The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-17
THE SHILOH CAMPAIGN
The Battle Viewed from a Confederate
Standpoint.
Written for The National Tri5uus.l
XIX.

TWritsen for 7ae National Tri5ansl
XIX.
Ruggles' division, Trabue's Kentucky brigade
and detached regiments of other commands COM
posed Braggs line of defense on the left of the
Confederate line. He says: This force ad-
vanced in the early morning and pressed the
enemy back nearly mile, securing for our
left flank an eminence In open field near
Owl Creek, which we held until near the close
of the conflict against every effort the enemy
could make. For this gallant and obstinate
defense of our left flank, which the enemy con-
stantly endeavored to force, we were indebted
TO Col. Trabue's small brigade in support of
Capt. Barns battery. Against overwhelming
numbers this gallant command maintained its
position from the commencement of the action
until about IL o'clock, when our forces on the
right falling back, it was left entirely without
support far in front of our whole army. Safety
required it TO retire During this time the
rightand center were actively engaged. Withers
division, in conjunction with portions of Har-
dees and Breckinridges commands, obstinately
disputed every effort of the enemy. But his
overwhelming numbers Ia very large portion
being perfectly fresh troops, the prostration of
our men and the exhaustion of our ammuni-
tion tnot battalion being supplied) rendered
our position most perilous, and the command
ing General ordered retrograde movement to
commence on the right This was gradually
extended to the left now held by Ketchams
battery. The troops fell back generally in
perfect order, and formed line of battle on
ridge about half mile in the rear; Ketclfam
retiring slowly as the rear guard of the whole
army. The enemy evinced no disposition to
pursue. After some half hour our troops were
again put in motion, and moved about mile
further, when line was formed and final ar
rangements made for our march to Corinth,
the enemy not making the slightest demon
stration upon us"
FURTHER RESISTANCE USELESS.
Referring to the close of the battle Hardee
says: Many of our best regiments signalized
in the battle of Sunday by their steady valor,
reeled under the sanguinary battle of the sue
ceeding day. In one instance. that of the I'd
Tex, Col. Moore, the men seemed appalled,,
fed from the field without apparent cause. and
were SO dismayed that my efforts to rally them
were unavailing." The fighting after o'clock
was purely defensive, and Beauregard deter
mined to withdraw to Corinth. Lines of
troops" says Hardee, to cover the movement
were deployed near Shiloh Church, but the
enemy slackened in attack and were unable to
| follow Our artillery sheiled the woods. but
evoked no reply, while disordered regiments
and stragglers assembling withdrew slowly
without pursuit molestation TO the rear.
Other positions further TO the rear were sue
| cessivly taken to cover our columns, but no
drew towards Corinth. Thus ended the battle
of Shiloh" Referring to the conduct of the
Confederate troops. he says, after giving credit
to those who stood by their colors: Many
struggled from the ranks or withdrew without
| orders Some, allured by the rich plumber,
halted in the conquered camps, and
| few, terrified by the bloody scenes. fed toward
Corinth. From these causes, and the casual
| ties Of battle, We could not, on Monday, form
! in line moro than 10000 men"
| EoNoRs EASY IN THE MATTER OF sTRAGGLING.
| 1t is evident from the reports that the strag-
| Cling in each army was about the same. The
sudden onset of Jehnston's army at all points
| on Sunday morning gave an appearance of i'm
mense strength TO his command. The separa-
| tion of the camps of the front line rendered it
an easy matter to flank them; and, there being
| no defenses, the suddenly-awakened men, new
to the thunder of artillery, the rattling of fire.
arms the shouts of officers and the sudden call
| to arms, obeyed the impulse of self-preserya-
| ton and sought safety in Immediate fight,
when it is probable they would have efallen into
/ line behind breastworks if there had been a
continuous line and held Johnston's army at
bay without aid from the Army of the Ohio.
The Confederates within the first hour laid
the foundation for victory by a furious on
| slaught upon Hildebrand's brigade, which,
| falling back after a brief resistance, widened
| the gap already existing between Shermans 9
remaining brigades and Prentiss. Into this
opening poured the strong columns of Hind
man and GLADDEN., opening an enflading fire
right and left, compelling those divisions to
| fall back upon their supports in the rear. Up
| to this time there had been no occasion for
panic in the Confederate army. The soldiers
/ found their opportunity when the Union camps
were reached, and all the reports unite in relat-
ing how eagerly they embraced it. While the
| great bulk of both armies were engaged in death
/ .-+--
were plundering the Union camps and those
| from the other were crouching in mortal ter
| ror beneath the bluff at Pittsburg Landing
| The failure 10 follow up the success of Sunday
afternoon by Beauregard was eqnaled by Grant
| on Monday. He made no attempt to discover
the position of the enemy after the final charge
| of AcCook, Sherman and Wallace at 3 p. N.
had forced the Confederates beyond the line of
the recaptured camps. Early on the following
morning Gems. Sherman and Wood, with two
brigades each, made a reconnaissance towards
| the front. and found that the prey had flown.
The Confederate cavalry made some show of
resistance, but were scattered like chaf before
| the wind.
GOODNESS OF COL. wIILIcH.
The division of Lew Wallace endangered by
the falling Back Of some troops to his left, was
saved from isolation by the SD Ind. Which
| says: When, during the last charge they fired
| at TOO great distance, | stopped the firing aud
| practiced them in the manual of arms, which
they executed as if on the parade ground, and
! then reopened deliberate and efectaaI fire"
Boyle's brigade, held as reserve TO Crittenden,
was used all along the left, the 9th Ky. COM
| ing in contact with the Confederate 9th KY,
commanded by Col. Lewis, which the former
drove from the field with heavy loss. The 6th
had been detached from Trabue's Kentucky
brigade which fought on the enemy's left.
| The 18th KY. was led by Crittenden to the sup
port of the Fourteenth Brigade, where it form
ed TO the right Of the l1th KY, and partici-
pated in the charge of the l4tb before describe
Both regiments behaved with great gailantry,
and received special mention in general reports
of the battle. Kentucky contributed IL regi-
ments 3l4 officers, and 6,I70 men; two regi-
ments of which, the 18th and 25th, fought on
both days. Baelia army on the field numbered
2I.579 In all the victories achieved in Ken
tucky and Tennessee the Union men of Ken
lucky attested their loyalty to the General
Government by their Valor in the field and
sealed the compact with their blood.
TIE STEADY yALoR OF BUELL'S TROOPS.
Writing of the battle and its results Van
Horn says, in his history of the Army of the
Cumberland: The compact lines of the Army
of the Ohio, the absence of all struggling, the
space it occupied III the battle front, the way it
was handled, and the manner of its fighting
from flank to flank, give it record for disei-
plne aud valor ia its first great engagement
that viii not suffer IN comparison with that OF
any other army any other field of the war;