, 1876-04-01
TEN THOUSAND MEN III rHRIR
6HIRT.TA[IS.

An Incidens OF ahe March IN 8hllsh.
Rrttten for Tit cAteaos Tribune.
Tho story Of CaEson thu 8oouI" published
In The TR1DuNE. recalls another incident Of
Gen. Buoif's march toward Shiloh, which has
not to my knowledge. found acs IN any history
Of tho War, and yet IL had An important baAriag
oo tue result Of the hattto Of sitilon.
ten William Eeson commanded tho Fourth
DiviAion Of Duetla army. lit htd beon = naval
ofIicnr, and bis tyranny and hhrslnora caused his
mon To dislike hlEu at first. But, ~ The mArct1
southward took tho troops into tho onsmy's
country. the soldierly perceptions and iaatfncts
Ut tho old General, "a we'll ~ his stern eerss Of
duty aud pride In his command, won for him .s-
spect, and strange sort Of feeling that wAs
almost Affection.
Ne1ion was strict dlscip![narian, aud A1waJs
moved. or wont Into camp Of loft camp, - II In
tue presence OF tho enetuJ. he auporintended.
carly every morning. the formation Of line oE
battle: WAS On his horse 1t tho frat buRle- blast,
| and rode down the line iiks hurricane, expect
ing evosy man, officer ~ we'll "a private, to be In
bis piaeo, and ready for duty. Men, under this
training, became unconsaously alo.t, and eu,-
phettc In action. It wAs = RtAadtnK Joke that
| Nelson's division could stumble ont :" quicker
than auy other. Nelson WAS particular and ox.
acting - TO little things, whie eh seemed ttiaing
all had constituted . part Of their training for
| baltic. The realization thAt their commander
had seen With ctesrer visson than they, and that
he had compelled .thom TO do Whist was bsat,
! caused The man 70 turn with rars trust 10 u1s
Old 8tormnr. Aud To become rather proud
Of his oddities and hia obtzue.ve individuality.
| Ha was thorough so'dtsr. and VA taErthiy n
earnest; aud they knew it.
| % tho maroh southwark from Nashville,
Buolrs advnuco wss delayed by the destruction
Of tue bridge ncross Duck River. Neieon frett4d
under tbs delay. protested agatnst It, and finally
volunteered to put blu division ecrosa vithou. :
bridge, II be we're allowed The advance. Pesrnis-
sion WAS giycn for him 10 czoEs, and he issued
ono Of tho qncerest military orders On record.
This Was road to tae troops II The morning. and
was In substance like this: The men will march
to the river. fix oagonets, and stack arms. They
will then tsks OF their pants blouses,
ard aseoutrernents, putting Ill in = bun
de, which will be plaoed on tie hayooe&
Ifiey will then take as'uB, and. with bundles oa
The bayoaets "a ordered, will wade the river IN
their ehtrss and draxets. Officers Mill see that
there ia no confusion, md that. on reaching ths
farther bank. the nsn drest quickl, and zn.zoh
=, Imagine tho looks of 1000 or 10,o0u msn ~
ehis order waa read 10 theu on cool, bright
spring morning. They marched down to tho
view Of tho ontire population Of Columbia, msn. a.
women, and children, thoy, with cheors and
shouts. and Jokes, and laughs. plunged into the
cold water. The scene waa ludlcrous In the OK
tASIAo VII AZ u1t fUE$ l1nAg uQuF6 kA4 61$lf6
diviBion VAS marching southwark. It kept ths
advance during the intorvA betMosn thai dste
and tho batslo ol Shiloh.
During tho marcel. Nelson WA tuning aud
storming about sIoNness; aud, early ca the
morning Of tho first attack On Gssnta foscea n
Pittsburg Landing, hnd hurried lis troops into
| line aud had marched southwark on his own re-
| sponsitility. Men remember to this day tho
| face Of Noson on that march. His muttorings
| were Of impending danger; and, wtlon hts car
| caught tbs sound Of artillery, he urged the m&n
to greater efforts. When 9fante messenger
met him, bis men we1e hurry1ug forward and
whom Carson outlined ths situAkion Nelson
tbundered out: ava k1e1a 1t. air, and ws sse
moving, Garry your message to thoss b.
hind ua."
After this Ito mon sAw Nelson at his best, us
dropped Lis offenavoly arrogant manner; hs
spoke teuderly. almost gushlngly. Of the A.1uy IN
front, and Of tho houor Of The old flag; aod.
wheu his first brigade had crossed the Tanut&-
500. aud ha cane On foot [his horse could not be
sAken IN the boat crowded With mon1, his toues
and words wero such q to inAit = new courage
into their heartB, aud to cAll out now devotion
to tholf blun old loader. He called tbs meo
ready "Gotohelsir~ vAa forgotten. HEtory
talla how tho division went into battle, and how
we'll they did their duty; but tho strong indtvid-
ualsey OF Nelson, hia prescience, energy. and
readiness wcre bctter illustrated bv tho crossing
OF Duck nivos than by his splendid bsttts-rec.
ord. He understood the nncda Of the hour. aud
met them WITH , fuda, inpcriouB empbasis that
compelled admiration Had hts men bot vaded
Duck Rlror in their shirts, Busla army would
not have hsea within cali to turn tho ttds II
Shiloh. HAfF1 IAX,