Morris tribune., 1881-04-21
THEFIRSTT TIME UNEER FIRE.
A Soldiers Recollecionts of Pittsburg Land.
ing.


Ing.
The following letter appeared in the Gin
cinnati Gazette, from one of the officers
who attended the recent reunion of the
army of the Tennessee, held on the ami
versary days of the battle of Shiloh:
Nineteen years ago this morning the sun
rose on the Union army encamped at Pitts
burg Landing in quiet security. 1t was
Sunday morning, and remember distinct
ly the first sensation produced by the open
ing of the battle away to the front. My
regiment was encamped in the right rear,
nearly two miles from the Shiloh Church,
where the attack was made 1t was Sun
day morning, as I have said, and We were
engaged in the usual Sunday morning
company inspection. The air was balmy
and pleasant. Trees were nearing their first
touch of green, and the birds were singing
among the branches. There came sudden
ly on our ears the distant roar of small arms.
We were too far away to hear the skirmish
shots, if there had been any, but when vol
leys were fired the sound was as continuous
as roaring wind storm. I can compare it
with nothing else. Only the irregular throb-
bling Of the artillery fling broke its awful
monotony. To most of us it was our first
battle experience. To stand there idly and
that we could not even see the smoke, and
know that our brethren were falling before
those volleys from the enemy, to feel that
whether our troops were suffering defeat or
winning victory we were not with them, was
an experience few of us will ever forget. But
I can not go on with the story of that days
experiences, nor of the next. We. did not
remain idle, however. The day did not
pass until we found our nglorious position
was, in one sense, the post of honor, and
our little command with a prompt volley
checked a cavalry advance which, if we
had not been there to meet, might have
gained position in which great damage
could have been done. Before night, too,
we had view of the rebel lines-the first
tangible evidence to us that there was
rebellion upheld by an army. There we
first saw the flag that was to suplant ours
over so large a part of the United States.
confess to feeling of bitterness against
the harmless silk. There, too, we had our
first baptism of fire, and saw the first of our
regiment fall in death.
How the memory runs over these events
now as the little company gathers here to
hold ills reunion the only organization
- We have with us Gen. Sherman, whose
made on the first day. We laugh some
times when we think of his impetuous man
mer, and Of his keen, unwearying interest
in even the smallest details that came I'M
der his notice. Many of us remember his
headquarters in the Lighthouse, that was
about the only structure near the landing.
And the post Office that became hopelessly
blockaded for want of an efficient postmas-
ter And we remember the mud of the
landing, and of all the country roundabout.
The roads at Pittsburg Landing were be-
yond the power of any engineer to lay down
on map.
Looking back now, we can see how new
the army was then. There were the splen-
didly equipped Wisconsin soldiers, armed
and clothed by their own State. Some
# these came upon the field only day or
two before the battle, with no experience
in camp life, and no training as soldiers.
What a wreck those two days made in their
proud ranks. If the army had had the ex-
perience it possessed during the Atlanta
campaign, the battle of Pittsburg Landing
ould have been fought in wholly differ
ent manner. The first night in camp would
have been spent in throwing up earthworks,
and redoubts would have dotted every
knoll.
But I feel that I am growing into the
habit of veteran. My own excuse is that
Just now there are hundreds who may be
thinking of this famous battle of the war,
| and may not be bored by the rambling re-
collection of
A SHILOA SOLDIER.