The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-06-26

10 witness the attack Ihere. II is simply
ridiculous TO talk about surprise. To.
be sure, very many were astonished and
surprised, not so much at the enemy's
coming, but at the manner Of his coming.
and these sought safety at the river, aud
could not be prevailed to recover from
their surprise till the enemy hat beef
driven away by their comrades after two
days lard fighting. have never made
a question of the individual bravery OF
this or any other regiment, but merely
state facts. The regiment still belongsto
my command, and has eli, tied my praise
for its improvement and steadness in the
many skirmishes and affairs during
our advance on Corinth. / doubt not
the people OF Ohio will yet have reason
to feel the same pride in this regiment as
they now do ip many others OF the same
State of deservedly high repute. As to
the intense feeling against Generals Grant.
and Pren,iss, - could anything be more
base than thai? Gran, just fresh from
the victory of Douelson, more rich in
fruits than was Saratoga, Yorktown, or
any other one fought on this c, ntiueut, is
yei held up 10 the people oi Ohio, his ma
tive State, as one who, in the opinion of
the Intelligent coward. is worthy 10 be
shot; anc Prentiss, now absent aud a
isoner,unable to meet your wicked and
malicious shafts. also condemned TO in
fanny and death Shame on you, and !
know l tell you an unpleasant truth VIXEN
l assure you neither he nor lis men were
surpris d, butcbered in their terts, &c,
but on the contrary. were prepared in
time to receive the sho;k Of battle mors
terrible than any the snnals Of American
history have heretofore recorded, He
met it manfully and we'll, for hours bore
4 up against the Superior host, fell back
slowly and,int order Ail be met the re :
serves under Wallace and Huslbut, and
fought till near A p. M. wheghe was
completely enveloped and made prisoner.
Well do l remember tbe line after line o.
steady troops displaying the bloody ban
ner of the South, and TO me the more ia
m lliar Pelican flag of Louisiana. bearing
down on Preniss, who was tony 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 Ny
Aid found him in advance Of his camps
fighting well but the shock was too great
and he was borne back step by strp till
made prisoners, six hours after your sur>
prised iutorman's had sought refuge un-
der tbs steep banks Of the Tennessee.
1 So much for the history Of eyen:s you
did not behold and yet pretend 10 COM
ment on. You cams to Shiloh OH a mis-
sion of mercy after danger and before a
naw ons arose. You tarried q few days,
but l canuo; learn from my Ohio Colon
els how you dispensed your charitable
trust. That is none OF my business, but
/ do know you abused your opportunity
and oaught up vague, dish camp ru.
mors ftom the region Of the steamboat
landing instead Of seeking for truth
where alone you did know it could be
fonnd, among the thousands of bravs Chic
men who were in my camp, and who can
still boast of never having seen the Ten.
nesses river since the day we disemb,rk'
ed. You then return 10 your State aud in
obscure printed slips circulate libels and
falsehoods agsiust men whose vocation
and distance made il highly improbable
that you could ever be held to an nc
count. You knew that we were in th,
: presence Of fierce, bold aud determined
nemy with hundreds OF miles of ambush
before as from whicha few stray shot
Z I would relieve you OF your victims. fev
knew thlt our men were raw and undis
ciplined, and that oil our time was taker
up in organization. drill and discipline
leaving Us no time 10 meet your malicious
ISLANDERS and resent youn insults The
: hour of reckoning seemed, therefore. dis
tant and uncertain. You have had you
/, day, but the retreat oflhs enemy and {
: day Of comparative rest has given M
leisure to write this for your benefit
Grant aud Hurlbut and Prenliss still liv,
. aud will in due sosson pay their rsspecu
,, also. ! ,aisqit.N hn ggH gaA fs3
If you have no respect for the homo
and reputation OF the Generals who lest
. the armies Of your country you shoub
have some regard 10 the honor and wei
! ! fare OF the country itself If your pape
. could have had itS intended effect Of des
troying the confidence of the Executive
tho army and the psopls in their General
, ii would have produced absolute aud al
ter disorganization. 1t not only place'
! courage and cowardics. stubborn and en-
I, during vslor and ignominious eight npol
: he same base, but Il holds Up iopubli
!, favor those who deserted their colors. ant
= teaches them to add insubotdiatiou Il
cowardice. Such an army as your mill
, tsry morale would produce could not b
: commanded by any General who hope
to Rin reputation or iwho had reputation
: to lose. Our whole force. il imbue,
4 with your notions. would be driven aoros
the Ohio in less than month, and eve
! you would be disturbed in your quie
study where you now, in perfect safety
! write libels against the Generals who or
ganizs our armies and with them fgh
and win battles forVour county, $50
, r 1s lam, Dc, @1e t.4s-l o
: (Signed) w! 4. SHERMAN. oi
.li, 5.i Major General of Volunteers.