Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-02-01

to Kentucky. or even into enemy country
mark him as one of the ablest command ers
known to history.
While yet the sun was two hours
high, the order came to our pursuing col
ums to "fall back and stack arms
While Gen. Breckinridge's division was
accomplishing this singular feat, large
number of Federal prisoners were being
hurried to the rear, and immed lately past
the point where the writer happened TO be.
Among the prisoners were several illinois
troops, who were loosely rallied by our
boys in grey.
"Well, Ysnks. said one of our soldiers,
you got US at Fort Henry and Dohelson,
but we are to much for you this time"
"You are mistaken, returned one of the
prisoners. you haven't whipped us-by
id sight; but we haven't got gener-
al who is a worth d---nln
where's Grant2' returned the Confed-
crate. 70
"Grant2" replied the prisoner; Grant
is up the river on a gun boat--drunk
as h-ll"
In his official report of the battle of
Shiloh. General Besuregard recited the
splendid victory of the first day and closed
by the statement that might stopped the
pursuit" A true soldier will do justice,
not to the leaders Of an army alone, but to
the privates and subordinates as we'll.
During the summer of 1864, while General
versed with the Governor of Tennessee,
Isham q. Harris, now Senator Harris
from the State. Senator Harris stated
that before and during the battle of Shi-
lob he was volunteer aide on the staff of
General Johnston and Beauregard--re-
porting to the latter after the former fell
Referring to the blunder committed by
our troops in not following up our victory
on the first day. asked Governor Harris
as to his impression of the time of day
when the Confederate troops were called
off The sun was at least an hour and
half or two hours high" he replied, when
noticed one division of our soldiers falling
back and stacking arms. asked the off
Ger in command why in Gods namehe was
performing the retrograde movement He
replied that he had his orders to do 50 from
General Beauregsrd Il beggeof him TO hold
until could see General Beauregard (then
in com mand) and told him there must be
some mistake. / at once hunted up Gen.
eral Beauregard and asked him if he had
sent such order; when he said that he had.
l begged of him to let our me press on
gather the fruit Of the victory while in
our grasp. | told him the Federals, about
10000, and unarmed, we're covering under
the bank of the river, and that al 1--we had to
was to press on and make clean sweep
l reminded him that Buell. was on the fur
Their side of the river with $1,000 that If he
were permitted to come up and join Gen.
Grants troops on the morrow, that they
would have us at fearful disadvantage
and that we should lose all we had gain
ed. Gen. Beauregard:only smiled at my
foreboding; said the men were tired that
John Morgan would keep Buell. back; that
we would rest on what we had accomplish
ed. and gather up the fruit Of the victory
tomorrow. felt, Governor Harris added,
that General Beauregard would regret tie
loss of that hour the longest day he lived
And 1 suppose he does. This idea that
John Morgan, with not more than 500 cav
alrymen, could hold in check 20, 600 infan-
try, was exs ,rdinary--anda all this shows
that Senator Harris is a far ADLER general
than b auregsrd.
Sure enough next moring Buell. had cross
ed. Our decimated lines tried hard to with
stand twice the number of fresh and rein
spirited troops. We lost all we gained the
fret day-with the singing reflection to
console US that under even mediocre Cen
eralship the second days battle ought
never to have been fought Our soldiers
had opened the way to Cincinnati but our
general in command blocked 1t by word.