USA > Pennsylvania > York County > Shiloh > The Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania at Shiloh. History of the regiment. The battle of Shiloh > Part 27
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The brigade moved forward at six thirty A. M., Sunday, meeting with little resistance until within one-half mile of the Union camps. Here Swett's and Harper's* batteries took position on the right near Eastern Corinth road and en- gaged the Union batteries (Hickenlooper's and Munch's). A charge was ordered and Peabody's camp was captured and his men pursued to a ravine and to an old field (Barnes'), The Third Confederate continuing the pursuit beyond the ravine became detached from its brigade and was engaged at Hornets' Nest soon after nine A. M. Colonel Shaver re- organized his command and was ordered to make change of front to the left, in conjunction with Wood's left wheel, to attack a camp (Raith's). Before completing the movement he was ordered to reform and move by left flank one-half mile* to an old farm, from which he attacked the enemy (Hare's brigade) behind a large field. The left regiments passed through this field, driving back Hare's brigade and occupying the ground one and one-half; hours. The right of the brigade passed to the right of the Review field and be- came engaged with Sweeny's and Tuttle's brigades and was exposed to a heavy cross fire from the Union batteries in the
*10 War Records, 609.
110 War Records, 576.
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rear of Tuttle. Swett's battery took position on Shaver's right and engaged those batteries. General Hindman was disabled by the fall of his horse and General Stewart took command of Hindman's troops, consisting of Shaver's bri- gade and the Sixteenth Alabama and Fifty-fifth Tennessee of Wood's brigade, and placing the Fourth Teunessee on the left of Shaver moved directly east from the northwest cor- ner of Review field to Duncan House and attacked the troops behind Duncan field. Stewart was repulsed, and Shaver's brigade retired about one mile to a camp to replenish ammu- nition. Between two and three o'clock Shaver's brigade made another attack at the Hornets' Nest and was again re- pulsed. In this charge Lieutenant Colonel Dean, Seventh Arkansas, was killed within fifty paces of the front of the Fourteenth Iowa. The brigade then fell back and was not again engaged on Sunday. It retired a little farther to the rear and bivouacked for the night. On Monday the brigade formed on the Bark road. After some time the Second and Sixth Arkansas advanced to the left with General Cheatham, where an attack was made about twelve M., and some guns captured, but were soon retaken, and the Confederates driven back in disorder. In attempting to rally his force Colonel Shaver was rendered senseless by the explosion of a shell near him, and his command disorganized, The Seventh Ar- kansas was in support of a battery on Monday and later in the day became engaged on the right. The Third Confeder- ate was detached to the right on Monday. Swett's (Missis- sippi) battery, after its participation in the attack at Hor- nets' Nest on Sunday, was placed by General Ruggles in line of batteries on the east side of Review field, where it was supported by the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Tennessee. No record of Swett's battery in engagement on Monday.
Second Brigade.
(Cleburne's.)
This brigade formed the left of Hardee's line, in the fol- lowing order from left to right: Second Tennessee (Bate), Twenty-fourth Tennessee, Fifth. Tennessee (Hill). Sixth Mis-
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sissippi, Twenty-third Tennessee, the Fifteenth Arkansas in advance as pickets and skirmishers, Shoup's battalion of artil- lery, consisting of Calvert's, Trigg's and Hubbard's Arkansas batteries, in rear of the infantry. The left of the brigade was near Widow Howell's. The advance was begun at six thirty A. M., Sunday, and at about eight A. M., the brigade became engaged along Shiloh Branch, its batteries on high ground in the rear. Its progress was impeded by the marshy ground and briers of the branch. After passing these ob- structions, the right-Sixth Mississippi and the Twenty-third Tennessee charged through the camp of the Fifty-third Ohio, but were repulsed by the fire of Waterhouse's battery and the infantry of Raith's and Hildebrand's brigades. The Twenty-third Tennessee was rallied with difficulty, but the Sixth Mississippi renewed the attack with vigor, and charged again and again, until it lost three hundred men out of four hundred and twenty-five engaged. The left of the brigade met a like defeat in attempting to charge the position of Buckland's brigade and Barrett's battery, and was unable to advance until re-inforced by Anderson's brigade from Bragg's corps,* and by Russell's and Johnson's brigades from Polk's corps. With these re-inforcements Cleburne rallied sixty men of the Sixth Mississippi and about half of the Twenty- third Tennessee and, in conjunction with troops from the other brigades, advanced along the Pittsburg Landing road to the point where Burrow's battery was captured, where he was joined by the Eighth Arkansas. With the fragments of these three regiments, Cleburne joined General Stewart at twelve, noon, in an attack upon position at Duncan House, where some of Cleburne's men were taken prisoners by the Seventh Illinois. At twelve thirty P. M., the Sixth Missis- sippi retired from the field, and the Twenty-third Tennessee was ordered to the rear to reorganize. Cleburne then went in search of the other regiments of his brigade and, at three P. M., found the Fifth and Twenty-fourth Tennessee and Fif- teenth Arkansas resting under the brow of a hill, where they were soon joined by the Twenty-third Tennessee. The Fifth Tennessee, Twenty-fourth Tennessee, and Fifteenth Arkan- sas had advanced through Buckland's camp at about ten
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*10 War Records, 171.
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The Battle of Shiloh.
A. M., and had joined Pond and Trabue,¡ and with them were engaged at twelve M. to two thirty P. M. in front of Marsh's brigade camp, and had passed to rear of that camp when found by Cleburne. Colonel Bate, of the Second Tennessee, was wounded in front of Buckland's brigade, and the regi- ment was somewhat disorganized and was not again engaged on Sunday. On Monday, the Second Tennessee was engaged on the right under General Stewart. When Cleburne joined his left wing at three P. M., on Sunday, he advanced to the east side of Tilghman creek, where he was engaged at four thirty P. M., in the attack upon McClernand's sixth line. He then moved forward until he came under fire of the artillery and gunboats, where he halted until dark, when he was or- dered to the rear and retired to a camp near the Bark road. On Monday, soon after daylight, he advanced along the Bark road with four regiments (Fifth, Twenty-third and Twenty- fourth Tennessee, and the Fifteenth Arkansas), now reduced to eight hundred men, and became engaged in a thick under- brush at the left of General Breckinridge and the right of General Wood, where his brigade was repulsed and com- pletely routed. The Fifteenthi Arkansas was the only regi- ment rallied. This continued in the fight until reduced to fifty-eight men. These were then ordered to the rear to re- plenish ammunition.
Shoup's batteries were in position Sunday morning on high ground south of Shiloh Branch. Trigg's and Hubbbard's bat- teries formed a part of Ruggle's line at four P. M. Sunday. No information in regard to these batteries on Monday.
SECOND CORPS.
(Bragg's.)
This corps of two divisions formed the second line of bat- tle and formed Saturday night, April 5, 1862, eight hundred yards in rear of the first line across, and perpendicular to the Pittsburg road; Gladden's brigade of Wither's division form- ed on Hardee's right; Ruggle's division on the left, its right on the Bark road; Wither's division to right of the
tRoman's Military Operations of General Beauregard. Extract from report of Lieu- tenant and Ald-de-camp A. R. Chisolm.
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Bark road. The corps commenced its forward movement at about six thirty A. M. on Sunday. Soon after, the left bri- gade, Pond's, was detached to the left, and Chalmer's bri- gade moved forward to the right of Gladden. The advance was continued in this order until Hardee's line became en- gaged, when Bragg, "finding the first line unequal to the work before it," moved his whole corps to its support. In this movement Ruggle's division intermingled with the first line, and the two corps were not again separated during the battle. Withers on the right kept his Second and Third bri- gades well in hand and leading them to the extreme right continued in command of them all day.
General Bragg in person followed his right and was with Gladden's brigade when Prentiss' camp was captured .* There were present at that time General Johnston, General Bragg, General Hardee, General Withers, General Hindman, and several brigade commanders .* General Bragg remained in this vicinity until ten thirty A. M., when he met General Polk at the left center, and by agreement with him returned to the right center, where he directed several charges at Hor- nets' Nest without success. Learning that General Johnston had been killed, General Bragg went to the right and as- sumed command of the forces there, consisting of Breckin- ridge's two brigades, Wither's two brigades, and one brigade of Cheatham's division. With this force he pressed the Union left along the Hamburg road until he reached the rear of Prentiss and Wallace and connected his troops with those of the extreme left. This surround compelled the surrender of Prentiss about the time the sun was disappearing .; Bragg re-formed his commands and was placing his troops in order for another advance when he received orders to withdraw his
troops. Bragg remained with Beauregard near Shiloh Church Sunday night, and Monday morning was sent to the Confederate left, where the troops of Pond, Wood, Cleburne, Cheatham, Gibson, Anderson and Trabue were engaged, in about the order named, from left to right. Under General Beauregard's orders he commenced to retire his troops at two P. M.
*10 War Records, 537. 567.
110 War Records, 466.
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SECOND DIVISION.
(Withers'.)
In this division were the brigades of Gladden, Jackson and Chalmers. It formed the right of Bragg's corps and formed in line Saturday night on the Bark road one-fourth mile east of the forks of Pittsburg Landing road. Gladden's brigade was sent forward to the first line, Jackson's brigade three hundred yards directly in rear of Gladden, on right of Bark road, Chalmers', on Jackson's right, extending the line to tributary of Lick creek.
In the advance Chalmers soon came up to Gladden's right and joined it in an attack upon Prentiss' camp. After cap- ture of Prentiss' camp Withers was ordered, with Chalmers and Jackson, down the Bark road to Lick creek to attack the Union left. He succeeded in driving Stuart back and follow- ing him, pressing back the Union left, reaching the rear of Prentiss and Wallace, and receiving the surrender of part of these troops. He then moved to the right along the ridge south of Dill Branch and formed in line, then advanced into the valley of Dill Branch, from which place he made the last attack Sunday. He then withdrew, his division becoming disorganized. Chalmers' brigade and one regiment of Jack- son's brigade bivouacked in Stuart's camp; Withers person- ally in Prentiss' camp. On Monday the division had com- menced to retire from the field and had marched one mile when it was recalled and engaged on the right until two P. M., when it retired to Mickeys.
First Brigade. (Gladden's.)
This brigade was attached temporarily to Hardee's corps and took position Saturday night, April five, at the right of the first line of battle, its left on the Bark road, in the follow- ing order, from left to right: Twenty-sixth Alabama, Twenty- fifth Alabama, Twenty-second Alabama, Twenty-first Ala- bama, First Louisiana, and Robertson's battery in rear of in- fantry.
The brigade advanced at six thirty A. M., Sunday along
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the line of Bark and Eastern Corinth roads until it became engaged at eight thirty A. M., in front of Prentiss' camps. The Twenty-second Alabama formed across the Eastern Cor- inth road. The Twenty-sixth, crowded out of position on the left by Shaver's brigade, took position on the right. In this attack General Gladden was mortally wounded, and Colonel Adams assumed command and drove Prentiss back, and at nine A. M., took possession of his camps and formed his brigades in a square at Prentiss' headquarters, where it remained inactive until about two o'clock. At two thirty Colonel Adams was wounded and Colonel Deas took com- mand, and soon after led the brigade, except the Twenty- sixth Alabama, to the right and reported to General Breck- inridge and becamed engaged in the last attack upon Pren- tiss. Here the Twenty-first and Twenty-fifth Alabama be- came separated from the brigade, and Colonel Deas formed the First Louisiana and Twenty-second Alabama (224 men) on the left of Jackson's brigade and remained in line until ordered back to camp for the night. The Twenty-sixth Ala- bama meantime made a charge across the west side of Peach Orchard, supported on left by Forrest's cavalry in the woods. On Monday one hundred and fifty men of the Twenty-sixth Alabama joined Chalmers in two engagements, and then left the field. The Twenty-first Alabama was in Colonel Moore's command on Monday,* the First Louisiana and the Twenty- second Alabama with Ruggles on the left of the line, where they were engaged until reduced to sixty men .; Robertson's (Alabama) battery . of 12-pounder Napoleons was first en- gaged on Eastern Corinthi road in front of Prentiss' camp. After that, from a position in Prentiss' camp, it engaged the Union batteries in Peach Orchard and then reported to Rug- gles, east of Review field. On Monday it was with the Con- federate right. The Twenty-fifth Alabama joined a Missouri regiment on Mondayt (First Missouri, Bowen's brigade).
*10 War Records, 306.
110 War Records, 539.
110 War Records, 544.
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The Battle of Shiloh. Second Brigade.
(Chalmers'.)
This brigade, called the "Mississippi Brigade," formed the right of Bragg's line, its right resting on. swamps of Lick creek in the following order from left to right: Fifty-second Tennessee, Fifth Mississippi, Ninth Mississippi, Seventh Mis- sissippi, Tenth Mississippi, with Gage's (Alabama) battery in the rear. It advanced at six thirty A. M., Sunday, and soon joined Gladden's right and made a gradual left wheel until it struck the left of Prentiss' camp and by a charge of the Tenth Mississippi, followed by the Seventh and Ninth Mississippi, the Eighteenth Wisconsin was driven from its camp at nine A. M., the three regiments pursuing across the ravine and to the hill beyond, where they came under fire from Hurlbut's division in the Peach Orchard and were or- dered by General Johnston back to the captured camp. From the Eighteenth Wisconsin camp the brigade was conducted "by right flank file right" across the ravine and to the Bark road and along that road until its right rested on Lick creek, where it re-formed its battle line facing north and advanced across Locust Grove Branch against Stuart's camps. When this advance began Union skirmishers fired into the Fifty- second Tennessee, stampeding the regiment so that only two companies could be rallied. These companies were at- tached to the Fifth Mississippi. As the infantry advanced Gage's battery, stationed on high ground south of the ravine, shelled Stuart's camp, compelling him to move to his left rear, forming his left behind an orchard. Chalmers moved upon this position and drove Stuart back three hundred yards to a ridge, where he maintained himself until about two P. M., when he retired. closely followed by Chalmers, who was supported on his right by Clanton's cavalry, moving down the banks of the Tennessee. Swinging to the left against the exposed Union left, Chalmer's loft reached the Hamburg and Savannah road near the camp of the Twenty-eighth Illinois, where he assisted in the capture of the troops of Prentiss and Wallace that had faced to the rear and were attempting to make their way to the river. The Fourteenth Iowa, a captain and four men of the Twenty-eighth Illinois, and col-
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
onel of the Eighteenth Missouri surrendered to the Ninth Mississippi. The brigade then moved directly east of the ridge south of Dill Branch until its right was near the river; it then advanced into the valley of Dill Branch. Skirmish- ers of the Ninth Mississippi crossed the ravine and ascended to the brow of the bluff, where they came under fire of the artillery. "The brigade struggled in vain to ascend the hill, which was very steep, making charge after charge without success, but continued to fight until night closed hostilities on both sides."* Gage's battery was put in position in rear of the brigade, but was soon disabled and was compelled to retire, leaving one gun in the ravine in front of its position. It was not again engaged. The brigade retired to Stuart's camps, where it bivouacked Sunday night. On Monday it was joined by several detached regiments and was engaged on the Confederate right south of Peach Orchard until two P. M., when it received orders to retire. There are no re- ports on file from regiments or battery.
Third Brigade. (Jackson's.)
This brigade formed on the right of the Bark road in the second line, three hundred yards in the rear of Gladden's brigade, in the following order from left to right: Seven- teenth Alabama, Eighteenth Alabama, Nineteenth Alabama, Second Texas, Girardey's battery in rear of infantry. It ad- vanced at six thirty A. M., Sunday, following Gladden's bri- gade, and came up with that brigade at Prentiss' headquar- ters, where General Johnston in person ordered the brigade to the left in conjunction with movements of Wood and Shaver. Before it had proceeded far, the order was changed, and Jackson was ordered to follow Chalmers to the right, where the brigade formed on the south side of a deep ravine. Girardey's battery engaged the enemy in Peach Orchard from Prentiss' camp and then followed its brigade and took posi- tion at Shake-a-rag Church. The brigade advanced directly against the camps of the Fifty-fourth Ohio and Fifty-fifth Illinois, the right of the brigade joining Chalmers and pass-
·Chalmer's report.
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The Battle of Shiloh.
ing through the farm houses at the left of the Fifty-fifth Illi- nois camp and engaging the Seventy-first Ohio, while the left of the brigade engaged McArthur's brigade in the ravine east of Peach Orchard. At about one thirty P. M., Bowen's brigade joined Jackson's left, and together they advanced, driving back the Union force and making the left wheel with Chalmers. Jackson reached the camp of the Twenty-eighth Illinois, in Chalmers' rear, and was present when prisoners were captured. The Eighteenth Alabama was detached to guard them to the rear. The other three regiments followed Chalmers to the right and took position in the valley of Dill Branch, where skirmishers went forward to. top of bluff, where they came in range of artillery and "could not be urged farther." Finding an advance impracticable, an order was given to withdraw. In the darkness the brigade became sep- arated, the Seventeenth Alabama returning to the camp of Saturday night, and was out of the fight on Monday. The Nineteenth Alabama and Second Texas bivouacked with Chal- mers, and on Monday were with the Twenty-first Alabama, organized as a temporary brigade, and fought on Chalmers' left. In an advance across an open field this force received an unexpected fire, which broke its line and disorganized the command, the Nineteenth Alabama, under Colonel Wheeler, alone remaining on the field until a general retreat was or- dered, when it formed a rear guard and remained at Mickey's several days. General Jackson, with the battery, bivouacked Sunday night at Shiloh Church. The battery was engaged with Cleburne on Monday and lost one gun and had its other guns disabled so that the cannoneers were detailed to another battery. General Jackson, unable to find his bri- gade on Monday, was not engaged. He reported at Corinth, Miss., at eleven thirty P. M. Monday.
FIRST DIVISION.
(Ruggles'.)
This division of three brigades formed the left of the sec- ond line of battle, its right. Gibson's brigade, on the Bark road; its left, Pond's brigade, extending to near Owl creek; its center, Anderson's brigade, on Pittsburg road.
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
Soon after the forward movement commenced, Sunday morning, two regiments from the left were detached to guard the left flank of the army, and Gibson's brigade was moved to the right to support Shaver's brigade. Anderson's and the right of Pond's brigade moved directly forward and be- came engaged in front of the first encampments of the enemy, where Anderson's and Cleburne s brigades commingled and were disorganized, a part of each following the Pittsburg road, under Ruggles' command, until they reached Duncan field about three P. M., when General Ruggles gave his per- sonal attention to massing the artillery in front of the Hor- nets' Nest. Here he collected ten batteries and two sections and placed them along the road on the west side of Duncan field and under their concentrated fire ordered Anderson and others to attack. This artillery fire drove away all the artil- lery from the Union lines at Hornets' Nest.
On Monday Ruggles, with portions of his division, fought on the Confederate left until the troops were ordered to re- tire, when he took command of the second line of the rear guard.
First Brigade. (Gibson's.) ·
This brigade bivouacked Saturday night, April 5, 1862, on the right of Ruggles' division, its right on the Bark road, in order of regiments from left to right: Fourth Louisiana Thir- teenth Louisiana, First Arkansas, Nineteenth Louisiana. (The battery belonging to this brigade-Bain's-was detailed to remain at Corinth. Yet it is enumerated in organization and referred to *- "we had our artillery at hand"-in such way that it may have been present.) The brigade followed Shaver's to the front of the first encampment, where, with its right in the woods and its left in the Rhea field, it came under the fire of Waterhouse's battery, which was "on an eminence to the left and in the rear of the first line of camps." Passing through Peabody's camp it camp up with Shaver's brigade and fired a few shots from the edge of Barnes field at retreating Union troops and received a few
10 War Records, 382, 394, 486.
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The Battle of Shiloh.
shells from Munch's battery in reply. The brigade rested in Barnes field until noon, when General Bragg found it "in rear of its proper place" and ordered it forward to an attack upon Tuttle and Prentiss at Hornets' Nest. The right of the brigade, the Nineteenth Louisiana, moved half a mile to the right across the Hamburg .ad and into a little farm (wheat field) and attacked the enemy in a dense undergrowth. The left of the brigade, the Fourth Louisiana, came into Dun- can field. The brigade was repulsed, but under Bragg's orders charged again and again, until they had been four times beaten back. After the fourth repulse the brigade re- tired to Barnes field and was not engaged again on Sunday. The Nineteenth Louisiana, becoming separated from its bri- gade, bivouacked near Shiloh Church and on Monday joined the command of Marshall Smith on the right. The other regi- ments were on the left on Monday, next to Pond's brigade, where they charged the enemy and captured a part of a bat- tery, but were unable to hold it. Pond was ordered to the right and Gibson held the extreme left* until ordered to re- tire.
Second Brigade. (Anderson's.)
This brigade occupied the center of Ruggles' division in the second line Saturday night, April five, its right on the Pittsburg road, "in column doubled at half distance on the center," but with room to deploy, its order from left to right: Twentieth Louisiana, Ninth Texas, First Florida battalion, Confederate Guards' Response Battalion, Seventeenth Louisiana, Hodgson's Washington artillery in rear. In the advance on Sunday the brigade was deployed and followed Cleburne's brigade and came up with it at eight thirty A. M., at the crossing of Shiloh Branch. It must have occupied the same ground charged over by Cleburne, for, the Twentieth Louisiana-on the left of Anderson's brigade-connected with Pond's right when the Second Tennessee-the left of Cleburne's brigade-retired through the Twentieth Louis- iana,; and the right of Anderson's brigade-the Seventeenth
.10 War Records, 473.
110 War Records, 471, 496, 497, 507, 585.
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Louisiana-joined the Sixthi Mississippi-Cleburne's right- and the Eleventh Louisiana, of Russell's brigade, in a charge into the camp. of the Fifty-third Ohio and were repulsed by the fire of Waterhouse's battery and its infantry support. The Seventeenth Louisiana, of this brigade, made three sep- arate charges upon the Fifty-third Ohio camp. In the second and third charges the left wing of the regiment passed to the left of the Rhea House around the point of the ridge. The Confederate Response and Florida battalions attempted-in conjunction with the Eleventh Louisiana of Russell's brigade-to cross the ridge, but were repulsed. This posi- tion was finally carried by the combined attacks of the right regiments of the brigades of Cleburne, Anderson and John- son, and the left regiments of Russell's brigade. During the struggle the Washington artillery, together with artillery of the other brigades, occupied the high ground in the rear and rendered valuable aid in the attack. The Twentieth Louis- iana and Ninth Texas, on the left, were twice repulsed, but with re-inforcements carried the position held by Buckland's brigade and joined the right regiments in an advance upon McClernand's second position at the crossroads, where the brigade was partially reorganized and was engaged in front of Marsh's brigade camp. About noon it joined Trabue in his engagement with McDowell's brigade. At three P. M., this brigade moved directly along the Pittsburg road to Dun- can field, where the battery was placed in Ruggle's artillery line and the infantry moved to the right, where it joined other troops in an attack at the Hornets' Nest, where it was repulsed, and the Twentieth Louisiana retired from the field. The other regiments returned to the attack and followed the retiring Union troops to the place of surrender. The brigade then moved forward to a ravine-head of Dill Branch-where it remained fifteen minutes under artillery fire, and then, at sunset, retired, General Anderson, with the Ninth Texas and First Florida, bivouacked in the apple orchard, near the big spring. The other regiments were scattered, but were all represented with the brigade on Monday, and were engaged north of the Pittsburg road and later in front of Marsh's brigade camp. The Washington artillery was engaged on Monday on the right, near the Wheat field, where it lost
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