USA > Pennsylvania > York County > Shiloh > The Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania at Shiloh. History of the regiment. The battle of Shiloh > Part 25
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The Fifteenth Illinois lost all its field officers and several captains at first position and retired at eleven A. M. to the Jones Field, where it was joined by the Forty-sixth Illinois in supporting Barrett's battery. These two regiments joined McDowell's left in the advance at twelve M., and continued in line until one P. M., when they retired-the Fifteenth Illinois to join Hurlbut. the Forty-sixth Illinois to its camp for din- ner; later the Forty-sixth joined Marsh's command on the Hamburg road and assisted in the final action of the day and was with Marsh's command on Monday. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Illinois and Twenty-fifth Indiana. under Colonel
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Veatch, formed the left of the Army of the Tennessee on Monday and joined McCook's right until about eleven A. M., when they crossed the Corinth road near Duncan's and were engaged in Review field and in front line until four P. M.
Third Brigade.
(Lauman's.)
This brigade had formerly belonged to the Army of the Ohio, where it was known as Cruft's brigade. It was sent from that army to re-inforce Grant at Fort Donelson and had remained with the Army of the Tennessee. General Lauman was assigned to the command April 5, 1862. Its camp was on the south side of Dill Branch, its right at the Hamburg road. About eight A. M., Sunday, April 6, 1862, it moved out to the west side of the Peach Orchard field and formed line with its right in the woods near the head of Tilghman creek. The order of its regiments from left to right was: Seventeenth Kentucky. Twentyfifth Kentucky, Forty-fourth Indiana, Thirty-first Indiana. About nine A. M., it was attacked through the timber on its right by Gladden's brigade. closely followed in succession by attacks. upon its whole line, by Stephens' brigade and the right of Gibson's brigade. One of the features of the battle at this place was the burning of the leaves and brush in the woods where the wounded were lying.
About two P. M., the brigade was transferred to the left and formed in open woods just cast of the Hamburg road, the Thirty-first Indiana in reserve on left flank. This posi- tion was held until about four P. M., when the brigade retired with its division to the siege guns. After the action for the day had closed it moved one hundred and fifty vards to front and bivouacked for the night. On Monday at ten A. M .. it reported to Sherman and served with him until close of the battle.
FIFTH DIVISION.
(Sherman's.)
This division, of four brigades of infantry, three batteries of artillery, two battalions, and two independent companies
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of cavalry, was organized at Paducah, about the 1st of March, 1862. It went up the Tennessee river to the mouth of Yel- low creek, and returned to Pittsburg. March sixteen, disem- barked, and marched out to Monterey, returned to Pittsburg, and established its camps on the nineteenth along the Ham- burg and Purdy road, its center at Shiloh Church. On Sun- day morning, April 6, 1862, the division formed in front of its camps where its Third and Fourth brigades became en- gaged at seven thirty A. M. These brigades, re-inforced by Raith's brigade of the First division, held the line until ten A. M., when Sherman attempted to fall back to the Purdy road. In this movement his Third and Fourth brigades became dis- organized and retired to Hamburg and Savannah road, only parts of regiments remaining in line. McDowell's brigade, when ordered at ten A. M. to fall back, became engaged in Crescent Field and afterwards on MeClernand's right until after two P. M.
Stuart's brigade was engaged with Chalmers on the ex- treme left until two P. M. Barrett's battery formed in front of Shiloh Church and opened fire at seven thirty A. M .; then at ten A. M. retired to Jones Field, where it was engaged until two P. M .. when it retired to the river. Waterhouse's battery went into action at seven A. M. with two guns at Rhea House; these soon retired to main battery one hundred and fifty yards in rear. where the full battery remained in action until ten A. M., when it was outflanked and lost three guns. The remainder of the battery retired disabled from the field. Behr's battery was with McDowell's brigade, one gun guarding the bridge at Owl creek. When Sherman ordered McDowell to join his other brigades near Shiloh Church. Cap- tain Behr moved five guns down the road. and was directing them into battery when he was killed; his men stampeded, leaving the guns on the field. The gun at Owl creek served with MeDowell in his first engagement. then retired.
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On Monday Stuart's and Buckland's brigades were engaged on the left of Lew. Wallace all day. Sherman was wounded on Sunday, but kept the field until the enemy retired on Mon- day.
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First Brigade. (McDowell's.)
This brigade, of three regiments, was encamped on the Ham- burg and Purdy road, its right on the high ground near Owl creek, in the following order from left to right: Fortieth Illi- nois, Forty-sixth Ohio, Sixth Iowa. At the first alarm Sun- day morning, April 6, 1862, each regiment formed upon its color line. Two companies of the Sixth Iowa, with one gun of Behr's battery, were on guard at the bridge over Owl creek. About eight A. M. the brigade was advanced to the brow of the hill overlooking Shiloh Branch, the Fortieth Illinois join- ing the right of Buckland's brigade. After a skirmish with Pond's brigade, McDowell was ordered at ten A. M. to retire to the Purdy road and move to the left to connect with Buck- land's brigade near the crossroads. In obedience to this order the brigade abandoned its camps without a contest and moved by the left flank past McDowell's headquarters, when it was discovered that the Confederates occupied the road be- tween this brigade and Buckland's. McDowell then moved directly north and put his brigade in line on west side of Cres- cent Field, facing east, where he engaged and drove back the force of the enenry moving into said field. The brigade then moved northeasterly across Crescent Field and into Sowell Field, facing south, its left at Sowell house, where it con- nected with MeClernand's at eleven thirty A. M., and ad- vanced with him to the center of Marsh's brigade camp. Here the Sixth Iowa was transferred from right to center of bri- gade, and Thirteenth Missouri placed between the Fortieth Illinois and Sixth Iowa. the Forty-sixth Ohio slightly in rear and to the extreme right of the line.
At about twelve M., the brigade was attacked on its right flank by Trabue. In an engagement lasting until one thirty P. M., the Sixth Iowa had fifty-two killed-they were buried in one grave where they fell; the Forty-sixth Ohio had two hundred and forty-six killed and wounded, and the Fortieth Illinois two hundred and sixteen killed and wounded. The brigade commander was thrown from his horse and disabled. At two thirty P. M. the brigade retired to the landing and later formed behind Hurlbut. On Monday, the Sixth Iowa
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and Fortieth Illinois were attached to Garfield's brigade of Army of the Ohio, and remained with him until Wednesday, but were not engaged.
Second Brigade.
(Stuart's.)
This brigade, of three regiments, was encamped at the june- tion of Hamburg and Purdy road with the Hamburg and Savannah road in the following order from left to right: Fifty-fifth Illinois, Fifty-fourth Ohio, Seventy-first Ohio; a company from each regiment on picket, one at Lick Creek Ford, two on Bark road. These pickets gave warning, about eight A. M., April 6, 1862, of the approach of the enemy.
Stuart formed his brigade on regimental color lines, but finding that he was exposed to artillery fire from batteries on bluff south of Locust Grove creek, and obeying orders to guard Lick Creek Ford, he moved at ten A. M. to his left, placing the Fifty-fourth Ohio on his left behind McCullers field, the Fifty-fifth Illinois next to right, and the Seventy first Ohio with its right behind the left of the Fifty-fifth Illinois camp. Chalmers placed his brigade in line on the bluff south of Locust Grove creek, and, after clearing Stuart's camps with his artillery, moved across the creek and attacked the Fifty- fourth Ohio and Fifty-fifth Illinois in position. After a short conflict Stuart withdrew to a ridge running due east from his headquarters. The right, Seventy-first Ohio, occupying the buildings used as Stuart's headquarters, was here attacked by the right of Jackson's brigade and very soon retired, leav- ing a captain and fifty men prisoners. One part of the regi- ment under the Major passed down a ravine to the Tennessee river, where they were picked up by a gunboat; another part retired to the landing where they joined the brigade at night.
The Fifty-fourth Ohio and Fifty fifth Illinois, with Stuart in command, successfully resisted the attacks of Chalmers until two P. M .. when their ammunition was exhausted and they were obliged to fall back to the landing, where they re-formed at the Log Honse, the Fifty-fourth Ohio in what is now the cemetery, the Fifty-fifth Illinois to its right supporting Silfversparre's battery, where they were engaged in resist-
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- ing Chalmer's Sunday evening attack. Stuart was wounded on Sunday and was succeeded on Monday by Colonel T. Kilby Smith, who, with the Fifty-fourth Ohio and Fifty-fifth Illinois, joined Sherman's command and fought on right next to Lew. Wallace all day.
Third Brigade. (Hildebrand's.)
This brigade was encamped with its right, the Seventy-sev- enth Ohio, at Shiloh Church; its left, the Fifty-third Ohio, near the Rhea House and separated from the Fifty-seventh Ohio by a small stream with marshy margins. About seven - A. M., April 6, 1862, the brigade formed to meet the attack of the enemy, the Fifty-seventh and Seventy-seventh in ad- vance of their camps in the valley of Shiloh Branch. The Fifty-third, being threatened by an attack in left flank, formed its line perpendicular to the left of its camp. While in this position the brigade was attacked from the front by Cle- burne's and Wood's brigades. This attack, falling upon the exposed flank of the Fifty-third, compelled it to change front to the rear on left company and form a new line in rear of its camp. Attacked in this position, the regiment fell back dis- organized, passing to the rear around the flank of the Forty- ninth Ilinois, eight companies going to the landing at once, two companies under the adjutant, E. C. Dawes, joining the Seventeenth Illinois. The eight companies were reformed near the landing by the Major and supported Bouton's bat- tery in MeClernand's seventh line, and on Monday advanced with Marsh's command.
The Fifty-seventh and Seventy-seventh were re-inforced by Raith's brigade of the First division and held their positions for some time, when they, too, fell back disorganized and were not again in line as regiments. Colonel Hildebrand acted as aid for General McClernand during Sunday.
Fourth Brigade. (Buckland's.)
The brigade was eneamped with its left at Shiloh Church in the following order from left to right: Seventieth Ohio, Forty-
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eight Ohio, Seventy-second Ohio. It formed for battle Sun- day morning, April 6, 1862, about two hundred yards in front of its camps, where it withstood the attacks of Cleburne. An- derson and Johnson until ten A. M. Its right flank was then threatened by Pond and Trabue and it was ordered to fall back to the Purdy road. In making this movement the bri- gade was disorganized and scattered. The Colonel of the Sev- entieth Ohio with a portion of his regiment joined the Third brigade of McClernand's division fell back with it to Jones Field, where it joined McDowell's brigade and was engaged with it until one P. M., when it retired to the Hamburg road. The Adjutant and forty men of the Seventieth joined the Eleventh Illinois and fought with it until night. The Forty- eighth and Seventy-second retired to Hamburg and Savannah road, where Colonel Buckland reorganized his brigade and was engaged in the four thirty P. M. affair, after which the Forty-eighth retired to the river for ammunition and spent the night in line near the log house, the Seventieth and Sev- enty-second passing the night in bivouac near McArthur's headquarters.
On Monday the brigade was reunited, and, with Stuart's bri- gade, formed Sherman's line that advanced to the right of McClernand's camps, thence southwesterly along the front of said camps to Shiloh Church, where the brigade re-occu- pied their camps at about four P. M.
SIXTH DIVISION.
(Prentiss'.)
On the 26th day of March, 1862, General Grant, by Special Order No. 36. assigned General Prentiss to the command of unattached troops then arriving at Pittsburg Landing. withi directions to organize these regiments, as they arrived upon the field, into brigades, and the brigades into a division, to be designated the Sixth division.
Under this order one brigade of four regiments, commanded by Colonel Peabody. had been organized and was encamped on the west side of the Eastern Corinth road, four hundred yards south of the Barnes Field. Another brigade, commanded by Colonel Miller, Eighteenth Missouri, was partially organized.
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Three regiments had reported and were in camp on the east side of the Eastern Corinth road. Other regiments on their way up the river had been ordered to report to General Pren- tiss, but had not arrived.
The Sixteenth Jowa arrived on the field on the fifth and sent its morning report to General Prentiss in time to have it in- cluded in his report of present for duty that day; it was not fully equipped and did not disembark from the boat until morning of the sixth. The Fifteenth Iowa and Twenty-third Missouri arrived at the landing Sunday morning, April 6, 1862. The Twenty-third Missouri reported to General Prentiss at his third position about nine thirty A. M., and was placed in line at once as part of his command. The Fifteenth and Six- teenth Iowa were, by General Grant's order, sent to the right to re-inforce McClernand. They reported to him at his fifth line in Jones Field, and were hotly engaged from about one P. M. to two thirty P. M. Hickenlooper's Fifth Ohio battery and Munch's First Minnesota battery and two battalions of Eleventh Illinois cavalry had been assigned to the division and were encamped in rear of the infantry. One company from each regiment was on pieket one mile in front of the camps. On Saturday, April five, a reconnoitering party under Colonel Moore, Twenty-first Missouri, was sent out to the front. Colonel Moore reported Confederate cavalry and some evidences of an infantry force in front, but he failed to de- velop a regular line of the enemy. Prentiss doubled his pick- ets, and at three A. M., Sunday sent sent out another party of three companies of the Twenty-fifth Missouri, under Major Powell, to reconnoiter well to the front. This party encoun- tered the Confederate picket under Major Hardcastle in Fraley's field at four forty-five A. M. These pickets at once engaged, and continued their fire until about six thirty A. M., when the advance of the main line of Hardee's corps drove Powell back.
General Prentiss, hearing the firing, formed his division at six A. M., and sent Peabody's brigade in advance of his camp to relieve the retiring pickets and posted Miller's brigade three hundred yards in front of his camp, with batteries in the field at right and left of the Eastern Corinth road. In this position the division was attacked at eight A. M. by the bri-
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gades of Gladden, Shaver, Chalmers and Wood, and driven back to its camp, where the contest was renewed. At nine A. M., Prentiss was compelled to abandon his camp and fall back to his third position, which he occupied at nine five A. M., in an old road between the divisions of Hurlbut and W. H. L. Wallace. Hickenlooper lost two guns in first position and Munch had two disabled. Each brought four guns into line at the Hornets' Nest. Prentiss was here joined by the Twenty-third Missouri, which gave him about 1,000 men at his third position. With this force he held his line against the attacks of Shaver, Stephens and Gibson, as described in ac- count of Tuttle's brigade, until four P. M., when Hurlbut fell back and Prentiss was obliged to swing his division back at right angles to Tuttle in order to protect the left flank. When Tuttle's left regiments marched to the rear Prentiss fell back behind them towards the Corinth road and was sur- rounded and captured at five thirty P. M. near the forks of the Eastern Corinth road. Hickenlooper and Munch withdrew just before they were surrounded, Hickenlooper reporting to Sherman and becoming engaged in the four thirty action on Hamburg road. Munch's battery reported to Colonel Web- ster and was in position at mouth of Dill Branch, where it assisted in repelling the last attack Sunday night.
First Brigade. (Peabody's.)
This brigade of four regiments was encamped on west side of Eastern Corinth road, about one-half miile south of Ham- burg and Purdy road, in the following order from left to right: Sixteenth. Wisconsin, Twenty-first Missouri, Twelfth Michi gan, Twenty-fifth Missouri. Three companies of the Twenty- fifth Missouri under its Major, Powell, were sent out at three A. M., April 6, 1862, to reconnoiter. Moving southwest from camp, Powell passed between the Rhea and Seay fields and into the main Corinth road, where one of Sherman's picket posts was stationed. Beyond the picket, and near the south- east corner of Fraley field, he encountered Confederate pick- ets, and was fired upon at four fifty-five A. M. After an en- gagement of over an hour, Powell fell back before the advance
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of Wood's brigade to the Seay field, where he was re-inforced by Colonel Moore with his regiment, the Twenty-first Mis- souri, and four companies of the Sixteenth Wisconsin. Col- onel Moore took command, but was soon severely wounded, and Captain Saxe, Sixteenth Wisconsin, was killed. Lieuten- ant Colonel Woodyard, Twenty-first Missouri, assumed com- mand, and was engaged about one hour, when he fell back to Rhea field, where he was met by Colonel Peabody and the re- mainder of the brigade. Peabody held the Confederates in check until eight A. M., when he fell back to his camp. Here he was attacked by the brigade of Shaver and the right of Wood's brigade. Peabody was killed and the brigade forced to abandon its camp at nine A. M. The brigade organization was broken up, a part retiring through McClernand's lines and about two hundred of the Twenty-first Missouri and one hundred of the Twelfth Michigan joining Prentiss at his third position, where they were surrounded and most of them cap- tured at five thirty P. M., Sunday afternoon.
Second Brigade.
(Miller's.)
This brigade had three regiments in camp-a fourth assigned and reported but not yet in camp. The regiments were encamped between the Eastern Corinth road and Locust Grove in the following order from left to right: Eighteenth Wisconsin, Sixty-first Illinois, Eighteenth Missouri. The Six- teenth Iowa arrived at the landing on Saturday, April 5, 1862. The Colonel reported for duty and handed in his morning re- port, so that his regiment is included in Miller's report of present for duty. Not being fully equipped, the regiment did not go to camp, but remained at landing; on Sunday it, with Fifteenth Iowa, was, by order of General Grant, held for a time near the landing to stop stragglers, and then sent to re- inforce McClernan at his fourth line, where they were on- gaged and lost heavily.
The Eighteenth Wisconsin arrived on the field on Saturday afternoon and went at once into camp. but did not get into the morning report of that day and are not included in Mil-
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ler's present for duty. The brigade was formed for battle Sunday morning at six o'clock three hundred yards in front of its camp, at south side of Spain field, where it was attacked by Gladden and Chalmers at eight A. M., and was driven back into camp, and at nine .1. M., was compelled to abandon its camp. Parts of the Eighteenth Wisconsin and Eighteenth Missouri, about three hundred men, formed with Prentiss at his third position and remained with him until captured at five thirty P. M. The Sixty-first Illinois passed beyond or through Hurlbut's line and was in reserve behind that division all day Sunday, except about an hour when it relieved another regiment in front line.
UNASSIGNED.
The Fifteenth Michigan arrived at Pittsburg Landing, April 6, 1862. Arms had been issued to the men, but no ammuni- tion had been supplied. The regiment moved out upon the field carly Sunday morning and formed line and stacked knap- sacks, at the left of the Eighteenth Wisconsin in Locust Grove, just as Chalmers appeared in front and moved to the attack. Failing to obtain ammunition, Colonel Oliver ordered his men to fix bayonets, as if to charge the approaching Con- federates, but reconsidered and about faced his men and re- turned to the landing, where he obtained ammunition and again joined the fighting line at some place not now deter- mined. On Monday morning the regiment joined Rousseau's brigade of the Army of the Ohio and fought with conspicuous gallantry all day.
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. The Fourteenth Wisconsin arrived upon the field Sunday night, and on Monday joined Smith's brigade of the Army of the Ohio and served with it all day. It assisted in the cap- ture of a battery, one gun of which was awarded to this regi- ment and sent to the State of Wisconsin.
. Silfversparre's battery (H), First Illionis, arrived upon the field Sunday, April six. Its guns were four twenty-pounder Parrots. Horses had not been supplied. The men got the guns up the bank and placed them in battery in front of the Log House, where they were engaged Sunday evening.
Bouton's battery (1), First Illinois, arrived at Pittsburg. Sunday morning fully equipped, but without drill, and with
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horses that had never been harnessed to a gun. The battery was taken ashore and reported to Sherman, and rendered good service in repelling last attack upon bis line at four thirty P. M. It remained with Sherman on Monday all day, and received special mention by Colonel Gibson of the Army of the Ohio.
Siege Guns .- Battery B, Second Illinois. The guns belong- ing to this battery were, under the direction of Colonel Web- ster, gotten ashore Sunday afternoon and placed in position one-fourth of a mile west of the Log House, where they formed a rallying point for all troops coming back from the front.
Powell's battery (F), Second Illinois, was encamped near the landing awaiting an assignment which Captain Powell understood would place him in McClernand's division. After waiting some time on Sunday morning for orders, Powell at- tempted to take his battery to McClernand. He moved out along the Corinth road, passing through Sweeny's troops at east side of Duncan field and arriving near the Duncan House, after Hare's brigade had fallen back, found himself, suddenly, in close proximity to the Confederate line of battle. In re- tiring one gun was upset and left just behind the Duncan field. With five guns Powell reported to W. H. L. Wallace near the left of his line, where he was engaged until about five o'clock, when Captain Powell was wounded and his bat- tery retired to its camp, where it was engaged at six P. M. in the final action of Sunday.
Margraf's, Eighth, Ohio battery arrived at the landing the last of March. By an order issued April two it had been as- signed to the Third division, but had not reported to that di- vision. The only official report of its action is given in the report of the First Minnesota, which says that the "Eighth Ohio was on its left in the action of six P. M., Sunday, at the niouth of Dill Branch."
ARMY OF THE OHIO.
Soon after the consolidation of the Departments of the Ohio and Missouri. General Halleck ordered General Buell to move his army from Nashville to Savannah, Tenn., and
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formed junction with the Army of the Tennessee. Upon Gen oral Buell's suggestion to march his army across the country rather than transfer it by boats, it was so ordered, and Gen- real Buell with the advance of his army reached Savannah, Tenn., April 5, 1862. Early Sunday, April six, General Grant informed General Buell by note* of the situation at Shiloli and ordered General Nelson; to march his division up the east side of the Tennessee to a point opposite Pittsburg Landing, where boats would be found to ferry him across the river. General Buell and staff reached Pittsburg Land- ing by boat between two and three o'clock. Ammen's bri- gade, the advance of Nelson's division, arrived upon the field at about five thirty P. M., a part of it engaging in the repulse of the Confederates in the last attack of Sunday. During the night the remainder of Nelson's division and Critten- den's division arrived on the field, and early Monday morn- ing two brigades of McCook's division reached the landing.
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