The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-04-14
THE BATTLE OF SHILoH-WAs
1T A SURPRISE ?
Some Facts For History.

To the Editor Of The Cincinnati, Gazette:
No event of the late war has been less un-
derstood or more misrepresented than the
commencement of the battle Of Shiloh, or Pitts
burg Landing. Beadley, in his History OF the
Rebellion, vol. l, p. 34l, makes this statement:
$50 swift was the onset on Buckland's Brigade
OF Sherman's Division, that between the long
roll of the drum and the acturI presence of the
shouting foes in the camp, the officers not vet
up had not time to dress, and the troops, seiz-
ing their muskets as they could, fed like herd
of sheep toward the rest Of the division"
simple statement of the facts will show how
untounded and unjust that statement ig.
On Thursday, April 3, by Gen. Sherman's or.
der, marched my brigade to the front on the
road to Corinth about i've miles, and halted
at point where the road fork, meeting he
tween the two roads, the left resting on one
and the right on the other, and sent out two
companies on each road to reconnoiter. These
companies soon encountered considerable nuu-
bers OF rebel cavalry on both roads, and sent
back, requesting re-enforcements. Nv in.
structions were not to be drawn into a fight.
but if 1 discovered any considerable force of the
enemy to return and report Accordinolv 7 or-
dered the accommodating parties to reioin the
brigade, and we commenced our march hack
to camp, arriving little before dark. and
Immediately reporting to General Sherman
The next day, April I, about o'clock P. NJ.
a considerable force OF rebel cavalry attacked
the lett OF my picket line, capturing seven or
eight men OF the |Oth Ohio. Happening at
the time to be near the right of the Inc IT5ora
the I'D Ohio was drilling under Major CrocEet
rode IN the direction Of the firing. direc.
ting Major Crocket to follow with his Tegiment
On ascertalnmg what had occurred. 7 sent
Lieutenant Greer, of the 18th Ohio aeti,,o %
my aid, to inform General Sherman. who Soon
returned with word that General Sherman
would send 100 cavalry to pursue the enemy
In the meantime, on learning that Major
Croeket had sent Company B of the 72d TO re-
connolIer OUTSIDE OF the picket line, find Com
pany b and return with them as soon possible.
Soon after we began to hear musketrv ttiriro II,
front. Col. Cockerell arrived on the DieIet
line with several companies of the 10Th Ohio
The hiring IN nont became constant and mora
regular. We therefore concluded that our
men were intercepted and unable To return
as ordered took Co. A of the I'D and start
ed into the woods In the direction of the firiDg.
riding myself eight or ten rods in front of the |
line, directing Col. Cockerel to come to nv aid
with more force II he heard heavy firing. We !
had not proceeded lar before we met some of |
Major Crocket's men and learned thev were /
Intercepted and attacked before reaching Com
pany Is, and the Major either killed OF cap |
tured, and that Company B was surrounded |
by large force. =, We pushed on with as much /
speed as possible. About two miles from the /
picket line, on reaching the top OF something
of hill discovered through the thick UNDER
brush that was nearer line Of rebel cavalry
faced from me than l was to my own men and
that they wore about to change upon Company
B beyond. waved my hand to my men in
dicating that desired them to hurry up. As
they eamein sight of the rebel line, distant only
a few rods, they opened destructive fire,
taking the enemy completely by surprise, and