History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 42

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers > Part 42

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"Into the just aroused camps thronged the rebel regiments, firing sharp volleys as they came, and springing toward our laggards with the bayonet. Some were shot down as they were running, without weapons, hatless, coatless, toward the river. The searching bullets found other poor unfortunates in their tents, and there, all unheeding now, they still slumbered, while the unseen foe rushed on. Others fell as they were disentangling themselves from the flaps that formed the doors of their tents; a few, it was even said, as they were vainly trying to impress on the cruelly exultant enemy their readiness to sur- render.

"Officers were wounded in their beds, and left for dead, who, through the whole two days' fearful struggle, lay in their agony, and on Monday were found in their gore, inside their tents, and still able to tell the tale.

"Such were the fearful disasters that opened the rebel onset on the line of Prentiss's division. Simi- lar were the fates of Hilderbrand's brigade in Sher- man's division.

"Meantime what they could our shattered regi- ments did. Falling rapidly back through the heavy woods till they gained a. protecting ridge, firing as they ran, and making what resistance men thus situated might, Sherman's men succeeded in partially checking the rush of the enemy long enough to form their hasty line of battle. Meantime the other two brigades of the division (to the right) sprang hastily to their arms, and had barely done so when the enemy's lines came sweeping up against their fronts too, and the battle thus opened fiercely along Sher- man's whole line on the right."

This is certainly a most sickening and, if true, would be a disgraceful picture of a great army sur- prised and slaughtered by its enemy, but I aver that as to the three brigades of Sherman's division camped near Shiloh Church, there is not a particle of truth in this story of surprise on Sunday morning. I have no personal knowledge as to Prentiss's divis- ion; but I have good reason to believe that the story as to that division is equally false.

Again "Agate' writes to the Cincinnati Gazette, under the date of April 15, 1862, and after saying that other troops besides Ohio's run on Sunday, says: "The amount of that 'disgraceful' running of Ohio troops" on Sunday morning is substantially this:

* By General R. P. Buckland.

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the men were completely surprised; some of their officers were bayoneted in their beds, others were shot in their tents while sleeping; all were under heavy fire from an enemy fairly in their camps before they had an instant for seeking and grasping their weap- ons. There may have been Spartan veterans, who under such circumstances would have stood to be shot down rather than 'disgracefully run,' but I sus- pect that modern armies do not contain many of them."

In Headley's History of the Great Rebellion, among other equally absurd and false statements about the surprise of Shiloh, I find this :

"The on-pouring thousands swept the camps of the front division like an inundation, and the dread- ful spectacle of a vast army in disorderly flight, before it bad time to form a line for battle, was pre- sented. So swift was the onset on Buckland's bri- gade, of Sherman's division, that between the long roll of the drum and the actual presence of the shouting foe in the camp, the officers were not yet up and had not time to dress, and the troops seizing their muskets as they could, fled like a herd of sheep towards the rest of the division."

Such are the first reports of the commencement of the battle of Shiloh, given by newspaper correspond- ents, who must have obtained their information from the cowards who sneaked away to the rear on the first appearance of danger. These widely published newspaper reports have been adopted by several his- torians as true, and are still believed by some peo- ple. The facts which I shall give will show how utterly false and groundless are all such stories to these brigades of Sherman's division encamped near Shiloh Church.

Sherman's division was organized at Paducah, Kentucky, about the Ist of March, 1862, and con- tained four brigades, each of three regiments of in- . fantry, as follows:

First-Sixth Iowa, Colonel McDowell command- ing brigade; Forty-sixth Ohio, Colonel Worthington, and Tenth Illinois, Colonel Hicks.

Second-Fifty-fifth Illinois, Colonel Stewart com- manding brigade; Fifty-fourth-Ohio, Colonel Smith, and Seventy-first Ohio, Colonel Mason.

Third-Seventy-seventh Ohio, Colonel Hildebrand commanding brigade; Fifty-third Ohio, Colonel Ap- pler, and Fifty-seventh Ohio, Colonel Mungen.

Fourth-Seventy-second Ohio, Colonel Buckland commanding brigade; Forty-eighth Ohio, Colonel Sullivan, and Seventieth Ohio, Colonel Cockerill.

Most of these regiments were new and reported at Paducah, mostly unarmed. My brigade embarked on the steamers on the 6th of March, and our arms were sent on board in boxes and were distributed to the men on the boats after we left Paducah. We left Paducah on the morning of the 7th of March, in advance of General Sherman, with orders to report to General C. F. Smith, near Fort Henry, he then

being in chief command. I reported to General Smith, who ordered me to remain there until further orders. After some delay we steamed up to Savan- nah, then up to the mouth of Yellow Creek, above Pittsburg Landing, for the purpose of cutting the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, but the extreme high water prevented the accomplishment of that purpose, and we came back to Pittsburg Landing. On the 18th of March we commenced disembarking at that point, and on the 20th we took our position at Shiloh Church, fronting towards Corinth. The road leading from Pittsburg Landing to Corinth passes along close to, and on the left of the church. The right of Hildebrand's brigade rested on the road, and the left of mine at the church, there being only a few rods between the two brigades. The Seventietlı Ohio on the left, Seventy-second Ohio on the right, and Forty-eighth Ohio in the centre, Mc- Dowell's brigade was some thirty rods to the right of mine, there being a considerable ravine or valley between the two. Stewart's brigade was located, as I understood, about one mile to the left of Hilde- brand's, and to the left of Prentiss's division, to guard an important crossing of Lick Creek. In front of our line was Owl Creek, which is a crooked stream and ran nearer our line at the church than at any other point. According to my recollection the creek was about thirty rods from the left of my brig- ade and about twice that distance from the right. The space between my color line and the creek was covered with woods and underbrush, but not very thickly. Along the creek and beyond it was densely wooded. There was a bridge across the creek on the Corinth road, and we built a bridge about in front of the centre and another to the front and right of the brigade. It seems to me that this latter brigade was near half a mile from the right of my brigade. Something like a mile in front of our line were large, open fields, beyond which our picket line was estab- lished, and beyond these fields were dense woods for several miles. I don't know whether any regular cavalry pickets were established in front of our picket line or not, but the Fifth Ohio cavalry were out in front of us and consequently had frequent skirmishes with rebel cavalry for ten days or two weeks before the battle.

On Thursday, April 3, General Sherman ordered me to take my brigade to the front on the Corinth road four or five miles, send out scouting parties and see what I could discover ; but cautioned me not to be drawn into a fight with any considerable force of the enemy. I marched my brigade to the forks of the road about five miles from our line, where I halt- ed and formed the brigade in line between the two roads facing towards Corinth. Both roads, as I un- derstood, led to Monterey, about two miles further toward Corinth. I then sent two companies of the Seventieth Ohio, under Major McFarran, forward on the left hand, and two companies of the Seventy-sec-

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ond Ohio, under Major Crocket, on the right hand road. They both encountered rebel cavalry pickets within less than half a mile, and commenced skirmish- ing with them. Major Crocket soon after sent word to me that there was a large force of cavalry in sight, and that he would need reinforcements. In accordance with my instructions not to be drawn into a fight, I ordered Major Crocket and Major McFarran to return to the brigade. While there several of the soldiers report- ed to me that they distinctly heard the long roll in the direction of Monterey. I did not. Soon after the scouting companies returned, we commenced our march back to camp, where we arrived a little before dark, and I reported immediately to General Sher- man.

The next day, April 4, about 2 o'clock P. M., a considerable force of rebel cavalry attacked the left of my picket line, capturing a lieutenant and seven men of the Seventieth Ohio. Happening at the time to be near the right of the line, where the Seventy-second Ohio was drilling under Major Crocket, I rode in the direction of the firing, direct- ing Major Crocket to follow with his regiment. On ascertaining what had occurred I sent Lieutenant Gear, of the Forty-eighth Ohio, acting as my aid, to inform General Sherman, who soon returned with word that General Shernian would send one hundred and fifty cavalry to pursue the enemy. In the mean- time, on learning from Major Crocket that he had sent company B of the Seventy-second to scout out- side the picket line, I told him that was wrong ; the officers and men being inexperienced, I feared they would get into trouble, and directed him to take company H, find company B and return with them to the regiment as soon as possible. Soon after we began to hear musketry firing in front. Colonel Cockerill arrived on the picket line with several com- panies of the Seventieth Ohio. The firing in front became constant and more regular. We therefore concluded that our men were intercepted and unable to return as ordered. I took three companies of the Seventy-second, A, D, and I, and started into the woods in the direction of the firing, directing Colonel Cockerill to come to my aid if he heard heavy firing. We had not gone far when we met some of Major Crocket's men, and learned that they had been inter- cepted and attacked before reaching company B, the Major-either killed or captured, and that company B was surrounded by a large force of rebel cavalry. About the same time there came upon us one of the severest rain and thunder storms I ever witnessed. My boots, worn outside of my pants, filled full of water and ran over the tops. The storm stopped us and the fir- ing for a time, but as soon as the storm was over the firing commenced again, and we pushed on with as much speed as possible, my men being deployed in line, and I riding eight or ten rods in front. About two miles from the picket line, on reaching near the top of something of a hill, I discovered through the

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, evi- dently preparatory to charging on company B. I waived my hand to my men, indicating that I de- sired them to hurry up. As they came in sight of the rebel line, distant only a few rods, they opened a de- structive fire, taking the enemy completely by sur- prise, 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 con- siderable 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 im- mediately charged them, dispersing them and cap- turing several prisoners. I followed him as rapidly as I could. We pursued about a niile, when the ene- my commenced firing artillery at us. Some of Ma- jor 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 infan- try 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 Gen- eral 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 ir- regular, 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 to-day," 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 infan- try 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 Hilde- brand 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 morn- ing, and I talked with Colonel Hildebrand particu- larly 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 at- tack. 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 re-assignment 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 senti- nels 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 Sautrday. 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 be- fore 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 ad- vancing in strong force. I immediately ordered the long roll, mounted my horse and rode toward the picket line. I found the reserve of the pickets 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 in- structed 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 Hilde- brand's brigade. I informed General Sherman that I had been to the front and found the enemy advanc- ing in strong force, and my pickets falling back; that my brigade was in line, ready for orders. He an_ swered, "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 regi- ment, which I designed to do, it being the centre regiment. I ordered Colonel Sullivan to take his regi- ment, 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 bat- tle 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 any- where 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 brig- ades, and asked him to look to it. Colonel McDowell sent Colonel Hicks, with the Fortietn Illinois, who took a position to the right and rear of my right flank, where he remained at least one hour. I re- member 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 fight- ing 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 am- munition. 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 Sev- enty-second, had been mortally wounded and car- ried from tlie field, leaving the Seventy-second with- out a field officer, and many company officers and men had been killed and wounded. During the re- mainder of the battle the Seventy-second was com- manded by myself, with the efficient aid of Adju- tant 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 bleed- ing profusely. As I rode along the line, speaking to officers and men, I found them everywhere stand- ing 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, Cap- tain 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 Seventicth 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 Sherinan 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 inust 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 Sev- enty-second was compelled to fall back for ammuni- tion, 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-

vanced into line again, and were about ready to re- new the fight, when I received an order from Gen- eral 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. Wc 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 be- came 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 suc- ceeded in rallying and reforming my men, I at- tempted to obey the order, but encountered a su- perior 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 I 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 forin my brigade on the right of his line, which he said he would be glad to have me do.

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History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 42

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040