Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-05-11
HISTORICAL RECOLLECTIONs.
By q. WARRINGTON JONES.

Abandoning all organization, it fled
seemingly acting upon the idea thai
''the devil would catch the hinder
most 30 r-.-. .e7ss *~a
The Federal lines were established
tents pitched, the wounded cared fol
and the dead buried. At this stage OF
the campaign Gen. Halleck arrived and
assumed command of all the troops
Soon he was known by the familia,
cognomen of "Old Brains," which title
he held until he became Commander
in.Chief of the army.
The victory at Shiloh was not
achieved without heavy loss. Among
the killed OH that memorable field was
Capt. Acker, Of St. Paul (brother OF
George ST., a brave young officer of
great promise. He lost his life while
CALAMITY leading his company in a
charge upon the enemy's temporary
! breastworks. He was great favorite
in his regiment, and in fact with all
who knew him.
Halleck recognized the troops, as.
signing Gen. Grant to the position of
second in command, and as soon as his
preparations were made forward
movement was inaugurated. The
roads were in q wretched condition
and to make them passable for our ar.
tillery and baggage wagons, miles and
miles of corduroy had to be laid. In
this way the army arrived within ar
tillery range of Corinth. Halleck had
about 400 pieces of artillery of various
calibres, all pointed at that fated city.
Why he did not let loose those dogs of
war, the writer never understood. 1t
is very easy, however, to criticise at
this day Halleck's campaign. and we
may do him great injustice, but if any
one has ever given any good reason
why he should have permitted Beaure-
gard to abandon his position without a
passage of arms have never seen or
heard of it. Beauregard and his entire
army were completely at the mercy of
the Federals and all that was necessary
to secure their capture, was to open
upon their works with our artillery
and give the command ''Forward -
But the sly Beauregard. with his
Quaker guns, deceived the Federal
commander and escaped from his grasp
without loss, except his Quaker battery
and a few deserters. Corinth fell into
our hands without struggle and the
country regarded it's occupation as a
victory. Possibly it was, but if SO, it
was not such 4 victory as was calcu-
lated to bring the war to speedy
close.
If I am not mistaken Hallcck had
over 10000 men, while the largest es.
innate ever placed upon the enemy
opposed to him was considerable less.
With such odds we ought to have
placed Beauregard and his army hors du
combat for the balance of the war.
Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas,
Hancock or Terry would have had a
very different account to give of this
campaign had they occupied the place
of Gen. Halleck.
At COrinth the army was divided, a
portion under Buell. marchd into Hunts
Vile and thence along the railroad
from that point to Bridgeport, on the
Tennessee river. This movement
the very vitals of the Con-
federacy and it was necessary to COM
pei Buell. to fall back. Gen. Bragg,
the rebel commander, not feeling
strong enough to make q direct at.
tack, resolved to accomplish by STRAIT
egy that which he was unable to do by
force of arms. For this reason the in.
vasion of Kentucky was planned.
Bragg crossed the Tennessee river at
or near Chattanooga, assembled the
mountains, thence down
into the Sequatchy valley, from which
position he could strike for Nashville
Or Louisville as circumstances might
seem to direct. This movement Buell.
saw at once threatened his entire line
of communication. 1t was evidently
Bragg's intention to move on Nash.
Vile, but by the rapid movement of
Gen. Buell. he kept his army at all
times between the rebel army and its
objective point. 800
So soon as Bragg discovered that he
could not hope to reach Nashville
a battle, he detected his
course and marched upon Louisville.
This movement was promptly met. and
for some days the question seemed to
be, WI ich army will reach that city
first
In Louisville the rebel element was
in fine spirits, while the Union people
seemed greatly depressed. At last the
advance guard of Buell's dusty vet
Grams entered the city and Joy and
gladness filled the hearts of the loyal
people. The streets were filed with
the populace and from doors, windows
and balconies ladies and children
waved handkcrchiefs and tiny flags in
over their deliverance from
anxiety and fear. The army was
posted around the city and Louisville
was once more military camp. As
soon as the soldiers were clothed and
other necessary arrangements made,
Buell. moved to meet Bragg. This
meeting took place at Perryville and
in one of the fiercest battles
Of the war. By some unaccountable
reason all the troops were not engaged
at any one time. Buell. was censured
for this, while he cast the blame upon
some of his subordinate, commanders
who failed to report the actual state
Of things in their immediate front.
1t was quite common during the war
to charge treason upon any commander
who met with reverse. On this occa-
sion the absurd report gained credence
with the rank and file that Buell. aud
Bragg actually slept in the same tent
during the night preceding this battle.
The writer knew this report was false
but he undertook to trace it back to it's
origin and found it to proceed from
an ''intelligent contraband.' the
source whence proceeded all the wild
reports and rumors so prevalent in our
camps during the war.
The government became dissatisfied
with Gen. Buell. after this battle and
he was superseded by Gen. w. S. Rose.
Grams, whose brilliant exploits in Mis-
sissippi had brought him prominently
as a great leader. When he
arrived Bragg's army was in full re.
treat and did not stop until it reached