The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-07-02
Letter from General sherman 20
Lieut. Governor Stanton.
'AMP IN THE FIELD, NEAR CHEwALLA,)
Tenn, June 10, 1862.

| Lieut.. Coz. b. Stanton, Columbus:
SrR:-I am not surprised when anonymous
scribbers write and publish alsehoods, or
make criticisms on matters OF which they
know nothing or which they are incapable OF
comprehending. 1t is their trade. They live
by it.. SANDER gives point and piquancy to
paragraph, and the writer, being irresponsi-
BILE or beneath notice, escapes merited pun
ishment. 1t is different with men in high
official station who, like you, descend to this
dirty work. You had an opportunity to
learn the truth, for saw you myself at Shi-
| loh soon afler the battle, and know that hun.
dreds would have aided you in your work had
you been in search of facts. You never in
quired Of me concerning the truth of events
which you must have known transpired in
my sight and hearing, but seemed to have
preferred the ''camp stories" to Authentic
data within your reach.
J A friend, by mere accident, has shown me
slip OF newspaper dated April 10Th, 1862,
styled EXTRA" published at Bellefontaine
| Ohio, and signed b. Stanton. ] am further
told you are the man. II so, and you be the
Lieutenant Governor OF Ohio, | hold that
you are my peer, and that Of Generals Grant
Hurlbut and Prentiss, all ofwhom you di.
rectly chorge with conduct on the field OF
Shiloh which deserves a court martial, whose
sentence, il you have not borne false witness,
would be degradation or death. The accusa-
tory part OF your statement is all false, false
in general, false in every particular, and
repeat you could not have failed to know it
false when you published that statement.-
To prove what say, now quote the conclu.
ding part Of your paper: 4.
"Some complaints have been made about
the conduct of a few of the new regiments
in this battle, including the 54h and 57lh.
1t must be remembered that these are new
regiments--tbat not only have they never
seen any service but that they never receiv.
ed their guns until they arrived on the Ten.
nessee river, two or three weeks be fore the
battle. So with Myers Battery. Ithas not
been more than six weeks since they have
had their horses. And yet these regiments
and this battery were put on the extreme
outside of our camp, and were consequently
first exposed to the enemy's fire. And to this
that our lines were SO carelessly and negli-
gently guarded that the enemy were abso-
lutely on US in our very tents before the off.
GERS in command were aware OF their ap.
proach. The wonder therefore is, not that
these regiments were finally broken and rout
ed. but that they made any stand at all. But
the loss sustained by these regimenes, espe-
cally by Capt. STAIRS company in the 54th,
shows that they made gallant and noble
stand, and that their ultimate retreat was
not the fault Of the men, but Of the blunder-
ing stupidity and negligence Of the General
in command. There is an intense feeling Of
indignation against Generals Grant and
Prentiss, and the general feeling amongst the
most intelligent men with whom | conversed
is that they ought to be court martialed and
shot.
(Signed) Yours, &C.,
'..-. B. STANTON"
with Myres' Battery have nothing to do,
as it was in General Hurlbuts Division, who
has made his official report, which proves
yours untrue: for instead of being kept on
| the "eXtrsme' outside oil our camp" it was at
the beginning of the battle, more than mile
to the rear of mine and McClernand's and
Prentss Divisions. The 54th Colonel r..
kilby Smith, and 57th, Colonel William
Mungen did form a part of my commando
No one that ever heard has questioned the
courage and gallantry of the 54th, unless it
be inferred from your own apology for them,
and know that | speak the mind Of the off
GERS of that regiment when | say they scorn
to have their merits bolstered up by your
lame and impotent conclusions. AS to their
being on the outer line, it was where they
wished to be, and so far from being surprised,
they were, by my orders, under arms at day
light, and 1t was near 10 A. NJ. before the
enemy assajled their position. This position
was so favorable that Colonel Stuart, with
his small brigade, Of which the 54Lh formed
a psr', held at bay Tor hours Hardee's whole
Division, composed OF fInIantry, Artillery and
Cavalry. "7E
The 57th was posted on the left Of Shiloh,
which, say, and in which Beauregard con
ours with me, was the key to the whole po-
sition. 1t was in the very front, the place of
honor, TO which Col. Mungen or his men
could not object. Their front was guarded
by themselves, and if negligence IS Justly
charged, it belongs to the regiment ITSELF So
favorable was the gronud, that although the
regiment lost but two officers and seven men,
Col. Mupgen has more than once assured me
that he counted fifty dead Secessonists on
the ground over which he was attacked. As
TO the enemy being in their very camp before
the officers in command were aware of their
approach it IS the most wicked falsehood
that was ever attempted to be thrust upon
people sad and heart sore at the terrible but
necessary casualties Of war. That the cow
ards who deserted their comrades in that
hour OF danger, should IN their desperate
strait to cover up their infamy, invent such
story was to be expected; but that you should
have lent youisslf as willing instrume mt in
par hat fall 90 CHI fro
which you can never hope to recover. The
truth is now we'll understood. For days we
knew the enemy was in our front, but the
nature OF the ground and his superior strength
in cavalry, prevented US from breaking thro'
the veil OF their approach to ascertain their
true strength and purpose. But as soldiers
we were prepared at all times to receive an
attack, and even to make one if circumstan
ces warranted it. On that morning our
pickets had been driven in. Our main guards
were forced back the small valley in our
front. All our regiments Of infantry, bat
teries Of artillery, squadrons OF cavalry were
prepared. myself, their commander, was
fully prepared, rode along the lines OF this
very regiment, and saw it in position in front
of their camp, and looking to 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 five hundred
yards, where was fred on and my Orderly,
Thos. d. Holiday, was killed. Even after
that gave some directions about Water
houses battery, and again returned to Shiloh
| in time to witness the attack there. 1t is
| simply ridiculous to talk about surprise. To
/ be sure, very many were astonished and sur
prised, 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. l
have never made question Of the individual
bravery of this or any other regiment, but
merely state facts. The regiment still be-
longs to my command, and has elected my
praise for its improvement and steadiness in
the many skirmishes and affairs during our
l a n I ,ln.. ~