Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-05-23
BATTLE OF sHIL0H
GEN,L NELSON'S REPORT
HEApqUARTERs FOURTH plyI5doS u ,ss,

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DIVISION, :
Field OF BATTLE, April TO- ls6' }
| CAPTAIN. In obedience 10 order have {
report that the fourth division of the army OF Ia
Ohio under my command ieit Savannah By oi
daf OF Gen Grant, reiterated in person by Gen
Buell., at 1880 P. NJ on Sunday, 9th Aprll, AM
marched by land to the point opposite Pittsbul!
Landing The anxiety Of the men to take par
in the battle, which was going on on the lei
bank of the river, enabled mt 10 achieve the dls
tance, notwithstanding the dreadful condition o
the road over Il lately overH0wed bottom, IA iou
hours AT O'Clock the head OF my column
marched up the bank Of Pittsbufg Landing, anI
took up ats position ia the road under the hTe u
the rebel artillery, so close that they approached
the landing l found a SEM circle Of artillery
| unsupported by infantry, whose tIte was inc only
| check TO the audacOus approach Of the enemy
The 9th Ohio and Both Indiana had hardly de
ployed when the left Of om artillery was com
pletely turned by the enemy, aud the gunner'
fed from their pieces The gallaI " OF the 16ti
Indiana, supported by the 9th under the
able conduct of Col. AmmOn COZ njlng the
! the 10Th brigade drove back the my, and re-
| stored the line Of battle This ESQ P NJ
/ aud soon after the enemy with y, ewing,
suppose, to the darkness
| found covering under the ri bank, when
! l crossed, from 1000 10 10000 ~ frantic with
} fright utterly demOralized wh received my
] gallant division with cries that we ale whip
| ped cut 10 pieces. -tc5 etc. Ihey were IN
| sonsbe to shame aui sarcasm tor ! uied both
| on them, and, indignant At sdch poltoonry, !
asked permission ~ open Elo upon tie Enaves
By P NJ the infantry u my division was Al!
across the Tiy5r, ana look up their position as
follows Col Amtn9us bugade-cOnsistng ot
the 10Th Indiana Col GT0se Gth ONO, Col.
Anderson ; 9Ith Ohio, Lieut. Col ,i0nss-tJOk
post on the left. On the right of them, Bruce's
brigade were posted consisting OF the lst Ken
ucAy Col tnyarE 2j Kentucky Col. Sedg-
wick 20lh Kentucky. Lieut. Col Hanson. On
the right Of Col Buoe's brigade the brigade OF
Col Hszen was posted, composed OF the Jth
Indiana. Col Moody 9Th Kentucky, Cal
Whitaker; 4lst Ohio Lieut.-COl Mygstt
Heavy pickets were Immediately thrown vel
forward aud ey5Iy precauiIou taken TO prevent
surprise during the night These dispositions
were made by the direction and under the IN
spection of Gen Buell., who gave me orders to
move forward and attack the enemy 81 the ear
hest dawn. The night passed away without Sc
Tious alarm The men lay Oh their arms.
Lieut.. Gwynn, OF the navy. commanding the
gunhOats on the r7sT, sent to me and asked il be
could be of any service, l requested that be
would throw an eight-inch shell into the camp Of
the enemy every ton minutes dulng the night,
and thus prevent their sleeping, which he did
very scientifically and according 10 the report
OF the prisoners, to their inhnite annoy vance.
At 6 NJ ] reused up the quietly by
riding along the lines and when the line Of bat
tie was dressed, and the skirmishers all out and
the reserve i'll position, sent an aid TO the gen,
eral to notify him that was ready to commence
the action, whereupon the fourth division OF the
army Of the Ohio, in perfect order as if on driu,
moved toward the C1euE At $50, l found the
enemy, and the action commenced with ylgor
My division drove them with ease and follow
et them up rapidly, WEsH al Z A NJ, ] was
halted by commands from Gen Buell. ] having
gone further foTward than / should have gone,
my right flank being exposed
The enemy was greatly reinforced in front Of
me- aud at Z =, 81, my advance which laI been
resumed by order OF General Buell.. was checked
At 20 ny division began to give ground slow
ly We were exposed TO the ire OF two Of the
enemy = batteries aud / had no artillery Iyu
=ie ag ~, ibat owing to The want OF tTanspOrta
uU.i- ] was C0mDrll5t 20 leave three batteries Of
my DIVISION st Savannah l asked for artillery
to support ny infantry Gen. Buell. sent 10 my
aid tho battery OF Capt Nendenhal!, Of the reg
ala, army, belonging to Cen CIiueudeu's dIyi-
sl1u. the He'l directed fire Of which gave my
division refreshing relief Alter eight O'Clock
The firing Of the enemy was Tremendous They
had again been largely reinforced on Lhia point
Gen. Buell., who rode along the line at tic time
saw for himself the behavior or the jth division
The style in winch Col GmmOn handed his
brigade sIcited ny admiration. Coi HGE=u,
commanding Tie night brigade OF the division
carried 1t into action and maintained IL there
most galautly. The heavy loss OF his brigade
attess the fercsness of the conflict ut this point
He drove lie enemy, captured the battery that
50 distressed us, bat was forced back on his r.
serves.
Thu raesrrlI E.roarf,sDts N, b,cb tIs -usr,,
had again received, which made the woodland
q front of us at times q sheet Of flame compelled
me az . A. ri again t. ask ioT support The
genera sent to my aid Capt. ICTEslls battery OF
regular artillery.
This battery was = host IL Itself il consists
Of four l2-p0dnder brass guns, and two lO-pOuHd
Psu0tt guns Its IRE was terrific 1t was
handled supeTbly. When Capt Terrell turned
his battery, silence followed on the part of the
enemy Captains Terrell and Meudenhsl aud
the officers aud soldiers ot their batteries, a.e
entitled to the thanks OF the 4tH division The
18th Ohio, Col Beatty. attached 10 Cutt5nden-
division, also came to my support Tins req
ment was ably handled and rendered efficient
service.
At lP NJ, by direction Of Gen. Buell. order.
al the division to move with arms trailei, az
" double quick" on the rising ground in front,
held by the enemy, which the enemy, with much
1
now diminished much along the front Of the
division, but wss al = P. ri renewed on my right
On Critteuden's and McCOOE's divisions. with
great fury The 4th division had no more tr0u
bic dunuE the action the attacks On il being
feeble and easily repulsei They ceased entire
" at4PM
desire to call the attention OF the general
commanding the army Of the ONO, 10 the dis
tiuguishei conduct Of Cob Jacob Ammon, of
the !6th Ohio; commanding the 10Th brigade
1be cool, wary ami vigorous method in which
ne fought ha brigade, protecting ali the while
the LEFT hRnk 1 the army. gave me 4 profitable
lesson IN the science Of battles To Col Hazsn
commanding the 18th brigade / log also 10
invite the generals attention The galiantrY
with which hs led has troops TO the attack was
most conspicuous, and he handled them ably.
During the long snd bloody action, the tOrt-
tude OF the 4th division was s0feiy tried, pressed
IS it wss by such superior numbers, but !. main
tanned itsef gioriOusly.
refer the general 10 the reports Of the brigade
commanders tOE the part each regiment took ia
The action reseI7ing 10 myself only 10 mention
that during the action 1 rode up and thanked
the 9Th Indiana OT IL gaaantTy, and That tie 9th
Ohio and 2OtL Kentucky were posted 10 cover
ihe artillery. This important and aTdUous duty
they performed and perfectly sustaining during
the greater part Ct the long day, with the cool
ness Oi EeteiEus5 The nIe OF The enemy without
beng permitted 10 feturni i
The loss of the division, l regret TO inform
you. is heavy. Ii went into action 404l strong,
OF whom . Otjcsys and S4 enlisted men were
killed, 33 officers, 0os enlisted men wounded,
and % enlisted men missing, making total loss
OF 729 mora than halt OF which occurred n
Hazen's brigade
l have Jae honor to he, etc, etc,
Wa NELSON,
Brig Gen. Vol, Cong 4th Div.
HisceIIsHsSEs Northern Items.