Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-04-14

Fromths Knoxville Registeri
RrcHBsoND. April lt 1852.
nh. enrvyinc official report Of one u the abiest and
most gallant officers, and 10 soolallhe the most afabie
gentleman. Mas. cen Frank Ch9 hhsIn, WI arrest he
s~ttention al every Tennssseean. u is somewhat singu-
IIs~tbet ia he special Communications Of iudividual of6,
eers he and Gen. Polk have selected, in nearly every
Instance, the same subjects for their la1dations Ihess
Is one marked difference between the Two reports Of
these Major Generals, Gen. Polk shows how tho battle
began, end why the assault upon she enemy was not be-
gun Of the hour hxed by Gen. S dney Johnston, and
wv fbs victory was n0tHnalv complete VITA these
Inquiries General Cheatham does lot concern himself
He tells an unvarnished story efthe e~chivem@ufs OF his
men aud officers on the battlefield ana win 1s Is con-
HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION,
lsr. CoRPs, CAAP BLYTHE,
April 30th, 1862
Mg. Geo. Wi1iaasoR, 4. H. GeAera''
sir-I have the honor to submit the following detailed
statement Of the operations Of the forces under my com
mand a the battle o. Shiloh sn the 9th and 7thinste
The division was composed OF two brgaies, the first
commanded BY Brig. Gen. b. h. johnson until he h0Hr
Of II p NJ. on sunday, when he was disabled by a pain
ful wound and forced TO relmquish the command 90 Col
Preston smith. Of the 18TH regiment Tennessee voiun-
teers senior Colorel Of the brigade. Lieut. Col Marcus
J. Wright a. efficient and gallant officer, succeeded Col
Smith in command Of the 18th regiment The second
brigade was commanded by Col Wm H. stevens OF The
9th Tennessee regiment mp 10 the hoer OF ~ o'clock 2
N. Of the 9th iuGts when Colonel Nancy or the lst
Tennessee regiment senior omcer % tne orgaue, VNno
hsd been detached by the order Of Gen. A. S. Johnston
10 the extreme right Of our lne) arrived and assumed
command
The NurWMNINn q tue W. NllaNA WIZ IA ~ ANASH
ing order l5ish senior regiment Tennessee volunteer,
Col. Preston smith Blyihes regiment Mississippi vol
unteens, Col. A. 8 Blythe I'd reelmeut Tennessee vol
unteers, Col J. Knox Walkers 18th regiment Aennes
see volunteers, Lieut. Col R. @. Tyler, communicate
Polk's battery, six field pieces, Capt A. Polk cons TIA
ted the frst brigade. The left wing, Of the list regiment
Teppesqee volunteers. Col Nancy 9Th regiment Ten
nessee veluutsers Col VIM. il. Stevens; 9Th regiment
Tennessee volunteers, Col II, L Douglsss IN req
mrnt Kentucky volunteers, Col Wickiife. and Captain
Mclsnthon Smiths Mississippi battery, Of six pieces
1 composed the second brigade.
Early on the morning Of the 9th inst The d vison was
Immediately 70 the rear Of the drst division first corps,
commanded BY BRIG. Gen. Charles Clarke. Adys9eiog
about the distance Of q mile ! was qlreeued ~ AisJoI
Gen Pok to dspiOy the second brigade 10 the left as q
support 20 Gen. Brsgg's left wing, then hoty engaged
with the forces Of the enemy. Taking the position as
ordered. I remained here for half an hour until ordered
BY Gen. Beauregard to proceed with the second brigade
TO the extreme right q our own line 10 ascertain the
point where the firing was heaviest, and there engage
She enemy al once.
At about 10 o'clock A. NJ, Tresched the front Of 40
open Geld, lying east Of the center OF the Federal line
I OF e~ncampment and discovered the en2Inytt 10 strong
force. occupying several log houses his line extended
behind a fence, and occupied sn abandoned road. he
was advartageausly located. 1 here directed Captain
SMITH {, move bis pieces forward and open on the enc
nv, which was done with the utmost promptness, ana
under a dre which disabled a number OF bis horses be
fore be had Numbered and come into battery For
nearly an hour the firing was kept up with the enemy D.
battery. superior TO oursia ihe caliber and range Of It's
guns, with a resIlt highly c~redita6ie 70 the skin andgat
iautrv Of Capt. Smith, his 0mc rs and men.
About fhis time Gen. Breckiuridge with bis eommand
came up, and took position on my right, and opened
upon the enemy q heavy hre Of musketry, and a few
moments afterHard I was directed by Col Jordan. A.
A. General to Gen. Beauregard, 10 charge the battery to
my front.
across the open field, about 300 yards in width, Ranked
on one side by a fence and dense thicket Of forest trees
and underground. So soon az the brigade entered the
field fhe enemy opened upon us, from ms entire front .
terrific FIRE OF artillery and m~uskefTy, but failed alto
gether to cheek our movement until We reached The
ceHier og the field when another part Of me enemys
force. concealed and projected by the fence and hicNet
TO our left, opened a m%urderous cross hcs upon our lines,
and caused my command 20 halt and return their hFe.
After q short time f-lI back to my origna ? sitiop,
and moving a short df tanee % the rghtWe trgether at.
tackled the enemy about $50 strong admirably posted,
aud were actively aud continuously Engaged for three
horrs. In the cbargs first mentioned the % brigade
lost many Of its bfavest and best officers and men Maj
WELDON, Of the ~ Kentucky volunteers aaa captain
10 b. Free PAS, OF the Oh tennessee resimenI Foun-
teers, fel morally wounded. CaptsiH Robert ? rsousl
Of the 9th Tennessee, and Lieutenant Robert Thomas
sdjutant Of the 9th Tennessee, af.er exhibiting the most
determined spirit and high degree Of AkAI as officers fell
dead.
About half past two ocloek P. NJ. Colonel Nancy,
with the left wing Of his regiment, the list Tennessee
rsnorted 10 me ia front Of he position which the enemy
had 10 this time held obstinaiely against tie Efforts OF
psrt of the commands OF General Brsgg, General Br OK
iUi &c and my own General brecAlnHaBs meAn
time. moved bis command forward 20 my right ana was
slowly but steadily pressing lt through q dense wood,
TO stack the position on its left, and for the purpose Of
sustaining hin by vigor us co operation against IFS tront
I directed Celonel Marcy Immediately 20 prepare Ter
acfion, sdviana him. 90 FAR ~ time permitaai % the
oimcuIfies OF tle posiuOni hlu AhllueHAE Am uH 20
where our dherent forces were located, ana ethis own
request. giving him the privilege of selecting his com
maid for The pgrpose The Sfh tennessee O9onei
Douglass, being az band end having 70 TINS time SUI
tered less than the others Of the second brigaae- was,
with his udaney - hastaion uf he lst tennessee see
lectedto move forward with him across the field renting
ue wood. while Col Commiugs, OF the l9h Tennessee,
Druperiv of Gen Brcckuridges command, but which
~ Sen n1s@rC oL Nancy On his detached service during
the morni1rl vas placed to his right and between Gen,
Breesnrfd L aud myself with in tTuetsons 20 movs for
ward iu concert with the LIST and gin Tennessee Win
these DISPOSITIONS / pressed the final attack upon the
position in question. Col Nancy advanced the lst ana
ah in excellent order across fhe field, and was So f0rtu-
nate as slmBst 10 reach the shelies Of the wood before
iba enemy opened hne on him. Pressing forward 70 TINS
poinf. be ordered his line 10 lie down until 8 general
FIRE from the enemy's line had oeeo dahFered- ana then
rr5,ptIv resumed his advance. The next instant 1
knew. from the lively cheering in his direction, that his
charge had begun, aud that the enemy was routed
Judging the enemy 70 Be now in fail retreat d.
cavalry, now Of Col Lindsay's regiment 10 move lot
wsrd raDidlyi n the direction Of the retreating column
and 20 fall up0n il in its light 4hs o1aet was We
executed, and resulted ID tue capture OF 2 NUMBER o
prisoners. together with Captain Ross Michigan bat
terv Of six guns entire including officers ana men,
which had acted vigorously in defending the position
As this position, with regard 70 my own command
was by tar the most obstnatedly contested BY the
enemy during Sunday, SO it was the last which be SER
ously contested during the day. Broken ana routed ne
apparently from every direction Was ny'ng to"ar1 tHe
river, and our forces IS generally closing upon him-
Most Of his forces with which tns posiuon 1Ao oeeh
held. fell into the hands Of our army IL the thoIt 70 re
tire. With the balance of my commando pressed ror-
ward. and Joined Col Nancy, who had now beeome my
advance, ana had ID pursuit captured and sent 10 the
rsar many Of the routed enemy.
About this time a halt was made for the purpose Of
some concentration Of eur forces Of all commands for a
CONCERTED attack upon the enemy, then understood 20
have concentrated on the river bank under the shelter
oh bis gunboats, from which, st this time, an active
shelling was being kept up on our advances Ny com
maud and other commands came rapidy iorWRrd Dut
many regiments having rapidly exhausted their ammn-
milton. q haiti Of some time Wss necessary for the pur-
pose of replenishing. The cay was now fat advanced
,1f baf,-e proper preparations were made, darkness
prevented further opera ions that DAY, and all com
nands were withdrawn for 'he night ont OF range Of
the shells from the enemys gunboats.
The frst brigade was moved forward a. an early
hour, and came into action st 81 O'Clock A r, and was
continually employed during the entire day. Il was
ordered &c support the left flank Of the forces already
lriqht It was at this time that Brig Gen johnson had
one half of his command the l54th Tennessee and
pivtbeis Mississippi regiment with a section Of Folks
battery. detached from his brigade BY al order from
Gen. Bragg, and placed il action on the right Blythe's
Mississippi regiment advanced to the left and attacked
the enemy, and wheeling TO the right drove one Of the
l enemy's batteries from itg position, but as t advanced
upon the enemy, Col Blythe was shot dead from bis
I horse, while ~gallantiy leading DIS men forward g the
| charge. Wihin a few minutes Of his fell Lieut-CoL
I HerTen and CAPT. HHmphries, Of the same regiment
10th officers Of great merit, were MORALLY wounded,
/ and the command devolYed npon 8aiar Moore, under
whose direction the regiment WIS actively engaged
| during ihe remainder Of the day, and through the sub
| seaaent action Of the 9TH. IhS regiment a. 81 times
manifested ihat lofty, daring spirit which mas ever ehsr'
I seterizsd Missi Gippians, snd 10 braver SO aier than its
! heroic leader was loss % onr cause
The l54tb. "a and 18th Teune. see aA rendered The
most effective service The l5lta Te9 g2ssse e sTFs5s9
the enemy. driving his Infantry from its position and
capturing FIVE pieces Of his artillery, and pursuing for
dvs hdudred yards, succeeded in capturing two adj.
uenal pieces.
About this time Bngsdier-General johnson was Sc.
verely wounded and forced TO retire from the field. In
tie management Of his brigade be he'd displayed the
soundest Judgment and skill, and the temporary loss Of
bis services we very unfortunate The command ~
This br gsde now deyolved upon Colonel Preston smith,
who r. united the regiments ard engaged tho enemy
with his whole CO rmand during the remainder q the
dsy, participating prominently in the anal route Of the
enemy, aud is She movement toward the river at the
lose u the day, For 6 detailed statement Of the ope-
raiions OF this brigade, reference IS made 10 the reports
Of dgadler-senera Johnson and Colonel Smith, copies