The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-05-15
Was General Grant Surprised

A ViSH to the Pictets Sine ConduI0n ~ |
our army Before aud Since The Battle |
"A Retrospective Vie,o-- War Cor.
respondents - Newspaper Heroes and
Real Ones Why zoe did not Cdpture
Bcauregards Army-Pldin Fccts.
SHILOH BATTLE FIELD,
April %, 1862.
1 have just returned from days in.
speetion of the outposts. The lines OF
grand guards, pickets and patrols en-
circle our camp for miles constituting in
themselves formidable army, and rem
der a disastrous and disgraceful sur.
prise similar to that Of the 9th inst,
impossible. The rigid discipline and
strict vigilance pervading this safe
guard of a vast army, bespeaks the
presence Of a master spirit. Had this
been the case previous to the arrival ct
Gen. Buell's army, no partial defeat
would obscure the glory Of that brilliant
feat of arms enacted by our troops on
the 9th and 7th of April, 1862, and not
so many Of our brave companions would
be to-day sleeping under the sod of
Shiloh battle field.
Screen be the grass above them"
The smoke and din Of the fight has
subsided and we are now enabled to
review the scene calmly and clearly
The then ensanguined feld-covered
With piles Of maugled bodies and be-
spattered by blood and brains-now
smiles as sweetly amid it's wealth Of
leaves and flowers as did Eden ere our
first parents fell, or man raised bis
hand to slay brother. The "talented
correspondence" Of various journals
having boslimod their favorite general
with praise, and entirely ignored the
deserving, have gono to some moro
prolific field. Our friends at home
doubtless desire to know why the dis
crepaucies in different accounts Of this
battle. will tell them.
Many of the vivid accounts of the af-
fair, purporting to have como from eye
witnesses who had s"en Il all, were pen
ned miles AWAY by those who had never
visited the field, or if at all, long after
the fight, and cleaned their information
. from vague rumor. What they lacked
, in truth was made up from their imagi-
nations. The writer, who pretends to
, have witnessed the various events ofthe
battle, raging over densely wooded
, line of more than twenty miles in
, length, should indeed be both argus
, eyed and omnipresent. He is simply a
liar. I was probably much closer than
, any reporter present, and could at no
time during the day see more than the
part taken by my own brigade and a
= few of its surroundings. have seen
4 but two or three correct reports, and
these taken in the main from reliable
information furnished the writer. One
| of these was "Agate's," ofthe Cincinna,
ii Gazette.
. No one attempts to deny that there
was, previous to the attack, shameful
lack of Goneralship and criminal care
= lessness, resulting in complete surprise
q and the murder and capture of thous
ands Of our men. Yet, in the face o
9 all this, pandering and lying reporters
have manufactured a newspaper hero
= and in order to do so, stole blood
bought laurels from tho brows of brave
:, men wherewith to deck their favorite.-
Even special artists have been employ
|. ed to fill fash pictorials with illustra
IN tions representing general leadin
,r charges over portions of the field wher
he had not been during the day. an
# that, too, designating troops that he ha
= never commanded. IF from such stu
A. heroes are made, "I'll have mono {
"A it.. .,....as ....
l. | do not presume for an instant tn;
IN Gen. Grant dictated this course, but h
1t has sanctioned it by not doing justiC
he to other officers at this late hour. {
IT, Ione palpable mis-statement hel was a
tc least eognizant previous to its publici
,h ton. l refer to the dispatch sent
is the New York Herald, on the secon
s. day of tho battle, and which mu
have been approved by the General b
fore sending. This stated that Gene
es al Grant had, latei in the afternoon sol
wa his body guard to the various trooI
composing the left wing, ordering
" general advance, and that he (Gran
led the charge in person. This SCUM,
IN beautifully on paper, but the facts a
nf different Gen. Buell. ordered Il
nv charge, and Gen. Nelson, the true hel
ad OF the left wing led it. THIS I sa'o.-
H. Cen. Grant was not seen on the Ia
N wing during the day, and in fact h;
ts no business there Gen. Buell. arrive
Il duriog the night of Sunday-plaunt
iC the successful attack of Monday, al
In. was the master-spirit of the day. Ora
a. is certainly entitled to all the laurels
am Of Sunday, but to mono Of those gain
a.. by men Of genius on Monday. &c
Grant instead of planning aud openi
bo the fight Of Monday, did not come up
nv the field until after nine O'Clock, ha
ing slept securely at the landing OF
.,e gunboat. Even then he was but pa
on the great hess.board.
or. Facts, however uncouth should
on spoken at times. Grant having 8
toned a number Of raw recruits in
advance, without impressing upon tn
n OF the necessity Of vigilaut pickett
oof. while in front Of an overwhelming {
tho retired to Savannah, ten miles bel
his army. On the morning of the 6
had he remained there quietly until
at O'Clock, although the battle had b
it raging since early dawn. Gen. Mel
and actually started to the scene Of aci
tion i5ithout orders, aud was met, when u,
i'm. ly there, by panic stricken courierI, '
but orders from Grant to hurry up.
k of arrival Of the head of Buell's colu