New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-04-17
The Battle Of shiloh .
The following letter, though private one, con-
tains some interesting particulars Of the great
HEADQUARTERS CREsGssr REGIMENT,
Carnn near Gorinih. 4ntil 4 slH12

Camp near Corinib, y ptil o, 1872 = u
My Dear Aant-The battle is over and the vic.
tory is ours! In order to give you full account
will commence at the beginning. On Thuraday,d
April 8, we received orders to COOK five days 4
rations and march against the enemy near the
Tennessee river. Not having any rations to cook,
1t did not take us long to obey the first order. We
each managed to obtain five crackers piece howl
ever, and taking our blankets, we formed in line
and marched off. Camping that night in the woods,
without shelter, the next morning we agein aetoff
in the midst of terrific thunder storm, the hail |
stones falling as large brds' eggs. The storm
continued great part of the day. and again we |
biyouacked at night in the woods, without other
shelter than our blankets. During the night il
rained furiously, and most of us, being too ex@I
tremely fatigued to be cautious, slept in pools Of
water (; notwithstanding, but few caught cold.
Saturday night we passed in beautiful spot d:
woodland, SO near the enemy g camp thatwe conld
hear their drums The next morning the pfckets
commenced firing. AS the firing became more
and more heavy, cur regiment was marched with |
in half mile of the place where the battle was
then raging, and we awaited orders to advance.
A bout u O'Clock the order was given and we
hastened on to the fray. The enemy's dead and
dying lay scattered around, and while passing
their first encampments our men, being almost |
starved, rushed into the now deserted tents and
seized on all the provisions they could find, which
they deyoured ravenously. ~ q - a fs3s
, AS we moved further on the cannon balls and
bomb shells from the enemy's gunboats whizzed
over our heads and burst in the air or carried
away tops Of trees. Reaching the place assigned
to US We were drawn up in line of battle and or.
dered to lie down to avoid the balls and shells
which were now pouring into US from the artillery.
But q few minutes elapsed, when we were ordered
to charge on the enemy, who were protecting
themselves behind fence, some cotton bales and
. log house. We rushed forward and repulsed
them, while their balls whistled about our ears
like hail. We then. fell back into line. While
stationed here kneeling, with my musket ready
for any emergency, q cannon ball struck the
ground abont twelve inches from my feet, and Ian-
other struck my Sbayonet. passing within few
inches Of my head, carrying awav part Of the
bayonet and bending the remand nearly; DOUBLE
and knocking me fiat to the earth W ith some
difficulty managed 70 unscreW the useless weapon
and threw it away. Again We advanced and fired
into the Federal infantry, which were being pretty
badly peppered by two other regiments. At
length they threw down their arms and surren-
sdered.5 We took about four thousand prisoners.
The enemy were now driven irom their encamp-
mepts, and ne had now only about ten thousand,
of the fifty Thousand, left to contend with. Our
artillery and theirs again commenced, our reglF
ment lying close on the brow Of a bill, the shot and
shell pouring over us occasionally killing one of
US. The enemy was soon entirely routed and
driven back to the boats. ~
We passed that nightin a Yankee encampment,
where we found and enjoyed all the comforts Of 9
homeland provisions in abundance. 5 X
Learning that the enemy were heavily reinforced
during the night, we knew another big battle
would result on Monday ]; accordingly, our regi.
iment marched to the support of the artillery, who
were already engaged in battle. Again the shot
and shell showered around US in profusion, but we
were becoming accustomed to the deadly missiles,
and did not pay much attention to them We kept
advancing with the artillery until their ammuni=
ton, giving out, they fell back, and the enemy
charged our lines furiously with their infantry 1--WE
met. them half way, and the mimic balls whistled
about US by thousands. Just as L had my musket
at q charge bayonet, a ball struck my right hand
wounding it sufficiently to prevent my using itIfor
one day at least another ball struck my left foot
and fell. However, sprapg up Immediately on
my knees and endeavored to cock my gun, but
was unable Still kept my position in line until
IL
Thinking they were retreating, ! kept. my post
when saw the Sumter Rifles also moving, and
was told the order was given to fall back and load
accordingly yawentsb aek as fast as was able, and
got in gutter, which protected me somewhat.
was now between the two fires, and balls fell
around me in every direction. The artillery hav;
ing received fresh supply Of ammunition stood
their ground, and BY our united efforts we repulsed
the enemy. After the retreat one of our Lieuten-
ants noticing my wounded condition, helped me
off the field, and placing me in charge of friend
to take. me to the. hospital. We wandered about
five miles without finding any, and then taking the
Monterey road travelled about five miles more,
reaching that place by night, ! was pretty well
used up, as you may imagine; 1 had managed to
get through those ten miles by leaning onmy
friends arm, and using as q cane Yankee s
sword, which I took the previous day. Ihad no
shelter that night, and it raned very hard. II
The army was now falling back to Corinth, leav-
ing Gen. 5Breckinridge's division on the feld-who,
understand, drove the enemy back to their boats
and fred all their encampments =
The enemy acknowledge that their loss in killed
| and wounded is l2OOo and 6O00 in prisoners, Our
loss is about 1000 in killed and wounded. -
The army was all night passing Monterey
1OlDeQ them IN the morning anu Wdlkeu, Of ralleI
| limped, to Corinth,3a distance Of fifteen miles,
where arrived ats o'clock in the afternoon com.
pletely worn.out. My wounds are slightsand Lam
now getting on finely. ..ls u! 33{i ~
have spoken Of the Crescent Regiment only
because It is impossible for a soldier i'll one to
know how the others were conducted. After
left the field the Crescent Regiment made two
more charges, in one Of which Capt. Campbell, oi
our company, was killed, being shot through the
heart with 8 mimic ball. He was q fina man in
every particular, a noble and brave soldier. Many
soldier shed tears when they heard Of his death
There was not a finer officer in the whole regiment
Before leaving the camp for the battlefield he war
offered furlough but.refused to accept it, although
he was sick. 4 v
The fatigues of the march and Sundays fgh
almost prostrated him. Then scarcely able to
stand, on Monday he persisted in leading his mer
in their charge, and he fell nobly at his post. Tht
! regiment became greatly scattered, some fighting
with other regiments, which believe is alwaysth
i case with men in great battles. yet the majorit!
4 kept well together. T..
We lost in our company, the Sumter Rifles, tw'
killed, two mortally wounded, eight wounded an
d