The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-02-03

IfOr the NeWs-
Gen. Sherman's Memoirs
was Our Army Surprised
at Shiloh?

| good deal of controversy in regard
to the comparative merits of the
Generals of the Union army, their
blunders and successes. Gen. Sher-
man S memoirs seem designed to give
such an exhibit as will set forth his
own share and merits as fully as may
be necessary to place him in the
front rank of the Union leaders. His
treatment of the battles and move
nacnts of the army seems unjust in
many cases, as to the merits of Gen.
Grant, Gen. Thomas and others,
whereas he passes over his own fail
ures, with as little particularly of
detail as possible
Gen. Boynton, the Washington
Correspondent of the Cincinnati
Gazette, has pointed out a variety o,
misstatements, and exposed the er-
rors of his narrative, in several i'm
portant instances, and his own blum
ders and failures, with unsparing
hand.
Sherman denies that there was any
surprise at Shiloh thus renewing
the discussion of that question, which
gave rise to the controversy between
Ex-Gov Benjamin Stanton and the
venerable ex-senator Ewing. Gov.
Stanton, who had charge of relief
boat of supplies for the sick and
wounded of the Union troops, had
repeated the statements of the sol-
diers, officers and men who held tie
front lines, where the attack began.
The officers and men of the 48th
Ohio admitted that they were sur
prised while in their tents, before
they had all finished their breakfasts.
They had hardly time to snatch their
guns and to form line upon the
camp ground of parade, before the
rebels were upon them. At the first
alarm, the rebels were seen issuing
from The woods in front of the camp
ing ground of the 4Sth Ohio. Our
troops were driven back, leaving
their tents to be swept through and
plundered by the rebels
Sherman says we did not fortify
our camp against attack, because we
had no orders to do SO, because ''it
was not scientific, and such course
would have made our men timid.
A reviewer before me says, that ''this
lesson had been previously well
taught, and would have enabled the
Union army on that occasion to re
ceive the enemy in such a manner as
would at least have given him no
grounds for claiming a surprise.
The writer of this was upon the
camping ground of the 4Sth Ohio
about ten days after the battle, and
saw the ground where the enemy en-
camped on the night previous to the
attack. 1t was not more than two
or three miles from the position of
the 4Sth Ohio, yet it was undiseover-
ed by the pickets, few of whom
were out, at no great distance, and
when they came in in the morning,
the rebel forces were at their heels
The advance of the rebels might
have been much obstructed by falling
timber and other distractions, as
there was small stream at the foot
of the hill in front of the camp, with
some corduroy bridges. The fact is,
the movement of the rebels was not
anticipated, nor their vicinity sus-
pected by the authorities in com
mand. 1 heard Col Parker, of the
4Sth Ohio, say, he had been sent Out
with scouting party a few days
previous; that he saw ''strong indi
cations of the vicinity of the enemy
and so reported to his superiors, but
no regard was paid to his reports
The account given in Whitelaw
Reds 'sOhio in the War;" IS incor
rect, according to the statements
made in our hearing by the intelE
gent officers of that command. !
heard Col Parker and Captain El
wood, in command, acknowledge
that the rebels came upon them be
fore their breakfast was over, and
before they had time to form line
of battle.
Reid says, "the 4Sth acted through
out in Buckland's brigade of Sher
mans division-a brigade which lad
no share in the early rout of part
of that division" SO far as the 48th
is concerned, this is mistake, as L
supplied number of the soldiers OF
the 4Sth with clothing, they having
lost all the contents of their tents.
The rebels were subsequently drlV-
en- back, and the 4Sth did not fall
back to its supports until i. had been
three times ordered by Gen Sher-
man to do so. The regiment was
actively engaged, the remainder OF
the day, and in connection with the
oath Ohio and Seth Indiana, itpartici-
mated in decisive attack upon the
rebel lines. NJ.
The Columbus Journal brings the
gratifying intelligence that Mr.. Andy
N L.. ,,oorI1- r.ooOvarad from