivan to take his regiment, as speedily as possible, across the bridge in his front, take position in the woods beyond with the pickets, and keep the enemy back as long as possible. When the head of his column reached the bridge he discovered that the enemy was forming line of battle under the bank, on our side of the creek, to the right. He fell back a short distance, and reported the fact to me. I first ordered companies A and B, of the Seventy-second, forward as skirmishers, and in a few minutes after ordered the Seventy-second and the Seventieth to advance, and the Forty-eighth to form on the advanced line. We advanced from thirty to forty rods, to within full view, and short musket range of the enemy's line, and the fight com- menced simultaneously on both sides. The right of the brigade was considerably in advance of the left, to take advantage of the formation of the ground, the creek being much nearer the left than the right of the brigade color line.

Up to this time there had been no artillery firing, or heavy musketry, on any part of the line. My brigade had been in line awaiting orders full one hour before it advanced, and before any fighting anywhere within our hearing, except skirmishing by the pickets, and the brigade fought, with great bravery, in this position more than two hours, driving the enemy back under the bank of the creek as often as they attempted to advance; and the right of the brigade was advanced considerably forward during the fighting to obtain a better position, which widened the space between my right and the left of Colonel McDowell's brigade. I sent an officer to say to Colonel McDowell that I feared the enemy would turn my right and get in between the brigades, and asked him to look to it. Colonel McDowell sent Colonel Hicks, with the Fortieth Illinois, who took a position to the right and rear of my right flank, where he remained at least one hour. I remember riding up to Colonel Hicks and speaking to him twice during the time he was there. The first time I asked if he did not think my men were fighting bravely. He replied: "Yes, they are doing splendidly." The second time was after we had been fighting about two hours, and I found the

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Seventy-second was getting out of ammunition., I asked Colonel Hicks if he would hold my position until the Seventy-second could replenish their ammunition. He replied that he was ordered not to engage in the fight unless attacked in his position. After we had been fighting about one hour one of General Sherman's aids came to me and said: "The General desires to know whether you can hold your position." I replied: "Tell General Sherman that my men are fighting bravely, and I will hold my position." At that time, I had not the least idea that we would be compelled to go back, although Lieutenant-Colonel Canfield, commanding the Seventy- second, had been mortally wounded and carried from the field, leaving the Seventy-second without a field officer, and many company officers and men had been killed and wounded. During the remainder of the battle the Seventy second was commanded by myself, with the efficient aid of Adjutant Eugene Rawson, who displayed great courage from the beginning to the end of the battle. My adjutant's horse was killed, and my own horse wounded just in front of the saddle, and was bleeding profusely. As I rode along the line, speaking to officers and men, I found them everywhere standing up to the work bravely, and when I saw that my brigade was making a glorious fight and beating back every attempted advance of the enemy, I felt highly gratified and full of confidence. As the Seventy-second was without a field officer to command, the senior captains of companies A and B, were both sick and unable to command their companies, Captain Wegstein, of company H, was killed early in the fight, and other company officers had been wounded, I spent most of my time on the right of the line, the Forty- eighth and Seventieth having all their field officers. Consequently, I did. not know what was going on in Hildebrand's brigade on my left. I discovered, however, that the enemy were bringing up heavy reinforcements in my front, and, after we had been fighting about one hour and a half, I sent word to General Sherman that the enemy were being heavily reinforced, and that I would need help. He returned for answer that he could not send me any reinforcements, and that I must do the best I could. This answer convinced me that matters were going wrong somewhere, and that sooner or later I would be compelled to fall back, and so informed my quartermaster, Lieutenant D. M. Harkness, and my surgeon, Dr. J. B. Rice, and directed them to make arrangements to take the sick and wounded to the rear as speedily as possible. We maintained our position, however, along the whole line for more than two hours, when the Seventy-second was compelled to fall back for ammunition, finding it impossible to distribute it along the line under the fire of the enemy; but the enemy did not advance at that point. The Seventy-second quickly filled their cartridge boxes, and were ad-

vaned into line again, and were about ready to renew the fight, when I received an order from General Sherman to fall back to the Purdy road. The Seventy-second marched by the right of companies to the rear through their camp. In the meantime, Hildebrand's brigade had been fiercely attacked and given way, so that my left flank was completely turned, and Colonel Cockerill was compelled to face his regiment to the left. We fell back in good order to the Purdy road, followed closely by the enemy in front and on the left. We had formed our line on the Purdy road, and were ready to renew the fight, when we were shoved out of the road and thrown into confusion by Berk's battery of artillery, which came rushing along the road at full speed from the right, and a mass of flying men from Hildebrand's brigade on the left. The enemy were so close upon us that it was impossible to form again along the Purdy road. Back of the road was all woods and thick underbrush, and I found great difficulty in riding through it. Farther back- some forty rods-it was more open, and I succeeded in forming a new line, but in the confusion the Seventieth Ohio became separated from the rest of the brigade, but was constantly engaged in the fight farther to the left, and rejoined me later in the day. Soon after leaving the Purdy road I received an order from General Sherman to go to the left, and as soon as I had succeeded in rallying and reforming my men, I attempted to obey the order, but encountered a superior force of the enemy and was compelled to fall back again. We were all day contending against superior numbers, and resisting their advance at every point as long as we could.

Late in the afternoon, after the last repulse of the right of our line, my brigade was near a bridge across Snake Creek, which, I was informed by some staff officer whom I did not know, it was very important to protect, as General Wallace would have to cross his division over it in coming from Crump's Landing. I placed my brigade in position to defend the bridge, but after remaining there some time and no enemy appearing, I was not satisfied that 1 was where I ought to be, and rode to the left to find General Sherman and get his orders. I had not gone far when I found a new line being formed, and not finding General Sherman I said to the officer in command that if desired I would form my brigade on the right of his line, which he said he would be glad to have me do.

When I returned to my brigade, to my surprise, I learned that the Forty-eighth Ohio had marched away toward the landing. I immediately formed the Seventieth and Seventy-second on the right of the new line, about one mile and a half from the landing. Soon after my line was formed, General Sherman came along our front and said to me, "You are just where I want you. Remain where you are until further orders."

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About dark General Wallace's division commenced arriving, and formed to the right of my brigade. About 10 o'clock my quartermaster, Lieutenant Harkness, came to us from the landing. I learned from him that the Forty-eighth Ohio was at the landing, and had been ordered by General Grant in position to defend his batteries, and that the regiment had done good service there. I sent orders by Lieu-tenant Harkness to Colonel Sullivan to join me with his regiment forthwith, but owing to the rain and darkness he did not arrive until just after day light. Colonels Cockerrill and Hildebrand and myself tied our horses to trees and lay down together for the night, in rear of and close to my brigade line. The rebels' line was only a short distance from us on the other side of a ravine.

General Wallace opened his batteries on the enemy early Monday morning, and the three regiments of my brigade were formed in line of battle, with all their field officers present except Lieutenant-Colonel Canfield and Major Crockett, of the Seventy-second, the one having been mortally wounded on Sunday morning, and the other captured on Friday. Sherman 's division during the day occupied a position on the left of Wallace's division, and we kept steadily up with his left, frequently under very severe fire from the enemy. General Wallace in his report says that at one time "the right of Sherman's division fell hastily back." I think General Wallace is mistaken. I know that my brigade was not driven back one rod on Monday. On one occasion when General Sherman ordered an advance under heavy fire of musketry and artillery from the enemy, I gave the order; but at the moment the men seemed to hesitate. I im- mediately rode to the color-bearer of the Seventy-second Ohio, took hold of the flag staff, and conducted the bearer to the point indicated. The whole brigade quickly advanced and was on the desired advanced line as soon as I was. Colonel Sullivan was wounded and taken to the rear.

Our forces drove the enemy back over the same ground that they drove us the day before. The fighting was severe but not so destructive, at least to our troops, as on Sunday. We drove them back more rapidly than they drove us. About 4 P. M. the enemy were in full retreat, and about 5 P. m. my brigade took possession of its camp at Shiloh Church. The rebels took such articles as they could on their hasty retreat, but my tent and bed I found in good condition, and I enjoyed a good sleep in them Monday night.

Early Tuesday morning I, with others, visited the ground of our fight on Sunday morning. In a small space on the line of the enemy in front of the Seventy-second, were found eighty-five dead bodies, and the dead of the enemy were found thickly strewn all along the line in front of the brigade. General Wallace also visited that battle ground, and when he saw the number of dead bodies of the

enemy in so small a space, asked what troops did that. When told that it was the Seventy-second Ohio, he said, "That was the best fighting on the field." The number of the wounded in that Sunday morning fight with my brigade must have been very great, as the number of the wounded is always much greater than of the killed. The underbrush between the two lines was literally mowed down by musket balls. Not a twig could be found that was not bit; and every tree from the ground ten or fifteen feet up was literally peppered with bullets. I think more of the enemy's fire was too high than of ours, and, for that reason, more of the enemy were killed. The enemy in that fight greatly outnumbered my brigade, but our men, though inexperienced in war, were many of them used to the rifle at home, and took good aim.

I have detailed incidents of small importance in themselves, perhaps, in order that the reader may better judge how much truth there is in the charge that my brigade was surprised, in any sense, on Sunday morning. Instead of being surprised we were all expecting an attack early in the morning, if not attacked during the night, and we took every precaution and made every preparation that one knew how to make to be ready for the attack when-ever it should come, and we were ready when it did come, as the result abundantly proves. I feel perfectly justified in saying that no troops ever went into battle more deliberately or with more coolness, and none ever fought more bravely or effectively than did my brigade on Sunday morning.

On the question of surprise I give the following extract from a recent letter to me from General M. T. Williamson, now United States marshal at Memphis, Tennessee, who was First Lieutenant of company C, Seventy-second Ohio, and in command of the company at the commencement of the battle. General Williamson says:

"On the morning of the 5th of April, company C furnished a portion of the pickets for the Seventy- second, under Lieutenant Hoffman, and company E the remainder, under Captain Blinn. In the afternoon I went out to the picket line and could distinctly see some suspicious movements on the Confederate side. We were confident they were preparing for an attack, and I knew this was our conviction. We expected it before morning, and had arranged a line of communication from the pickets to the camp, so as to know when the forward movement began. I have forgotten the name of Captain Snyder's company clerk at that time, but he communicated with me during the night. I was up early Sunday morning, and had breakfasted, as had the men of the regiment, before the long roll was ordered, and I do not believe there was a man in the regiment but expected the long roll before it came, and every man was ready to fall in when it did come."

Since writing the foregoing I have read, with great

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interest, the article on the battle of Shiloh, by General B. W. Duke, published in the Cincinnati Gazette of the 28th of May. The article evinces candor, and was evidently prepared with care and consideration. He fully sustains all I have said in regard to the fight my brigade made on Sunday morning, but he is mistaken about McDowell's brigade participating in that fight, and as to some other matters. He says: " While McDowell's and Buckland's brigades of Sherman's division had not been fiercely assailed at the inception of the Confederate advance, they soon received their full share of attention. The ground which they occupied, however, was, perhaps, the strongest position on the line. Every demonstration against it was repulsed; artillery was used in vain against it; some of the best brigades of the army moved on it, only to be hurled back and strew the morass in its front with their dead. The Confederate loss at this point was frightful. At last, after having held the position from 7 or 7:30 A.M. until after 10 A.M., everything upon its right (left) having been driven back, and the Confederate artillery having reached a point where the guns could play upon its rear, it was abandoned as no longer tenable. The tenacious defence of this positron, and the fact that, by massing on his own right, General Johnson turned it, when it proved impregnable to direct assault, ought to be of itself a sufficient explanation of the correctness of his plan of battle. Sherman falling back, formed on McClernand's right, the same relative position he had previously held."

Now, the fact is, that McDowell's brigade was not attacked at all on the front line, and did no fighting until after we had fallen back to the Purdy road. As I have stated above, the Fortieth Illinois, Colonel Hicks, at my request, came and took position at the right and rear of my right flank, and remained there without firing a gun, until the Seventy-second went back for ammunition, when the Fortieth Illinois marched back to its own brigade ; and this was after my brigade had been fighting more than two hours, and only a few moments before the whole line was ordered back to the Purdy road. What General Duke says about the fighting at that point is all true, and his is the first account I have seen that does full justice to my brigade. My brigade advanced to the front and commenced the fight before Hildebrand's brigade was attacked, and remained until ordered back to the Purdy road, after Hildebrand's brigade had been driven back and the enemy had completely turned my left flank.

General Duke, in another part of his article, says:

"Hardee's line carried all before it. At the first encampment it was not the semblance of a check. Following close and eager after the fleeing pickets, it burst upon the startled inmates as they emerged, half clad, from the tents, giving them no time to form, driving them in rapid panic, bayoneting the dilatory

-on through camps swept together pursuers and pur- sued."

I wish General Duke had pointed out which camps were thus surprised. They were certainly not the camps of McDowell, Hildebrand, or Buckland's brigades. Captain Skelton, of the Fifty-seventh Ohio, one of Hildebrand's regiments, informs me that the first alarm he heard was the long roll in my camp, which was immediately followed by the long roll in the camps of Hildebrand's brigade, and that the brigade was in line of battle very soon after. I saw the brigade in line when I was returning from General Sherman's headquarters with orders to send a regiment forward to sustain the pickets. General Sherman says he rode to the front of Hildebrand's brigade into the woods, where his orderly, Holliday, was killed. He then went to Colonel Appler, of the Fifty-third Ohio, and ordered hint to hold his posi- tion. It cannot be, therefore, that any of Hildebrand's brigade were surprised, bayoneted, or shot in their tents.

It is a well-established fact, I think, that General Prentiss was well aware of the presence of the enemy in considerable force in his front. His cavalry had skirmished with them on Saturday, and at 4 o'clock in the morning of the 6th he sent to the front one of his regiments to look for the enemy.

General Prentiss has made his statement, in which he says: "My division was in line of battle near one-fourth of a mile in advance of the color line, and received the assault of the enemy at an early hour of the morning of April 6, 1862, and held them in check for hours, until the enemy appeared in our right rear, and, as I learned afterwards, aided by the misconduct of a regiment not of my division." He further states that his division fought gallantly during the day, and "at 5:30, completely surrounded by numbers so numerous, the gallant officers and soldiers, with myself, were compelled to surrender."

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History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 42

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