The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-04-25
Shiloh-The Battle of Monday,
From the Memphis AppeaI. of 18th

(From the Memphis Appeal, of 16th.)
Messrs. Editors; A popular error is pre-
valent that the second day of the battle
OF Shiloh resulted virtually in dimmipp
the great accomplishment of the day be.
fore. Never was an illusion so utterly de.
void of decent pretext for its existence.
Great as were the achievements of Sum
days fight, the result of Mondays action
pales not the least in contrast with the
glory OF that Of the preceding day. Our
gallant army had marched from Corinth
with but four days rations, signifying
mission TO that extent--no more. The
march, going and returning, it was con.
cluded would occupy three days, leaving
one day to be devoted to the object Of
surprising formidable enemy and of
breaking up by the vigor and unexpected
character of our onset his grea. plans for
pushing his forces still further into our
center, by consolidating two formidable
corps OF his army and marching them, by
force of their greatly superior numbers.
to whatever point he might please. 1t
was strategic move upon the plan of
Napoleon, who, when unable at an i'm
portant moment to whip consolidated
enemy, took it in detail and vanouished
1T before Il iuncture of its several divisions
could be effected. If our military lead
ers had postponed the attack another day,
q conjunction of the forces of Buell. and
Grant would have been effected, and an
army greater than any ever assembled
upon thiscontinent would have competed
with our less numerical force fer the hon.
ors of the day.
As it was, on Sunday we took the army
OF Grant by surprise, drove him from his
epcampments, and, completely routing
him. forced him to take refuge under the
cover of the guns of his iror clad boats.
Our army had then fought twelve hours,
and retired to bicouac, great portion of
the night exposed to the most merciless
rain that ever fell. During the night the
juhcture of BuelPs forces with the re-
mainder of Grants was effected, and all
of the preparations were made for re-
covery of their lost ground of the day be.
fore, and for the accomplishment of the
object for which the junction was con-
templated. 1t was not seriously contem.
plated that we would be able with our fa-
tigued troops to compete to o point of ex-
polling from our soil so formidablea COM
petitor.
On the contrary, the original purpose of
the expedition, retirement in order af-
ter what we had achieved the day before,
was never Abandoned, and it was we'll
known on Monday morning that it was
intended OH that day to be consummated.
1t would not have done, in their view of
the case, to have abruptly retreated, and
thus to have wiped out the glory of the
psevious days achievement. Without q
reinforcement to the extent eveh of sim
gle regiment, in our then condition it
would have been folly to have continued
in the aggressive. Therefore, the remain
der of our gallant army was drawn up in
battle line to await the coming of the big
enemy and give him fight while prepara-
tons were being made for our retirement,
and to cripple him as much more US we
could before temporarily parting with
him. He came in overwhelming numbers,
everywhere forcing his fresh columns to
regain his previous days losses.
The impetuosity Of his onsets but ex-
cited the dauntless chivalry of our troops.
At times, almost enti2adcd by the fire of
the enemy, they followed resistless charge
with resistless charge until, eventually,
he himself, overcome by the tremendous
shocks OF the opposing columns, was glad
to abandon the contest of Monday, in
which he had promised so much for him
self. 1t may be asked, as it is asked by
those who look at the gloomy side of the
picture, and are disposed to appreciate
Fedora! and depreciate Confederate tri-
umphs, if this view of Mondays battle be
historically correct, why was it not follow
ed up by an onward movement instead of
the retirement of the main portion of our
force?
The superior forces Of the enemy gave
them the capacity to maintain reserves
which would have been brought into ac-
ton on Tuesday, while all our forces then
present, having been in both days action,
would have been physically incompetent
for third days endurance. Besides, an
onward movement would have brought us
under fire of the enemy's gunboats, which
he artfully placed, in anticipation of any
bad result, to prevent us driving his men
any further than to refuge under their
fire, and to prevent us from intruding up
on the safety which the river afforded
him.
The results of the entire battle are as
follows: We captured over four thousand
prisoners, eighty.six pieces of artillery,
mostly rihed, caisons and limbers com.
plete, with splendid horses attached, and
quantity Of transportation wagons and
mules, innumerable small arms, ammuni-
ton sufficient for another battle, medi-
cines to supply our medical department.
for long time, and blankets and clothes
for our soldiers, as well as commissaries
aad quartermasters' stores. We captured
and destroyed their encampments suffi-
cient to protect from the weather sixty
thousand men, and we are now in posses.
SION of the battlefield. Yet the result OF
Mondays fight is questioned, when all
this summing up of our glorious achieve
ments is due finally to the great success
of every one of our movements on Mon
day.
From Jackson's Army.