The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-04-12
WITH PAPER BULLETS
Oar Veterans Fight the Battle of
Shiloh Over Again.
How the Battle Began.
Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:


To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
As am n reader of your valuable paper, take
the liberty OF writing few lines about the battle
of Shiloh as / saw il. / was member OF company
+, Twenty-fth regiment Missouri volunteer IN
fantry, Second brigade of Prentiss' division. The
brigade composed of the following regiments:
Twenty first and Twenty fifth Missouri, the
Twelfth Michigan and the Sixteenth Wisconsin,
commanded by Colonel Evart Peabody, of the
Twenty fifth Missouri. This brigade occupied the
right of Prentiss division and the Twenty fifth
Missouri the right of the brigade. We were camped
about two miles from the landing the Tennessee
River. There was space of about 300 or 400 yards
extending from right to Sherman's left that
not occupied by any troops. We had been in
this position about a week when that bloody battle
ing. Major Powell, of the Twenty-iiith Missouri,
brigade officer OF the day, and at IL o clock
Saturday night he came to the guard quarters:
The two reliefs of the guard not on duty turned
out and after the usual salute he gave the COM
mand to right -face-forward by fle-right-niarch
We accordingly marched out of camp and halted,
and he then told us what his object was in taking
cut of camp. He said he had heard from good
authority that squad of rebel cavalry had gone
into camp at an old house one and one-haif miles
from camp, and he wanted to take them in
out of the wet" He told us to keep COOL and
ordered us forward. We were what WAS called
the Corinth road. The night was very dark ana
we were forced TO grope way the hills and
through the deep ravines as best we could. We
felt way cautiously until we came out on some
high land near the old house Here we halted for
short time when the major, with two or three men,
went few PAGES ahead to reconnoltre. Nhlle we
every direction, and the major concluded that there
too many for to attack, so he laced us about
and marched us back to camp, relieved us and re-
ported what he had discovered to Colonel FeabOny
Colonel Peabody at once ordered out three COM
panies of the Twenty-tifth Missouri and three OF
the Twelfth Michigan, under command of Major
Powell. The LATTER had not got as far as with his
| first command wien he was fired on, and so the
battle began about clock in the morning about
one and one-half miles III front of General Prem
tiss' camp. The major ordered the men to deploy
into line and shield themselves behind trees as well
as they could for they found that the whole rebel
army was there. All that he could do was to keep
up the fire and fall back to the main camp. @The
rebel army soon i'll motion, as they had formed
| their lines during the night IN perfect order OF
| battle hoping to surprise the Union arnly-wi,ieh
| they did with the exception of our brigade. am
| satisfied that if Major Powell had not made this
| reconnaissance army would have suffered
much more than it did, as the rebels were ap-
! preaching cautiously, no doubt thinking that we
/ were prepared for them, and If they had not been
discovered they would nave come INTO our camp al
! daylight a charge, which they could easily have
| done, since there piekets out IN our front
farther than 100 yards. General sherman says that
shortly after seven O'Clock he rode to the front and
| the enemy's skrmisfi line fired a volley on Ils
party killing his orderly This was the first firing
/ Sherman had heard But to return to Major Pow
ell and his command: As soon as he saw that he
| had struck the main rebel army he sent dispatch
| back to Colonel Peabody, notifying hlIn that
| the enemy there In force and the latter or
dered the long roll to be beat in the camp. This
| brought the out of their tents In hurry and
| they formed in line OF battle along the
| color line. 1t now . a.. m as well remember,
since Il was the time my relief was going on post.
AS passed along the boys We're forming IN
| line of battle-a great many for the last time
| AS soon as the brigade was formed Colonel
Peabody ordered the Twenty-rst Missouri, under
command OF Colonel Moore, to go to the relief OF
Major Powell, who had been under fire since
o'clock. He had been gradually falling back,
| aud by this time we could distinctly hear the
firing, which told US that the foe was coming, and
could see the wounded hobbling back to camp, or
carried by their comrades Shortly after the
Twenty first had been sent out, Colonel Peabody
moved the remainder of the brigade about 20o
yards IN front, to a ridge in front OF our camp
Here he did not have to wait long for the enemy
for by this time could see the smoke OF firing IN
front of my post, which was on the extreme right
of our camp, my beat being along the color line.
From my position had fine view OF our line OF
battle as also that OF the enemy. Up to this time
don't believe there officer or SoCler out
side of brigade, that knew anything OF the enc
nly's presence, for about this time an officer came
dashing up the road from Sherman's camp, and
halting at my post asked what that firing meant
/ replied that it meant that there was going TO Dt
the biggest fight that he had ever heard OF, and
| that some of our brigade had been lighting ever
since 8 O'Clock in the morning Just at this time
| we heard the firing commence in Sherman's $ front
and soon after our men began TO iail BACK Slowly
When they reached color line, Colonel Pea
body formed our second line OF battle. IL was there
that the Colonel was killed. The brigade made
| a desperate stand in defense of the camp; bu
it will be remembered that there gap be
tween our right and Sherman's left and the rebeIs
| were not long In finding it out. They began Il
| press through to our rear and we were forced tC
| fall back. We formed again, however, just in the
| rear of our camp, where we met q part of MeCler
nands division which formed on our right, filling
| up the gap between our lines and Shermans. Ih'
fight had by this time become general; the rebel
gaining ground gradually until some time in th
afternoon, when our lines became more consolida
ted and the good positions which our generals ha'
| chosen and the service which the gunboats Lex
| ington and Tyler rendered, brought the enemy t.
| stand still They tried desperately to break on
lines again, but failed in every attempt; and, a
one rebel writer says in regard to this part OF th
fight g five times did go down into the vale,
and the shadow of DEATH only to be repulsed
About Sundown the rebels drew off their force
| and night closed in this terrible scene of car
mage. Shortly after dark the rain began to fall II
torrents and continued to fall all night. At day
light the next morning the battle was renewed
We had been re-enforced meanwhile by part O
Buels army and also by Lew Wallaee's division
of Grants army. The second days battle Wa
opened quite differently from that of the day be
fore. Our lines were as strong as theirs and In
stead OF losing gained ground until about tw
or three O'Clock in the afternoon, when the rebel
abandoned the field, leaving the dead and wounds
in possession, and retreated to Corlnth w
then took possession of our old camp. The rebel
, had taken all our blankets, knapSaeks and cloth
ing but had left our tents standing 1t was hon
rible sight to the heaps OF Union and rebel dea
that lay about the camp. We buried over 200 dea
rebels at and in front of our camp. My regiment
the Twenty-ifth Missouri went into battle wit
between 500 and 900 men, and when we came ou
we had less than 500 fit for duty. The officers W
lost were Colonel Peabody, Major Powell, Captai
Wade and two three ieutenants whose names
do not remember. Captain Eogue, OF company
was wounded, as also a great many other officers
l should like to hear from any of the members
that brigade, either personally or through III
TRIBUNE. ID. Il. BAKER
Late of company F, Twenty fifth Mo.
VANCOUVER, Wash. L.