Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-07-03

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times TO receive an attask, and eves TO
make one if circumstances warranted it.
On that morning our pickets had been
driven in. Our main guards were
forced back TO the small valley IN our
front. "A
All our regiments Of infantry. bat
teries Of artillery and squadrons Of cav
airy were prepared. myself. their
commander, was fully prepared, rode
along the line of this very regiment.
and saw it in position in front Of their
camp, and looking TO q narrow cause
way across the small creek BY which the
enemy was expected, and did approach.
After passing this regiment, | rode on
to Appler's position and beyond some
Eve hundred yards. where was fred
on and my Orderly, Thos. D. Holli-
day, was killed. Even after that gave
some directions about Warehouses;
battery and again returned to Shiloh in
time to witness the attack there. 1t is
simply ridiculous to talk about a sur
prise. To be sure, very many were as
tonished and surprised. not so much at
the enemy's coming. but at the manner
of his coming, and these sought safety
at the river, and could not be prevailed
to recover from their surprise till the
enemy had been driven away by their
comrades after two days hard fighting.
have never made question Of the in
dividual bravery Of this or any other
regiment, but merely state facts. The
regiment still belongs TO my command,
and has elected my praise for its i'm
provement and steadiness in the many
skirmishes and affairs during our ad-
vance on Corinlh.
doubt not the people Of Ohio win
yet have reason to feel the same pride
in this regiment as they now do in
many others OF the same State Of deser-
vedly high repute. AS to the intense
feeling against Gems. Grant and Prem
tiss-could anything be more base
than that? Grant just fresh from the
victory of Donelson, more rich 10 fruits
than was Saratoga, Yorktown, or any
other one fought on this continent, is
yet held mp to the people of Ohio, his
native State. as one who, in the opinion
Of the intelligent coward, is worthy to
be shot; and Prentiss, now absent and
a prisoner, unable to meet your wicked
and malicious shafts, also condemed to
iniamy and death. Shame on you,
and 1 know l tell you an unpleasant
truth when / assure you neither he
nor his men were surprised, butchered
in their tents, DC, bnt on the contra
+ ry, were prepared in time to receive
! the shock OF battle more terrible than
any of the annals Of American history
have heretofore recorded. He met it
manfully and well, for hours bore up
against the superior host, fell back
slowly and in order till he met the re-
serves under Wallace and Hurlbut, and
fought ill near 4 P. NJ, when he was
completely enveloped and made prison
er. Well do remember the line after
line of steady troops displaying the
bloody banner of the South. and to me
}, the more familiar Pelican flag of Lou.
isiana, bearing down on Prenliss, who
+ was to my left and rear, and how, though
busy enough with my own appropriate
, part, felt for his danger and dispatched
, to him my Aid, Major Sanger, to give
him notice. My Aid found him in ad'
, vance of his camps fighting well, bu'
! the shock was too great, and he was
t borne back step by step till made pris
oner, six hours after your surprised
informants had sought refuge uDdel
the steep banks OF the Tennessee.
, So much for the history of events
5 you did not behold and yet pretend Il
: comment on. You came to Shiloh or
r a mission Of mercy after danger anC
e before new one arose. You tar
e ried a few days, but / cannot lesrI
a from my Ohio Colonels how you dis
: pensed your charitable trust. That i
e none Of my business, but do know
}, you abused your opportunity ant
a caught up vague, foolish camp rumor
1 from the region of the steamboat land
e ing instead Of seeking for truth wher
e alone you did know it could be found
n among the thousands of brave Obi
e men who we're in my camp, and VIII
t can still boast of never having seen tn
r Tennessee river since the day We dis
d embarked. You then return to you
! State and obscure printed slips circu
y late libels and falsehoods against mel
g whose vocation and distance made
l. highly improbable that you could eve
II be held to an account. You knew tha
d we were in the presence Of fierce
% bold and determined enemy, with hun
is dreds Of miles of ambush before us from
h which few stray shots would reliev'
s you Of your victims. = You knew tina
If our men were raw and undisciplined
and that all our time was taken up il
If organization. drill and discipline, leay
b ing us no time to meet your maliciou
e ISLANDERS and resent your insults. Th
n hour of reckoning seemed, therefore
% distant and uncertain. You have ha,
d your day, but the retreat Of the enem.
y and day Of comparative rest has Civ
y en- me leisure TO write this for you
Z benefit. Grant and Huribut and Prem
!, tiss still live, and will in due season pa,
'o their respects also.
N If you have no respect for the homo
'e and reputation of the Generals VIII
- Al r