The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-06-19
THE SHILOH CAMPAIGN.
TContinaed from LIST pdge.


CUP the dead and wounded, and sending them
TO the rear. we continued our march to our posi-
ton in line with the battery. We had good
position here-on little knoll, covered with a
thick growth of low brush, behind which we
lay down awaiting the approach of the enemy.
SURPRISE FOR THE JoHNNIEs.
Ii was not long before we discovered line of
bayonets waving in the sunlight, as with regu-
lar tread the foe approached. Now their heads
are visible now their bodies, now their whole
figure. as they reach the crest of the hill.
" Hold your fire until you receive orders" was
the word that came down the line. On they
came, carrying their muskets at right-shoulder
shift, their line as firm and true as though on
dress parade. On they came, and now we could
distinguish their uniforms-just like those
worn by our three-months' men, except that
the color was light gray, although in the dis
lance they looked blue. Our officers thought
they were our own men, and ordered us not to
fire, but to lie perfectly still. They were COM
ing directly in our front. and when in good
range, obliqued to the right-to the front of
battery - when their commander ordered,
"Charge! double-quiek." The battery, like
us, were holding their fire, but now they OPEN
ed with canister and we opened with minies.
What terrible havoc we wrought in their ranks
They were piled up in heaps and strewn over
the ground. Their fine line was broken COM
pletely up, and their men sheltered themselves
behind the trees. Colonel Sweeney had been
down the line looking after his other regi-
ments and came back to us at this moment and
seeing us standing in line loading and firing,
as though ont at target-practice called out to
us IN his rich Irish brogue: g asus, boys; cover
yourselves with the trees; bushwhaek the div
lis loike as they bushwhack yees,' and we
broke TO cover. We advanced as we fired, after
our retreating foe. This regiment was supposed
TO be the famous New Orleans Tigers, over
1000 strong well armed and disciplined. /
say supposed, for the reason that nearly every
soldier on the bloody field of Shiloh believes he
fought that renowned regiment, and gave them
the worst whipping any troops ever got. As
they reiterated before US, one of their number
a great burly fellow, as brave as a lion-staid
behind big tree, loading and firing as rapidly
as possible, and probably doing US large
amount of damage, until we were within short
pistol range, when he stepped from bis cover,
slapped the seat of his breeches defiantly and
started off on run. Ny brother and j were
side by side. and / said: Let us give him a
call, he is so sassy" We both raised our En-
fields and fired. He fell, and, said |, There
is one soul we know we viii have TO answer
for when the day of reckoning comes" We
soon passed over the intervening space that
lay between us, and out of curiosity | exam
ined the dead body to see if / had hit him
where / had aimed. There were three holes
ia Ills ACdAs kuESS Dd4AS luEOuEA HIS HG2It. anu
in ali he had received sixteen wounds. Which
shot was mine or whether / had hit him at ALL
/ could not tell, aud felt sense of relief.
A FORCED RETREAT.
On. on, we pressed the retreating foe until we
forced them back into the ravine from whence
4 they came, and we were on the crest of the
ridge. But what is that force behind us?
Great heavensl there are two columns of reb-
els coming from different directions and clos
4 ing up TO the rear Of US. Major Stark. having
received a wound from a falling limb, had gone
K to the rear; the command now devolves upon
+ Captain E. A. Bowen He Immediately ordered
a retreat, and it was conducted in as good or
/ der as possible under the -cireumstances-we
could not stand on ceremony, but went quickly.
\ We got through. however, before the enemy s
4 lines met. and, facing about, opened fire. Our
ammunition WIS about expended. and we be-
gan TO long for some troops to come to our re-
! lief Precious moments were passing away.
The last cartridge was ranmed home but we
were 10th to part with it. 1t might be our only
hope for aught we knew, and we held our fire.
4 trusting to our bayonets to keep back the eager
foe, flushed with seeming victory. But the
next moment the cry, There comes help!"
went along the line, and the list Ohio, under
4 Colonel Rodney Mason, came up and passed to
1 the front of us-as splendid lot of men, as
q regarded looks. as ever wore the blue; but,
I alas, the colonel was not Of the true and
( tried He left the field in hurry without
even bidding the boys good-by. The men
were panic-stricken and came down upon orr
rear with rush. Their major was a brave
officer and was doing all in his power to check
them in their mad flight but he was powerIess
Riding down to us, he called upon Captain Bow
en- TO stop his men at the point Of the hayonet.
Our line was halted, about-faced and brought
10 a charge, and We received the retreating
list at the point Of our bayonets. Three times
did we stop them, and the fourth time they
followed Us from the field. Finding it impos-
sibie TO keep them in line we were obliged to
once more interpose our bayonets to check the
progress of the jubilant rebels. Now our last
cartridge came in good play. A charge was
made upon US by vastly superior force, with
the hope undoubtedly, of breaking our line
and forcing us TO a speedy retreat, or perhaps
to a surrender. but the enemy counted without
their host We had held our fire SO long that
they doubtless thought we were cut Of ammu-
milton. and that last cartridge was lust the
thing we needed Delivered at close range tho
volley did fearful execution and caused them
10 fail back in confusion. Other troops now
came mp and took position and we went back
in search Of ammunition. which we did not
find for some time, as the trains had been sent
to the rear. Colonel Sweeney had received q
severe flesh wound in his arm, and his noble
steed was hit seven times before he fell. The
when the surgeon asked him why he did not
let him know at once that he was wounded Sc
he could have stopped the flow of blood he
replied: Doctor, this is the first battle my
boys have been in, and if ! had left the field
they might not have held their ground as well
as if / had been with them to encourage and
advise them and would rather die right here
than have the sd disgrace themselves Alb
boys, you did not have the same feelings to
wards the colonel then as while IN camp al
Snaithland, did youg No, no! we would have
gladly shielded him with our own bodies had
that been possible. That severe course of drill
we were subjected 70 was our salvation tha
day, and we thanked cur noble colonel from
our hearts that he had been SO patient with US
REFORMING AT THE RIVER.
But what of tile battle? Back, back the .nasset
columns of the rebels had forced us dowI
through our camps they had driven US, and OF
down TO the river they followed close benin,
Us. Inch by inch we stubboTnly contested TIL
ground with them, leaving our dead and dyinj
widely scattered over the field Terrible ter
rible had been the experiences of that day
; The men Of Donelson had been driven iron
! place to place, and, stung with madness AM
with sulien doggedness plainly showing il
! each countenance, they resolved to stem tn
: tide OF the arrogant yictors or die in thei
tracks. As we passed through cur camp fw
+ had no time TO stop the grape and caniste
were sweeping through and through our tents
cutting them almost into ribbons Men wer
falling on every hand and the air was file
: with the shrleks Of the wounded and groans
the dving The tall old prax-taired drnmr,e