The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-01-19
GEN. GRANT AND THE BATTLE OF
PITTSBURG LANDING.
Gen. Sherman furnishing facts for History.

: ITof. Henry C0ppee, Phltddelphad =
DEAR SIR In the June number of tn
United States ,Servicc Magazine I fin,
brief sketch Of Lieut. Gen. IT, S. Grant
in which / see you are likely to perpetu
ate an error. which Gen. Grant may no
deem OF sufficient importance to correct
To Gen. Buell's noble, able and galan
conduct you attribute the fact that tn,
disaster of April 9th, at Pittsburg Land
ing, was retrieved, and made the victor,
of the following day. As Gen. Taylor il
said in his latter days to have doubted
whether he was at the battle of Buen:
Vista at all, on account of the many
things having transpired there, according
to the historians, which he did not see, Sc
begin to doubt whether | was at the
battle of Pittsburg Landing of modern
description. But | was at the battle. oil
April 9th and 7th, 1862. Gen. Grant
visited my division in person about 10 a.
m, when the battle ragged 6ercest. was
then on the right. After some general
conversation, he remarked that l was do
ing right in stubbornly opposing the pro-
gress of the enemy and, in anawer to my
inquiry as to cartridges, told me he had
anticipated their want, and given orders
accordingly; he then said his presence
was more needed over at the left. About
p. M, on the 9th, the enemy materially
slackened his attack on me, and about i
p. m, deliberately made a new line be-
hind McArthur's drill field, placing bat
teries on chosen ground, repelled easily a
cavalry attack, aud watched the cautious
approach of the enemy's infantry, that
never dlslodgcd me there. | selected
that line in advance of bridge across
snake Greek, by which we had all day
been expecting the approach of Lew Wal
lace's division from Crumps Landing
About . p. M, before the sun set, Gen.
Grant came again to me, and after hear
ing my report of matters, explained to me
the situation Of affairs on the lett, which
were not as favorable Still the enemy
had failed to reach the landing of the
boats. We agreed that the enemy had
expended the fHrore of his attack, and
we estimated our loss, and approximatcd
our then strength, including Lew. Wal
ace's fresh division, expected each min
ute. lie then ordered me to get all things
ready, and at daylight the next day to as
sumo the offensive. That was before Gen.
Buell. had arrived, but he was known to
be near at hand. Gen. Buell's troops took
no essential part in the first days fight,
and Grants army, though collected to-
gether hastily, green as militia, some reg
iments arriving without cartridges even,
and nearly all hearing the dread sound
of battle for the first time, had successful
ly withstood and rcpelled the first days
terrific onset of a superior enemy, well
commanded and well handled. l know [
had orders from Gen. Grant to assume
the offensive before [ knew Gen. Buell.
was on the west side of the Tennessee.
[ think Gen. Buell., Col. Fry, and others
Of Gen. Buell's staff rode up to where [
was about sunset, about the time Gen.
Grant was leaving me. Gen. Buell. asked
me many questions, aud got Of me small
map, which | had made for nly own use,
aud told me that by daylight he could
have eighteen thousand fresh men, which
| know would settle the matter.
| understood Grants forces were to ad-
vance on the right of the Corinth road
and Buell's on the left, and accordingly
at daylight advanced my division by the
flank, the resistance being trivial, up to
the very spot where the day before the
battle lid been most severe, and then
waitcdHIl near u oon for Buells troops to
get up abreast, when the entire line ad-
yanced and recovered all the ground we
had ever held. know that with the ex-
ception of one or two struggles, the fight
ing of April 9Th was easy as compared
with that Of April 9Th.
! | never was disposed, nor am now, to
question anything done by Gen. Buell.
and his army, and know that approaching
our field of battle from the rear, he en-.
countered that sickeniug crowd of laggards
and fusitives that excited his contempt
aud that of his army, who never gave
full credit to those in those front line
who did fight hard, who had, at p. M
checked the enemy, and were preparing
the next day to assume the offensive.
remember the fact the better from Gen
Grants annecdote of the Doneson battle
which be told me then for the first time
that, at certain period of the battle
he saw that either side was ready to give
way if the other showed bold front, anc
he determined TO do that very thing, tt
| sdvance on the enemy, when, as he prog
nosticatsd, the enemy surrendered A
, four p. m, of April 9th, he thought th'
appearances the same he judged, with
Lew. Wallace's fresh division, and sucl
of our startled troops as had recovered
their equilibrium, he would be justified
in dropping the defensive and assuming
the offensive in the morning. And, | re
peat, received such orders before | knew
Gen. Buell's troops were at the river.
: admit that / was glad Buell. was there
because knew his troops were older thai
ours and better systemized and drilled
and his arrival made that certain whic
before was uncertain | have heard thl
q question much discussed, and must sa