USA > Pennsylvania > York County > Shiloh > The Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania at Shiloh. History of the regiment. The battle of Shiloh > Part 28
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three guns. The guns were recaptured, but it left three caissons and battery wagon and forge on the field.
Third Brigade-
(Pond's.)
This brigade formed the left of Bragg's line of battle Sat- urday night, its left near Owl creek and extending beyond Hardee's left in the following order from left to right: Thirty- eighth Tennessee, Crescent Regiment, Eighteenth Louisiana, Orleans Guard, Sixteenth Louisiana, with Ketchum's Ala- bama battery in rear. At eight A. M., Sunday, the Thirty- eighth Tennessee, the Crescent Regiment, and one section of the battery were sent one and one-half miles to the left to Owl creek road. The other regiments and two sections of the battery, connecting with the left of Anderson's brigade, advanced to Shiloh Branch, where they became engaged with the skirmishers of McDowell's brigade. McDowell was or- dered to withdraw and Pond gained the first line of camps without a conflict. Changing direction to the right, Pond was fired into by the Confederates and retired one hundred yards and rested until about noon when he joined the left of Trabue's brigade in Crescent field. He then moved for- ward to the valley of Tilghman creek, where at four thirty P. M., he was ordered by General Hardee to charge the Union lines, which were in position in the camps of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Illinois. He formed his regiment en échelon, the Eighteenthi Louisiana in front on the left, followed by the Orleans Guard, and that by the Sixteenth Louisiana, and moved directly upon the Union line. He was repulsed with heavy loss and retired to high land on the west side of the creek, where he bivouacked Sunday night, with his right at Oglesby's headquarters, his left at Owl creek.
. The Thirty-eighth Tennessee, the Crescent Regiment, and a section of Ketchum's battery, when detached in the morn- ing, moved down Owl creek road to the bridge on Purdy road, where they remained on guard until two P. M., when they were ordered to the center. They moved by the flank to crossroads, where Beauregard ordered them to the east along Pittsburg road. At Duncan field the section of artillery was
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
placed on left of Ruggles' artillery line and the two regiments directed to the left, where they engaged the right flank of troops at the Hornets' Nest, Colonel Looney leading his regi- ment, the Thirty-eighth Tennessee, into the camp of the Third Iowa in time to assist in the capture of the Twelfth Iowa, the Crescent Regiment capturing a part of the Prentiss
.. troops. The Thirty-eighth Tennessee then joined its bri- gade at Oglesby's headquarters. The Crescent Regiment bivouacked in a "near-by camp."
On Monday the brigade, except the Crescent Regiment, was engaged upon the extreme left of the army, and opened the battle by an artillery duel between its battery and those of Lew. Wallace. The brigade was driven back gradually to the Purdy road, when it was sent to join Trabue's right. It soon returned to the left and then fell back to the church dis- organized. Colonel Looney,-with his own regiment and parts of five other regiments (numbers not known), made the last charge of the day, his command forming at the church under personal direction of General Beauregard and charging for- ward directly over the site of Sherman's headquarters to near the Purdy and Hamburg road, then retiring through the rear guard stationed south of Shiloh Branch. The Crescent Regiment was sent Monday morning to the right, where it joined the Nineteenth Louisiana and First Missouri in support of the Washington artillery,* and then in conjunction with Colonel Wheeler covered the retreat from that part of the field and camped at night at Mickey's. Ketchum's battery was engaged with the brigade all day and lost two guns.t
FIRST CORPS.
(Polk's.)
This corps of two divisions of two brigades each formed Saturday night in column of brigades behind the second line, its center on the main Corinth road, the first division in front.
In the advance Sunday morning the head of this corps passed Beauregard's headquarters, at the fork of the Bark and Pittsburg roads, at seven four A. M. At the Seay field.
*10 War Records, 524.
110 War Records, 513.
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The Battle of Shiloh.
Stewart's brigade was detached to the right; Russell's bri- gade was led directly to the front and became engaged under the personal direction of division and corps commanders.
General Clark, commanding the division, led in the charge upon the camp of the Fifty-third Ohio, and soon after pass- ing that camp was wounded and left the field. General Stewart succeeded to the command, but did not bring the di- vision under his immediate orders.
General Cheatham, commanding second division, sent his first brigade directly to the front, where it was engaged under Polk's orders. He then took personal direction of Stephens' brigade, conducting it first to the left, and then at ten thirty A. M., to the right center, where he was engaged at Hornets' Nest until about noon when he moved to the right and joined General Breckinridge and was engaged at Peach Orchard, and on Monday near the extreme left of the line.
CAVALRY.
The First Mississippi cavalry operated as a reserve to Cheatham's division. At about five thirty P. M., on Sunday, just after the surrender of Prentiss, it charged upon and captured Ross' battery as it was making its way to the river. It afterwards crossed the head of Dill Branch and started with thirty or forty men to charge another battery, but find- ing itself in presence of the infantry, retired and proceeded to the bank of the Tennessee river at Brown's Ferry.
Brewer's Cavalry.
. Two companies were sent Sunday morning in the direction of Adamsville to watch the movements of Lew. Wallace; other companies engaged in the rear of Russell's brigade until afternoon, when they were sent to the extreme left and were engaged against the Fourteenth Missouri and in Whar- ton's charge. They bivouacked Sunday night in the valley of Tilghman creek near Owl creek.
General Polk in person followed the line of the Pittsburg road. He assumed personal direction of the battle in front of Rhea House, directing the two brigades of his own corps and one each of Hardee's and Bragg's corps, and when the
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line was finally carried he pushed his commands forward without waiting to reorganize them. He says his three bri- gades-Stewart's, Russel's and Johnson's-with occasionally a regiment from some other corps, fought over the same ground three times. He was present at the surrender of Prentiss and directed some of the troops toward the land- ing, and when ordered to withdraw retired to his bivouac of Saturday night. On Monday he commanded the left cen- ter again and fought over the same ground as on Sunday. This corps and its divisions were entirely disintegrated be- fore reaching the first camps of the enemy and did not again serve in the battle as divisions or corps.
. FIRST DIVISION.
First Brigade. (Russell's.)
This brigade bivouacked Saturday night across the Pitts- burg road behind Stewart's brigade, in order from left to right, as follows: Eleventh Louisiana, Twenty-second Ten- nesse, Thirteenth Tennessee, Twelfth Tennessee, with Bank- head's (Tennessee) battery in the rear. In the advance on Sunday it followed the Pittsburg road to near Shiloh Branch, when it became engaged on the right of the road, its left the Eleventh Louisiana, joining the Seventeenth Louisiana of Anderson's brigade* and the Sixth Mississippi of Cleburne's : brigade in the attack upon the Fifty-third Ohio camp and the Union forces behind that camp. In this attack the · Eleventh Louisiana was disorganized, a part of it afterwards joining Stewart's brigadef and a part continued under Rus- sell for a time. The Colonel and sixty men were engaged on the right on Monday.
The Twelfth Tennessee passed to the right of the Fifty- . third Ohio camp into the Fourth Illinois cavalry camp, where it joined Stewart's brigade, and supported the Fourth Tennessee in a charge upon Mc Allister's battery, and after- wards supported Bankhead's battery on the ground first oc- cupied by Mc Allister. The Thirteenth Tennessee also passed
*10 War Records, 506, 511.
110 War Records, #25.
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to the right of the Fifty-third Ohio camp, then left wheeled and charged Waterhouse's battery in the flank, capturing two guns. It then moved directly past Shiloh Church, and from there along Pittsburg road to Duncan field, where it supported Stanford's battery in Ruggles' artillery line. The Twenty-second Tennessee, remaining under Russell's com- mand, moved through the camp and over the Waterhouse battery position to near the crossroads, where the Fifth Tennessee, Lieutenant Colonel Venable, attached itself to Russell's command. Russell then joined Trabue's left in front of Marsh's brigade camp. He then, with the Twenty- second Tennessee, moved into the valley of Tilghman creek and up that creek to the place where Prentiss surrendered. Russell says that Prentiss surrendered to men of the Twenty- second Tennessee. The Twelfth and Thirteenth joined Rus- sell here, but no part of the brigade advanced beyond the place of surrender. The three regiments retired to Marsh's brigade camp and bivouacked Sunday night. On Monday the remnant of the three regiments, a "very small force," was engaged on the left, next to Pond, for a time, and then fell back to Shiloh Church, where they came under the immediate command of General Beauregard, who bore the colors to the front, but was soon obliged to retire.
Bankhead's battery was engaged at the place occupied by McAllister's battery, and in Ruggles' line on Sunday, and on the right Monday.
Second Brigade.
(Stewart's.)
This brigade formed the advance of its corps and bivou- acked across the main Pittsburg road in the following order from left to right: Fifth Tennessee. Thirty-third Ten- nessee, Thirteenth Arkansas, Fourth Tennessee, with Stan- ford's battery in the rear. It moved forward at seven A. M., Sunday morning, one-half mile and deposited knapsacks. then passed the cotton press and its left regiment-the Fifth Tennessee-came into Fraley field, where it received a shot from a Union battery that killed one man and cut the flag- staff. From "two cabins" General Johnston directed the bri-
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
gade to the right, and conducted it toward the camp of the Eighteenth Wisconsin, where General Johnston went and met General Hardee .* General Stewart moved his brigade - by the right flank due east, from noth side of Seay field, until his right reached the Eastern Corinth road, his command in "open woods" in front of the enemy's (Peabody's) camp, "from which he had been driven." Here losing sight of Gen- eral Johnston, he moved his brigade by. left flank in line of battle through the camp and beyond it .; Thence, co-operat- ing with the left movement of Wood and Shaver, he moved "by the left flank," along the rear of Peabody's brigade camp, and beliind Gibson's brigade, until the Thirteenth Arkansas was in the Fourth Illinois Cavalry camp, then by right flank in line of battle, and halted for orders. Here occurred the ' "fire in the rear," occasioned by the Fourth Louisiana, on Gibson's left, firing to their left rear upon an officer "sup- posed to be a Federal." This left rear fire took effect in the ranks of the Thirteenth Arkansas. This regiment, mistak- ing the fire of the Fourth Louisiana for that of the enemy, returned the fire, and were joined by the Thirty-third Tennessee firing into the Twelfth Tennessee just then pass- ing their front, and into the Eighth and Ninth Arkansas just being transferred to Wood's left.
From the Fourth Illinois cavalry camp Stewart led his three left regiments north across a small stream and laid them down while he returned for the Fourth Tennessee, which he brought forward to the same place, but found that his three regiments had moved forward. Here Stewart re- ceived orders to charge McAllister's battery at the north- west corner of Review field. He placed Stanford's battery in the Fourth Illinois cavalry camp, and with the Fourth and Twelfth Tennessee behind it as a reserve, passed to the right behind Wood's brigade and joining Shaver's left charged the battery and captured one gun at eleven A. M., the Fourth and Twelfth Tennessee holding the ground where the battery had been stationed. Here General Hindman proposed to Stew- art to join forces and attack the enemy on Shaver's right in Hornets' Nest. While arranging for this movement General
·10 War Records. 404, 407.
$10 War Records, 433.
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The Battle of Shiloh.
Hindman was disabled and General Stewart took command of Hindman's force. Placing the Fourth Tennessee on the left of Shaver's brigade, he moved through the woods to Duncan field and engaged the Union force that occupied the east side of that field until Shaver reported his troops out of ammunition, when Stewart withdrew the Fourth Tennes- see to a position where it captured the gun and joined the Twelfth Tennessee, at about noon, in support of Bankhead's battery, which was being closely pressed by Union troops. The Fourth Tennessee then retired for ammunition.
In the meantime the Fifth and Thirty-third Tennessee and the Thirteenth Arkansas were by General Hardee's order moved forward from the ravine where Stewart left them and became engaged under Preston Smith's command near the crossroads. Later the Fifth Tennessee was attached to Rus- sell's command farther to the. left and then moved to the at- tack upon the right flank of the Hornets' Nest position. It then retired to a camp for the night. The Thirty-third Ten- . nessee joined General Stewart again to the right of Ruggles' batteries and moved by the left flank along the road to the Forty-first Illinois camp, where it remained until night and then retired to a camp near the crossroads. The Thirteenth Arkansas, after its engagement at the crossroads, was in support of Smith's battery to the right, where Lieutenant Colonel Grayson was mortally wounded. It then retired to Beauregard's headquarters, and then to camp for the night near "Stewart's General Hospital."
The Fourth Tennessee, after its separation from General Stewart, joined Preston Smith's command in Marsh's brigade camp and was engaged from about one to two P. M. It bivouacked Sunday night near where it captured the gun.
General Stewart, after his own brigade had passed from his command, organized a command, consisting of Walker's Second Tennessee, part of the Eleventh Louisiana, and another regiment of Cleburne's command, and made a second attack at Duncan House. Falling back, he was joined by the Thirty-third Tennessee and moved along Pittsburg road and into the Hornets' Nest at the time of surrender. On Mon- day he had Bates' Second Tennessee and Thirteenth Arkan- sas under his command on the Confederate right. Colonel
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
Strahl says the Fourth Tennessee was engaged on Monday "near the left of the line." He also says he was "on the left of the Washington artillery." Washington artillery was on the right Monday. The Fifth Tennessee was with Chalmers on the extreme right; Thirty-third Tennessee on the left with General Cheatham. Stanford's battery, after its first en- gagement Sunday in the camp of the Fourth Illinois cavalry, became engaged on the right of Ruggles' artillery line and on Monday near the same place. It lost four guns.
SECOND DIVISION. (Cheatham's.)
This division of two brigades bivouacked Saturday night in the rear of the First division, on the Pittsburg Landing road. Soon after the advance was begun on Sunday the Sec- ond brigade was detached, under the command of General Cheatham, who directed its movements all day on Sunday. His personal movements are the same as the Second brigade. Sunday night General Cheatham retired to his Saturday night bivouac. On Monday morning he was engaged for some time in arresting a stampede which came from the front. He then led the Sixth Tennessee, six companies of the Ninth Tennessee, the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ten- nessee, part of the Fifteenth Tennessee, and one hundred men of Walker's Second Tennessee to an open field near Shiloh Church, where he received orders to report to General Breck- inridge. He moved half a mile to the right, then was ordered back and to the left. In this movement the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Tennessee and Walker's Tennessee became detached and remained at the right. With parts of the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth, Ninth and Fifteenth he moved northwest, passing near Shiloh Church; then to left of the Confederate line, where he was joined by Gibson's bri- gade and by the Twenty-seventh and Thirty-third Tennessee, and was engaged four hours. At two thirty P. M., he was ordered to withdraw from the field.
First Brigade. (B. R. Jolinson's.)
This brigade moved forward Sunday morning along Pitts- burg road with its division until eight thirty A. M., when it,
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The Battle of Shiloh.
in crossing Fraley field, came under fire of the artillery. Here General Cheatham was detached with the Second bri- gade, and General B. R. Johnson led his brigade, first ob- liquely to the left, then by right flank until the centre-left of Blythe's Mississippi-rested on the Pittsburg road, its regiments in order from left to right: Walker's Second Ten- nessee, Fifteenth Tennessee, Blythe's Mississippi, One Hun- dred and Fifty-fourth Tennessee, with Polk's Tennesee battery in the rear.
At the crossing of Shiloh Branch Johnson came up with the brigades of Cleburne, Anderson and Russell, which had commingled and were making ineffectual attempts to force the Union lines. General Polk at once assumed direction, and without waiting to reorganize the shattered brigades, ordered the whole force forward without regard to corps, division, brigade, or even regimental organization. Blythe's Mississippi, with the Seventeenth Louisiana, moved around the point of the hill north of Rhea House and attacked Waterhouse's battery on its right flank. In this action Col- onel Blythe was killed, his regiment halting in a ravine be- tween the battery and Shiloh Church. The One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Tennessee, with other troops, charged directly through the camp of the Fifty-third Ohio, and attacked Waterhouse's battery in front just as the Thirteenth Tennes- see reached its left flank. Both regiments claim the two guns captured here. Polk awards them to the Thirteenth Tennessee. The One Hundred and Fifty-fourth pressed for- ward up the ridge toward Woolf field, capturing another gun of Waterhouse's battery and one gun of Schwartz's battery, near the crossroads. Here the One Hundred and Fifty- fourth was joined by the three left regiments of Stewart's brigades and took position in Woolf field, where they were engaged for a time, and were then driven back.
General Johnson, who was engaged with his left regiments in the attack upon Barrett's battery and Buckland's brigade, after several repulses finally succeeded, in conjunction with other commands, in carrying the position, but was wounded in the final assault near the church at eleven A. M., he says, and the command passed to Colonel Preston Smith, of the One Hundred and fifty-fourth Tennessee. During this con-
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flict Polk's battery was stationed near the Rhea House, where Captain Polk was severely wounded and his battery disabled, so that only one gun went forward to the cross- roads, where it was captured. At the crossroads Colonel Smith learned of General Johnson's disability and took com- mand of the brigade, which was now greatly reduced, the Fifteenth Tennessee having only one hundred and fifty men, Blythe's Mississippi only two hundred. Smith formed his brigade "just beyond the crossroads, on the right of the broad avenue leading by the second encampment" (Marsh's). He had scarcely formed his line when the enemy advanced upon him through the woods from the north and made a fierce attack, which was kept up more than an hour, during which time Smith brought up the Fourth and Thirty-third Tennes- see to re-inforce his line. He finally succeeded, at about two P. M., in driving back the enemy. He then moved along Pitts- burg road to Duncan field, where the One Hundred and Fifty- fourth Tennessee supported Swett's battery in Ruggles' line and the Second Tennessee (Walker's) supported the Thirty- eighth Tennessee. The Fifteenth Tennessee and Blythe's Mississippi were sent for ammunition and did not return. None of this brigade advanced beyond the place of Prentiss' surrender. A part of the Second Tennessee bivouacked at the crossroads. Blythe's regiment near Shiloh Church, the other regiments with Smith returned to Saturday night bivouac. On Monday the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ten- nessee, a portion of Blythe's Mississippi, and one company of Walker's Second Tennessee, under Colonel Smith, joined Chalmers on the Confederate right and retired with him in the afternoon. The Fifteenth Tennessee was engaged under Colonel Maney on the Confederate right.
Second Brigade. (Stephens'.)
This brigade formed the rear of Polk's corps and bivouacked Saturday night across the Pittsburg road in the following order from left to right: Seventh Kentucky, Ninth Tennes- see, Sixth Tennessee, First Tennessee (battalion) with Smith's (Mississippi) battery in the rear. Before the forward move-
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The Battle of Shiloh.
ment began on Sunday, Coloney Maney, with the First Ten- nessee (battalion) and the Nineteenth Tennessee from the Reserve corps, was ordered to the right to guard a ford of Lick creek. He did not return until two thirty P. M., when he rejoined his brigade at the Peach Orchard and assumed command of the same. In his absence Colonel Stephens com- manded the brigade, which was accompanied by General Cheatham in person.
This brigade moved forward on the Pittsburg Landing road one mile when, at about eight thirty A. M., it was deployed to the left as a support to Bragg's line. After half an hour it was ordered to the right, and at ten A. M., reached a posi- tion in front of the Hornets' Nest where it formed with the right-Sixth Tennessee-in a little field (Wheat Field see Walker's statement) and its left extended to Duncan field .* Smith's battery was placed in position and engaged the enemy about an hour when the brigade made two assaults, its right in a thick underbrush, its left in an open field. It was re- pulsed, and its commander, Colonel Stephens, disabled. Falling back to the Hamburg road the brigade moved to the right at noon, and joined General Breckinridge's force south of the Peach Orchard .; Here Colonel Maney joined and as- sumed command of the brigade. At two thirty P. M., he led the First, Ninth and Nineteenth Tennessee in a charge across the Peach Orchard, in which he broke the Union line at the northeast corner of said field. The Sixth Tennessee and Seventh Kentucky were brought up by General Cheat- ham, and the brigade took position in a small ravine east of the Hamburg road and awaited a supply of ammunition. . It was not further engaged on Sunday, the Nineteenth Tennes- see returning to its own brigade, Statham's.
The First Tennessee and four companies of the Ninth Ten- nessee, under command of Colonel Maney, bivouacked Sunday night on the field, and on Monday were joined by the Fif- teenth Tennessee and were engaged on the right of the Con- federate line under General Withers. The Sixth Tennessee and six companies of the Ninth Tennessee retired Sunday night with General Cheatham to Saturday night's bivouac,
.10 War Records, 438.
110 War Records, 438, 537.
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
and on Monday were engaged with him on the Confederate left until two thirty P. M., when they were ordered to retire.
There is no record where the Seventh Kentucky camped Sunday night. On Monday it served under Breckinridge, near where some buildings were burned.
Smith's battery was first engaged for one hour in front of Hornets' Nest on Sunday. Two of its guns were engaged with General Cheatham on Monday.
The First Tennessee, under Colonel Maney, retired from the field at four P. M., on Monday and marched to Monterey and occupied the camp that it had been in before the battle. Colonel Maney claims that his battalion reached its camp "with but one single absentee not properly accounted for, and this one reached camp early next day."
RESERVE CORPS.
(Breckinridge's.)
This corps of three brigades bivouacked Saturday night along the Bark road, between Mickey's and the Pittsburg Landing road, in regular order of brigades, the First in ad- vance and the Third in the rear.
At the intersection of the Bark and Pittsburg Landing roads the First brigade was detached on Sunday morning and sent by main road directly to Shiloh Church. The Second and Third brigades were led by General Breckinridge along the Bark and Eastern Corinth roads, and were put in position about noon by General Johnston in person, south of the Peach Orchard, where they were first engaged about one P. M.
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