The National tribune., 1884-04-10

about three or four hundred yards we met
General Hurlbut's line advancing. After
passing through his line we kept toward the
landing until we came to an open field where
there was battery taking position. / sat
down pile of rails, and whenever i saw
man of the 18th would call to him, and finally
there were about forty of us together, when an
officer rode up and asked what command we
belonged to. / informed him, and he said:
Follow me and will show You where your
colors are" We did so and found our
colors, and about fifty men with them, about
three hundred yards further toward the land
ing than where we stepped, but no commits
stoned officers. After awhile a fellow came
along from toward the landing and informed
us that there was a lot of the officers of the
18th still further toward the landing. Myself
and Sergeant Hanicker started 10 hunt them up.
We went up on the hill toward the landing from
where we left the colors and there found the
field officers and quite number of the line
officers; we informed the colonel of the where
abouts of the flag, and guided him to it, There
was at that time, | should judge, about four
hundred of the 18th gathered around The
colors; the balance, who were not killed or
wounded in the attack, had retreated to the
river and staid there the balance OF that day.
After our colonel had got us in line ard assigned
our officers to the different companies we were
marched toward the front again. After adj
NnnCinR HttliN lidtt iHlic dI diu vi ICucEdl
Prentiss ordered our colonel to re-enforce the
18th Illinois, as they were falling back he
ordered up an ammunition wagon and we got
one hundred rounds to each man and then
took our place in the line of battle lately held
by the 18th Illinois. This was about 10 o'clock
a. M, end we held our position i'll the line until
about 3 p. M, during which time Captain
Compton was killed and Colonel Alban and
Major Crane mortally wounded
]. w. Beach, 18th Illinois, writing from
Eureka Springs, Ark, refers as follows to the
support given by Raith's brigade to Hide
brand
MY regiment (the 18th Illinois) and the
29th Illinois were detached from our
division (McClernand's) when the first
alarm was raised, and placed in Sher-
mans, in Hildebrand's brigade, located at
and to the left ofShiloh Church. Hildebrand's
nth Ohio supported Taylor's battery, and only
received and returned one volley from the
rebels, when they retreated over us as we sup
ported them. We then changed front and
Tapped the SD Ohio, which supported Water
houses battery. The rebels were yet across
the creek probably four or five hundred yards
away, and had not fired a shot (the battery
firing, when the colonel of the SD Ohio APP
pier, think. was his name) shouted at the top of
his voice near me: Here they come, men take
care of yourselves and put spurs to his horse
and made a charge on Pittsburg Landing.
His regiment rose TO their feet poured a vol
ley into Warehouses; battery, and then fol-
lowed the example of their illustrops colonel.
They nearly demolished the battery, which,
believe, only saved three of their guns. most of
the men and horses being mastered by our
own men. Taylor's battery checked their left
at the church, and we were cut off from our
division by the retreat of the regiment named,
aud only saved ourselves by hard fighting. My
company went into the fight with forty-eight
men. We were detailed for Taylors battery
afterwards with only eighteen. That is the
history of Hildebrand's brigade, as / saw it.
Hildebrand himself begged his men, with tears,
to rally and fight. but they ran away
THE casualties in Hildebfand's brigade,
however, indicate that the regiments withstood
the fire. of the Confederates some time before
leaving the ground Their loss was 1856, of
which POI was in killed and wounded.-ED.l
George D. Kneipp, company G, 45th Illinois,
records his recoiiectjons of the opening of the
battle in a letter written from Mt. Carmel, H.,
as follows:
"Our regiment,- the 4sth .Illinois,-c COM
manded by Colonel Haynie, belonged to McCler-
nands division. We were ready for inspection on
Sunday morning with knap5acks packed, when
an aid or orderly, riding at full speed, came from
the front, passing regimental headquarters. The
45th Illinois was on our left. AS soon as he
reached 4sth's headquarters Lieutenant Colo
mel Sanford gave the command Fall in in
thunder tones, and our drum major sounded
the long roll, the first | heard that morning.
In less than FIVE minutes our regiment was
double-quicking to the 'front.' shells flying
over our head coming from the front before
we had got of the 45th Illinois parade-ground.
After counter-m marching a time or two and
moving from right to left we got position just
in rear of two lines or regiments. A battery
coming up, three companies of the 4sth, under
Major Mayfeld, was moved to the left TO give
them room, cutting our regiment in two. The
enemy were massed and advancing upon US.
We could and would have checked them. but
fearing they were our own men, our officers
seemsa unable 10 decide TO fire until Captain
Stewart, cavalry officer, on our left, said:
III find out galloped out to meet them, until
they fired upon him, when he whirled, and
before he reached us, cried out: Fire. they are
rebels but, owing to the advantage thus gained
by the enemy, we We're unable to hold our line
Colonel Haynie and Lieutenant Colonel San
ford were wounded, and. in the confusion,
the regiment did not get together till later in
the day."
To be continued