USA > Pennsylvania > York County > Shiloh > The Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania at Shiloh. History of the regiment. The battle of Shiloh > Part 24
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quarters. The Eleventh Illinois, reduced to a captain and eighty men, bivouacked near the siege guns, and was in re- serve on Monday. The Twentieth, Forty-fifth and Forty- eighth Illinois formed a part of Marsh's command on Monday and advanced nearly west, recovering their camps at about three P. M.
Third Brigade. (Raith's.)
This brigade of four regiments was camped along the Ham- burg and Purdy road, its right near the left of the Second brigade, in the following order from left to right: Forty-ninth Illinois, Forty-third Illinois, Twenty-ninth Illinois, Seven- teenth Illinois.
Colonel Rearden, senior officer present, being sick, Colonel Raith was informed. after his regiment was in line of battle, that he was to command the brigade. Under orders from division commander, he moved the right of his brigade for- ward to Shiloh Church to the support of Sherman's left. In this position the brigade was attacked about nine A. M .. April 6. 1862, on its left flank by Wood and Stewart and in front by Russell and Johnson, and was driven slowly back to the crossroads, where it joined the right of the Second Brigade. Here the Seventeenth and Forty-third, while supporting Schwartz's battery, were subjected to a crossfire of artillery and lost heavily. Colonel Raith was mortally wounded. The Forty-third was surrounded and out its way out. losing forty- three men killed, that were buried in one trench near the crossroads. Lieutenant Colonel Wood, who succeeded to the command of the brigade, did not hold his brigade intact. The Seventeenth and Forty-third rallied at McClernand's third line and again at his forth position. where they were joined by the Forty-ninth. The Seventeenth and Forty-ninth then retired to Hamburg and Savannah road. The Forty-third was engaged in the advance and retaking of the camp at noon. and then joined the Seventeenth and Forty-ninth at Hamburg and Savannah road. where the three regiments were engaged at four thirty P. M .. and bivouacked Sunday night. On Mon- dar these regiments joined Marsh's command and served with
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him until the enemy retired from the field. The Twenty ninth was engaged at Cavalry Field in resisting Pond's attack at four thirty P. M., after which it retired to siege guns, where it remained Sunday night and Monday. McAllister's bat- tery lost one gun at northwest corner of Review Field, and was afterwards engaged in McClernand's fifth and sixth posi- tions, and at the landing at six P. M., and on Monday, with Marsh's brigade.
SECOND DIVISION.
(W. H. L. Wallace's.)
This division, composed of three brigades of infantry, four batteries of artillery. and four companies of cavalry, was com- manded by Brigadier General C. F. Smith until April 2, 1862, when, on account of Smith's disability, Brigadier General W. H. L. Wallace was assigned to the command.
The division arrived at Pittsburg Landing March eighteen and established its camp near the river between the Corinth road and Snake creek. It formed at eight A. M., Sunday morning, April sixth, when the First and Second Brigades and three batteries were conducted by Wallace to a position on Corinth road just east of Duncan Field, where Tuttle's brigade was formed south of the road, and two regiments of Sweeny's brigade on north side of the road. The other regi- ments of Sweeny's brigade were held in reserve for a time and then distributed to different parts of the field. McArthur's brigade was detached from the division and served on other parts of the field. Batteries D. H. and K. First Missouri Light Artillery, were placed on a ridge behind Tuttle's bri- gade. In this position Wallace was attacked at about nine thirty A. M. by Shaver's brigade, assisted by artillery located in the Review field. At ten thirty A. M. the attack was re- newed by. Shaver, Stephens and Stewart, followed at noon by four determined attacks by Gibson's brigade. General Ruggles then took charge of the Confederate forces in front of Wallace and assembled ten batteries and two sections of artillery on the west side of Dunean Field. and sont Wood, Anderson. Stewart and Cleburne to re-inforce Shaver in a re- newed attack upon Wallace's front. At the same time the
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· Union forces on Wallace's right and left retired, allowing the enemy to gain his flanks and rear. Seeing that he was be- ing surrounded, Wallace sent his batteries to the rear and then attemped to move his infantry out by the flank along the Pittsburg road. While riding at the head of his troops and near the fork of the Eastern Corinth road he received a mor- tal wound and was left for dead upon the field. When that part of the field was recovered on Monday General Wallace was found to be alive. He was taken to Savannah, where he died on the tenth. Four regiments of the division did not receive orders to retire in time to save themselves and were surrounded and captured at five thirty P. M. The remainder of the division, under the command of Colonel Tuttle, retired to the right of the siege guns where the troops remained in line Sunday night.
On Monday the infantry commanded by Tuttle acted as re- serve to Crittenden's division of the Army of the Ohio, until about noon, when it advanced to front line on Crittenden's right and participated in all the after battles of the day.
Battery A, First Illinois Light Artillery, served with Mc- Arthur's brigade on Sunday and had three guns in action with Sherman on Monday. The three Missouri batteries, when they retired from Wallace's line at five P. M., reported to Col- onel Webster near the landing and were put in line, where they assisted in repelling the last Confederate attack on Sun- day. They were not engaged on Monday.
First Brigade. (Tuttle's.)
This brigade of four regiments was encamped near the river north of the Corinth road. It moved to the front Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, by the Eastern Corinth road. When near southeast corner of Duncan field, Colonel Tuttle, rid- ing at the head of his brigade, discovered the enemy in the woods beyond the field. He at once turned the head of his brigade to the right and threw his regiments into line in an old road behind Duncan Field in the following order from left to right: Fourteenth Iowa, Twelfth Iowa, Seventh Iowa. Second Iowa. The right reaching to the Corinth road, the
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left extending one regiment beyond, or south of, Eastern Cor- inth road; the three right regiments behind a field; the left regiment behind a dense thicket. About nine thirty A. M. Confederate batteries opened fire upon the brigade. This was soon followed by infantry attack coming through the thick brush on the left. At about ten thirty A. M. Stephens' brigade made an attack through the field. He was repulsed when he reached the middle of the field. This was closely followed by a second attack by Stephens assisted by Gen- eral Stewart, commanding Hindman's division. About noon Gibson's brigade was sent against Tuttle's position, and made four determined but unsuccessful charges lasting until after two P. M., when it withdrew and Shaver made his third attack, in which Lieutenant Colonel Dean of the Seventh Arkansas was killed within a few yards of the front of the Fourteenth Iowa. General Ruggles then assembled sixty-two pieces of artillery on west side of Duncan Field and concentrated their fire upon Tuttle and the batteries in his rear. At the same time Ruggles sent Wood, Anderson and Stewart to re-inforce Shaver in a renewed attack at the front. While meeting this attack Tuttle was ordered at five P. M. to withdraw his bri- gade. He gave personal direction to the Second and Seventh Iowa and with them retired to the right of Hurlbut's division, near the siege guns, where he assumed command of the regi- ment of the Second Division and formed his line near the camp of the Fourteenth Iowa. The staff officer sent by Tuttle to order the Twelfth and Fourteenth Iowa to fall back di- rected the commanding officers of those regiments to "about face and fall back slowly." Marching by the rear rank about two hundred yards, these regiments encountered Confederate troops across their line of retreat. These they engaged and forced back to the camp of Hurlbut's First Brigade, where the Confederates were re-inforced and the two regiments, to- gether with two from the Third Brigade. and a part of Pren- tiss' division were surrounded and captured at five thirty P. M. The Fourteenth Iowa surrendered to the Ninth Missis- sippi of Chalmers' brigade, which had occupied the extreme right of the Confederate army. The Twelfth Iowa surron- dered to Colonel Looney. of the Thirty-eighth Tennessee,
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Pond's brigade, from the extreme left of the . Confederate army.
The Second and Seventh Iowa were with Tuttle's command on Monday in reserve to General Crittenden. During the day the Second Iowa was sent to re-inforce Nelson's left and in a charge across a field defeated an attempt of the enemy to turn the left of the Army of the Ohio. Later the Seventh Iowa charged a battery in Crittenden's front.
Second Brigade.
(McArthur's.)
This brigade, composed of five regiments, the Ninth and Twelfth Illinois, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Missouri, and the Eighty-first Ohio, was encamped on Hamburg and Savannah road near Snake creek. The first order to the brigade Sun- day morning, April 6, 1862. disunited its regiments and sent them to different parts of the field, and they were not united again until after the battle was over.
The Thirteenth Missouri went to Sherman; the Fourteenth Missouri and Eighty-first Ohio to guard Snake creek bridge. General McArthur, with the Ninth and Twelfth Illinois and Willard's battery, moved directly south along the Hamburg road to the support of Colonel Stuart. Finding that Stuart had moved to the left rear of his camps, McArthur formed his command to Stuart's right rear just east of the Peach Or- chard, the Ninth Illinois on the right next to Hamburg road; the Twelfth Illinois to its left ; Willard's battery in rear of the Ninth. In this position MeAArthur sustained himself against Jackson's brigade until about two P. M., when Bowen from reserve corps was sent to re-inforce Jackson. Under this combined attack McArthur was compelled to fall back. The Ninth Illinois, having lost fifty-eight per cent. of men en- gaged, retired to camp for ammunition and repairs. It was again engaged near its camp at four thirty P. M .. and then joined Tuttle's command at the Fourteenth Iowa camp. and served with him on Monday. The Twelfth Illinois fell back to a second position where it joined the Fiftieth and Fifty- seventh Illinois and was engaged until about four P. M., when
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it retired to its camp and passed the night. On Monday. it was engaged with McClernand's command.
The Fourteenth Missouri was engaged Sunday in a skirmish with Brewer's cavalry on the right of Union line. On Monday it joined the Third division and supported Thompson's bat- tery. The Eighty-first Ohio remained on guard at Snake creek bridge until three P. M. It then moved south to Hurlbut's headquarters, where it was engaged in the four thirty conflict on Hamburg road. It bivouacked on McClernand's left Sun- day night and served with Marsh's command on Monday. The Thirteenth Missouri joined McDowell's brigade on Sunday and was engaged with it in the conflict with Trabue at noon. It bivouacked Sunday night near Ninth Illinois camp and joined Sherman on Monday. General McArthur was wounded on Sunday and was succeeded in command by Colonel Morton, of the Eighty-first Ohio.
Third Brigade.
(Sweeney's.)
This brigade was composed of Eighth Iowa and the Seventh, . Fifteenth, Fifty-second, Fifty-seventh and Fifty-eighth Illi- nois. It was encamped between the First and Second bri- gades and followed the First brigade Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, on the Corinth road to the Eastern Corinth road, where it halted in reserve. The Fifty-eighth and Seventh Illi- nois were at once moved forward to Duncan Field, where they formed at nine thirty A. M., on north side of the Corinth road, prolonging Tuttle's line and connecting with McClernand's left. Soon after, the Fiftieth Illinois was detached and sent to the left, where it became engaged on McArthur's left. It fell back with the Twelfth Illinois to position east of the Bloody Pond, where it was joined at about three P. M., by the Fifty-seventh Illinois. These regiments held their posi- tion on left of the army until four P. M., when they fell back and supported Stone's battery near the landing in the last action of the day. About noon the Eighth Iowa was put in line between Tuttle and Prentiss, where it supported Hicken- looper's battery until five P. M. The Fifty-second Illinois was sent about three P. M., to the right. As it was moving down
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Tilghman creek it ran into Wharton's cavalry, which was mov- ing up the creek. A few volleys were exchanged by head of column, then the Fifty-second moved to the camp of the Fifteenth Illinois and was there engaged in repelling Pond's four thirty P. M. attack. It then retired to the siege guns. The Seventh and Fifty-eighth Illinois, on Tuttle's right, and the Eighth Iowa, on his left, participated in all the engage- ments described in the account of Tuttle's brigade until four P. M., when the Seventh retired to McClernand's seventh line. The Eighth Iowa and the Fifty-eighth Illinois were sur- rounded and captured at the same time Prentiss was cap- tured. Colonel Sweeny was wounded on Sunday and was suc ceeded on Monday by Colonel Baldwin, Fifty-seventh Illinois.
THIRD DIVISION.
(Lew Wallace's.)
This division, composed of three brigades of infantry, two batteries of artillery, and two battalions of cavalry, was en- camped north of Snake creek; the First brigade at Crump's Landing; the Second brigade at Stony Lonesome; the Third brigade at Adamsville. Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, hear- ing sounds of battle up the river, General Wallace ordered his command to concentrate at Stony Lonesome, where at eleven thirty A. M., he received orders from General Grant, directing him to join the right of the army then engaged on the south side of Snake creek. At twelve M., leaving two regiments and one gun to guard the public property at Crump's Landing. General Wallace started with his First and Second brigades for the battlefield by the turnpike road, which led to the right of Sherman's division as formed for battle in the morning.
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At about two thirty P. M., a staff officer from General Grant orertook General Wallace on this road and turned him back to the river road, by which the Third brigade having fallen into column, his division reached the battlefield after the action of Sunday was over.
The division bivouacked in line of battle, facing west along the Savannah road north of Mc Arthur's headquarters; the First Brigade on the left, with Thompson's battery on its right; the Second brigade in the center; the Third brigade on the right, with Thurber's battery at its center.
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
At daylight Monday morning, April 7, 1862, the batteries of the division engaged and dislodged Ketchum's Confederate battery, posted in the camp of the Eighth Illinois. At six thirty A. M., the division, its right on Owl creek, advanced en échelon of brigades, left in front, crossed Tilghman creek, and drove the Confederates from their position at Oglesby's head- quarters. Then wheeling to the left against the left flank of the enemy, it advanced fighting, until at four P. M. it had pushed the Confederates through the Union camps and be- yond Shiloh Branch. Near nightfall the division retired under orders to General Sherman's camps, where it bivou- acked Monday night.
First Brigade. (Smith's.)
This brigade was encamped at Crump's Landing. It moved out two and one-half iniles on Purdy road to Stony Lonesome and joined the Second brigade early Sunday morning, April 6, 1862. At twelve MI., it started for Shiloh by a road leading southwesterly toward the right of Sherman's camps. At about two thirty P. M., the brigade was counter marched to the Adamsville and Pittsburg road by which it reached the battlefield about dark and bivouacked in front of the camp of the Fourteenth Missouri. On Monday the brigade formed in Perry Field, near MeArthur's headquarters; the Twenty- fourth Indiana on the left, the Eleventh Indiana on the right, and the Eighth Missouri in reserve. At about six thirty A. M., it advanced across Tilghman creek and at eight A. M., en- tered the field of Hare's brigade camp. It crossed said field in a southwesterly direction, driving back the Confederate forees, thence through the Crescent Field and to McDowell's brigade camp, where it bivouacked Monday night. Losses during the day, eighteen killed and one hundred and fourteen wounded. The Twenty-fourth Indiana lost its Lieutenant Col- onel, one captain and one lieutenant killed.
Second Brigade. (Thayer's.)
This brigade, consisting of Twenty-third Indiana. First Ne- braska, Fifty-eighth Ohio and Sixty-eighth Ohio, was eneamped
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at Stony Lonesome, two and one-half miles from the Tennes- see river, on the Purdy road. The Sixty-eighth Ohio was de- tailed to guard the baggage, the other regiments of the bri- gade followed the First brigade in its march toward Shiloh April 6, 1862. It countermarched, from a point four and one- half miles out, to the Adamsville and Pittsburg road, and thence via river road to the battlefield, where it arrived after dark and bivouacked, in line of battle, at the right of the First brigade. Monday morning it formed en échelon in right rear of the First brigade, the First Nebraska on-the left, the Twenty-third Indiana on the riglit, and the Fifty-eighth Ohio in reserve. It followed the movements of the First brigade through the day and bivouacked at night in the camp of the Firty-sixth Ohio.
Third Brigade. (Whittlesey's.)
This brigade of four Ohio regiments, to wit, the Twentieth, Fifty-sixth, Seventy-sixth and Seventy-eighth, was encamped at Adamsville, four miles from Crumps. It formed in line early Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, when firing was heard at Shiloh, with all its camp equipage on wagons, and re- mained in line until two P. M., when orders were received to join the other brigades en route for Shiloh. It marched on direct road toward Pittsburg, falling in behind the other bri- gades as they came back into that road from the counter- march. At about four P. M., the Fifty-sixth was detached and ordered to go with baggage to Crumps Landing. The other regiments arrived on the battlefield after dark and bi- vouacked in front of the camp of the Eighty-first Ohio. Mon- day morning the brigade formed the extreme right of Union line, its right, the Seventy-sixth, on the swamps of Owl creek, the Seventy-eighth on the left in rear of the right of the Second brigade, the Twentieth in reserve, until it crossed Tilghman creek, when it took position on the right. Retain- ing this formation the brigade advanced, swinging to the left until eleven A. M., when it was transferred to left of the divi- sion in support of Stuart's brigade of Sherman's division. The Seventy-sixth remained on the left, the other regiments
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soon returned to the right, the Twentieth in front line, the Seventy-eighth in reserve. The last engagement by this bri- gade was between the Twentieth Ohio, in the field near MIc- Dowell's headquarters, and Confederates at camp of Forty- sixth Ohio. The brigade bivouacked in camp of Sixth Iowa Monday night.
FOURTH DIVISION.
(Hurlbut's.)
This division, composed of three brigades of infantry, three batteries of artillery, and two battalions of cavalry, arrived at Pittsburg Landing on boats March 16, 1862. On the eigh- teentn it disembarked and established its camps about one mile from the river, near the point where the Hamburg and Savannah road crosses the road from Pittsburg to Corinth.
The division was formed about eight A. M., Sunday morn- ing, April 6, 1862, and soon after the Second brigade was sent to re-inforce General McClernand. .
The First and Third brigades, with the artillery, moved out to the support of Prentiss' division, but finding that Prentiss was falling back, Hurlbut put his division in line at the Peach Orchard field, the First brigade on the south side, the Third brigade on the west side, the batteries in the field. In this position he was attacked by Chalmer's and Gladden's bri- gades, which were following Prentiss' division, and by Robert- son's, Harper's and Girardey's batteries, which were stationed in Prentiss' camps. A shell from one of these batteries blew up a caisson belonging to Myer's Thirteenth Ohio battery; the men stampeded, abandoning their guns, and were not again . in action at Shiloh.
Mann's battery fought with the division all day, and again on Monday. Ross' battery did excellent service until ordered to fall back at four P. M., and was preparing to retire to the landing when it was charged by Lindsay's Mississippi cavalry and captured. Only two guns were saved.
Hurlbut held his position on two sides of the Peach Orchard until about one thirty P. M., when he was attacked by Breck- inridge's corps. Finding that Stuart was falling back on the left, Hurlbut retired to the north side of the field with his
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First brigade, and transferred his Third brigade from the right to the left flank. Here he maintained himself until three P. M., when he was again obliged to retire to the left of his camps. About four P. M., he found that his left was again being turned and fell back to the siege guns and re- formed. The Second brigade rejoined the division and all participated in the final action of the day. The division bi- vouacked in line of battle in front of the siege guns, and on Monday the First and Second brigades and Mann's battery formed on MeClernand's left; the Third brigade reported to Sherman. All were engaged until the Confederates retired from the field.
First · Brigade.
(Williams'.)
This brigade of four regiments was encamped across the Corinth road, one and one-fourth miles from the river. On Sunday morning. April 6, 1862, at about eight o'clock, it moved out on the Hamburg road and formed line of battle along the south side of the Peach Orchard field in following order from left to right: Forty-first Illinois, Twenty-eighth Illinois, Thirty-second Illinois, Third Iowa .. In this position it was attacked by skirmishers from Chalmer's brigade and by artil- lery fire, by which Colonel Williams was disabled and the com- mand of the brigade passed to Colonel Pugh, Forty-first Illi nois. Chalmer's brigade was withdrawn and Colonel Pugh retired his brigade to the center of the field. where he was attacked at about one thirty P. M. by Statham's and Stephens' brigades, and at 2.30 was driven back to the north side of the field. The Thirty-second Illinois was transferred to the left of the brigade east of Hamburg road, and lost its Lieutenant Colonel Ross. killed. As the left of the line was driven back. Colonel Pugh again fell back to the Wicker Field, where he held his line until four P. M., when the brigade retired. under Hurlbut's orders. to position near siege guns, where it re- mained in line Sunday night. The Third Iowa, occupying the right of Hurlbut's line. connected with Prentiss and remained until about five P. M .. then retired through its camp and along Pittsburg road just before the Confederates closed their line
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behind Prentiss. Major Stone, commanding the regiment, was captured; other casualties of the day among the officers left the regiment in command of Lieutenant Crosley. He joined his command to the Thirteenth Iowa in the last action of the day, and then reported to his brigade commander. He commanded the regiment, in action with his brigade, the next day.
On Monday the brigade formed on McClernand's left and was engaged until noon.
Second Brigade. (Veatch's.)
This brigade, of four regiments, was encamped across the Hamburg and Savannah road, north of the Corinth road. It was sent April 6, 1862, to re-inforce McCler- nand and moved out along the Corinth road and formed in line behind Marsh's brigade at about nine A. M. in the following order from left to right: Twenty-fifth In- diana, Fourteenth Illinois, Forty-sixth Illinois, Fifteenth Illi- nois. It became engaged at about ten thirty A. M., and at eleven A. M. was compelled to retire. The Twenty-fifth In- diana and Fourteenth Illinois fell back two hundred yards, changing front to rear on left companies, and formed along the road that runs from review field past McClernand's head- quarters. A little later they retired to the right of Hare's brigade, where they held their position until afternoon, when they fell back to MeClernand's sixth line, where they were en- gaged in Pond's repulse at four thirty P. M., after which they joined Hurlbut in his last position on Sunday.
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