Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-07-24

out you or any Of our commanding Of.
icers being aware of the fact.
This fact is established by the concur.
rent testimony of more than fifty woun-
ded rebel prisoners, who came up with
me on the steamer Magnolia, on the
Monday after the battle. They all re-
garded the attack as a perfect and COM
plete surprise.
Sd. Not tree was cut down, not q
shovel full of earth was thrown up, or
siege gun put in position, or any 9TH
er preparation made to protect us from
the attack.
Did you, as commander Of the most
exposed position in our army holding
the "key to our position" expect an
attack, and not tske one single step to
guard against it? And what became
of your own tent and your baggage,
General? Did it fall into the hands Of
the enemy? If you expected an attack
why did you not send it to the rear.
But you say the "nature of the
ground. and the enemy's superior
strength in Cavalry prevented us (you)
from breaking through the veil ofthe thin
approach to ascertain their true strength
and purpose" I'd.
You say of the 54th Regiment, that
by your orders it was under arms at
daylight. If nv recollection Of your
official report of the battle is not great
ly at fault, you say in it that it was
not until O'Clock that you believed
serious attack upon our whole force
was intended.
This was on the 9th Of April. The
sun rose about twenty minutes before
six, it was daylight before FIVE, and
the morning was clear and cloudless.
You had been in order OF BATTLE nearly
three hours, and yet so little did you
know Of the enemy's force, or his pur-
pose, that you made no effort to pro-
teet your front until the enemy was
upon you in full force, and it was too
late to do anything but resist as well
as you could with raw troops, the over
whelming numbers that were assailing
you.
Your complaint that relied upon
fugItives on the river bank for informa-
tion, is utterly groundless. You saw
me at Gen. McCook's Quarters. |
was in every division Of the army, the
right, the left wing, and from the
river to the line Of pickets on the ex-
treme front.
conversed with many of the supe-
rior officers, and especially with the
officers of the gallant and diciplined
army under Gen. Buell., who saved
you Rnd your division from total de-
slruction. If you wish to know the
opinion of men who are competent
judges Of the question at issue between
us, suppose you enquire of Gen. Hal
leck, Gen. Buell., Gen. McCook, Gen.
Boyle, Gen. Crittenden, Gen. Garfield,
or any other commanding officer in the
army who was not in command of any
division of the army at Shiloh on Sun
day the 9th OF April. Gross negli-
gence and misconduct cannot be COW
cred up and smothered down by any
highfaluting defamation about Sarato-
ga and Yorktown. ! know it has been
considered a matter of more impor-
lance to save the reputation of an Off
Ger than the lives Of thousand men
in the ranks. But that time has pass
ed. The people Of this country feel
quite as much interest in the lives and
fortunes Of the men who are in the
ranks; as of the officers who command
them. If Gen. Grant was guilty Of no
negligence or misconduct in the battle
of Shiloh, how comes it that Gen. Hal
leck has quietly, but effectually depriv-
ed him Of any command?
The truth is, that nearly all the dis
asters that have befallen US in this war,
are attributable to the blundering of
incompetent or careless officers.
You have made capital mistake in
arraigning me in the coarse and offen-
sive style you have adopted, for ex
pressing my opinion of the officers in
command at that battle.
More than ten thousand men fell
victims to the incompetency and mis-
management of somebody on that ter
rible day. Is it not the privilege OF
the people, whose sons and brothers
have been the victims of that calamity,
TO enquire who is responsible for it,
and if possible avoid similar calamities
in the future.
By what warrant, then, do you talk
about holding me or anybody else ere
sponsible" for expressing an honest
opinion, or criticising your conduct on
that occasion? 1 do not know precise
ly what you mean by "holding me to
an account" for what / have said or
written on the subject, nor is it q mat
ter of much consequence. I trust l
shall always be able to render such an
account as will be satisfactory to every
one whose good opinion is worth pre-
serving, whether it is satisfactory to
you or not.
This believe is the first time in the
history Of this country that an officer
in command of an army in the field,
has ventured to assail citizen, and
threaten to hold him to an account
for criticizing his conduct.
| You say I availed myself Of your
absence, and published my letter in an
obscure paper for fear of being "held
Il L..