The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1862-12-06
The Battle of Shiloh-.An Account by a
Rebel Officer.

recently published lItle volume entitled
Thirteen Months in the Rebd Army y
William G Stevenson, Of that city. Mr.. S
was in the South at The time the rebellion
broke out, and was impressed into the rebel
service, in which l.. remained thirteen
months before lie found means to escape
within the Federal lines. His observations
and experience during the TIME are graph
rallv related and of absorbing interest. AT
the battle Of S.iloh he acted AS special Aid
de.camp on the staff of General Breckin-
ridge; and the following is his account Of
the battle, and what transpired before and
after the engagement:
General Breckinridge. about the lst of
April let me know ,ha, he would soon wish
r,e TO act on his staff AS special Aid de.
officers in command what TO do in my ab
senre.
At about eight o'clork p. NJ. a council Of
war was held among the principal Generals
and the plan of battle arranged. In IN
open space, with dim fire in their midst,
and hum on which 10 write. ven could see
grouped around their "Ellle Nap"leon, rs
l,eaurtgard WAS sometimes f'ndly called
len or Twelve Generals. The tlirkering light
rIa,ing over their eager faces, while they
listened to his plans and made suggestions
AS to the conduct of the fight. lie soon
warmed with his subject and throwing "tf
his coat to give free play to his arms, he
walked about in the group, ge>tlcnating
rapidly and jerking ont his sentences with
strong French arcent. All lsten-d atten
lively. and the dim light jus, reveal'n. their
coun,enances showed their different emo
tions of conf !ence or dislrnst in his plans.
General Sidney johnson stood apart from
The rest, with his tall straight form standing
out lik, sppctrr against the dim SKY. and
the illusion WAS fully sustained hv the ligh,
gray military cloak which lie folded around
him. His face WAS pale, but wore de-
termned expression, aud at times lie drew
nearer the center of the ling and said few
words which we're listened to with great
attention 1t may he he had some fore
bodng Of the fate he was to meet on the
morrow, for he did not seem to take much
part in the discussion. General Breckin.
ridge lay stretched out on blanket near the
fire. aud occasionally sat upright and added
few words Of counsel. General Bragg
spoke frequently and with earneslness
General Polk sat on camp stool at the outi
side Of the circle, and held his head between
his hands, seemingly buried in thought.
Others recln,d or sat in various POSITIONS
What grand study for a Rembrandt was
this to see these men, who held the lives of
many thousands in their power, planning
how hest to invoke the angel of Azrral I"
hurl his darts with the breaking of the
morning light
For two hours the council lasted, and as it
broke up, and the Generals We're ready to
return I" their respective commands. heard
General B-auregard raising his hand
and pointing in The direction of the Federal
camps, who's. drums We could plainly hear:
"Genienen we sleep in the enemy's camp
to night
The Confederate. Generals had minute i'm
formation of General Grants position and
numbers. This knowledge was obtained
through spies and n!olmers, some Of whom
had Ii Ell in that part of the country and
knew every foot Of the ground.
DEArn OF ALBERT SYDNEY JOHNSTON.
Here we took position in front of Gen
eraI Albert S, dney Johnston and staff, and
awaited orders. General Brerkinridy- rode
up To General johnston and after conv-rsing
in low tone for few minutes, Johnston
said, so that maay heard il: Il will lead yOur
brigade into the fight to day; for intend to
show these Tenness-ans and kenturkiahs
that am no coward" Poor General! YOU
were not allowed the privilege. We then
advanced in line OF battle, and General Stat
hams brigade was engaged first. "Bnys."
said Breckenridge. "we must take that bat
terry which is Smelling Siaiham. Will you
do i?" A wild shout of "Ay. av. SIR and
Forward to ;ake that batterv," WAS the
word; but before we reached the grouns! ii
was Withdrawn. We now advanced cau'
Ii'usly, and soon entered the camp oi the
Seventy first Ohio Volunteers. By This time.
ten O'Clock A. NJ, the battle seemed to te
raging aong the whole line.
A par Of the original plan of battle was
to have spare seven hundred yards wide
between Breckinridye's left aarl llarlee's
right, and thus invite Grant $ men into \
trap. They refused to be entrarped. and
keeping their front unbr"ken, Brerkinrilge
lions. When had come within about ten
rods of Johnstons staff, a shell burs, in the
air about eqnistant from myself and the
staff The missiles of death seemed to fill
The air in every direction, ahd almost before
the fragments had found their resting place,
| refined my horse aud salut-d. General
Johnston, who WAS in front of his staff, had
turned away his horse an was leaning a
iil;Ie forward, pressing his right knee against
The saddle. In II moment, and before the
dispatch WAS delivered, the s'aff discovered
that their leader was wounded and I,a,,-n-d
to his assistance. A piere of the shell.
whose fragments had flown so thick around
me rs came up, had struck his thigh half
way between his hip and knee, and cut a
wide path through, severing the fe'noral
artery. Had he been instantly taken from
his horse, and a .ourniquet applied he might
perhaps, have been saved. When reproach'
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