The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-02
GENERAL GRANTS AMENDE.
Gen. Lew Wallace and Gen. McCeok at Shiloh
"A Manly and Explicit Declaration.
There is published in the September Century
the following card from General Grant

There is published in the September Century
the following card from General Grant:
''Since the publication in the Century of my
article on The Battle of Shiloh Ihave received
from Mrs w. FL. L. Wallace widow of the GAL
liant general who killed in the first days
fight at that battle letter from Gen. Lew Wal
lace to him, dated the morning of the 5th. AT
the date of this letter it was well known that the
confederates had troops out along the Mobile d
OHIO railroad, west of Crumps Landing and
Pittsburg Landing, and were also collecting near
Shiloh. This letter shows that at that time
Gen. Lew Wallace was making preparations for
the emergency that might happen for the pass
ing of reenforcements between Shiloh and his
position, extending from Crumps Landing west
ward; and he sends the letter over the road
Landing and Purdy road These two roads in
tersect nearly mile west of the
crossing of the latter over Owl
creek, where our right rested. In this
letter, Gen. Lew Wallace advises Gen. w. H. L.
Wallace that he will send tomorrow land his
letter also says April s. which is the same day
the letter was dated and which, therefore, must
have been written on the 4th, some cavalry to
report to him at his headquarters, and suggest
ing the proprety of Gen. w. ID. l.. Waliaces
sending a company back with them for the pur-
pose OF having the cavalry at the two landings
familiarize themselves with the road, so that
they could act promptly in case of emergency as
guides to and from the different camrs.
This modifes very materially what | have
said and what has been said by others, or the
conduct of Gen. Lew Wallace at the battle OF
Shiloh. 1t shows that he naturally, with no
more experience than he had at the time in the
profession of arms; would take the particular
road that he did start upon in the absence OF
orders to move by different road.
1.-THE mistake he made and which probably
caused mis- apparent datoriness, was that
OF having advanced some distance
after he had found that the firing, which would
be at first directly to his front and then off to
the left bad fallen back until it had got very
much in the rear of the position of his advance
This falling back had taken place before l sent
General Wallace orders to move up to Pittsburg
Landing, and, naturally, my order was to follow
the road nearest the river. But my order was
verbal, and to a staff officer who was to deliver
it to General Wallace, so that I am not compe-
tent to say just what order the General actually
received.
General Wa,lace's division was stationed, the
first brigade at Crump's Ladding, the second out
two miles, and the third two and a half miles
out. Hearing the sounds of BATTLE General
Wallace early ordered his first and third
brigades to concentrate on the second. If the
position of our front had not changed the
road which Wallace took would have been some
what shorter to our right than the river road
In this article state that General McCook,
who commanded division Of Buell's army, OK
pressed some unwillingness to pursue the enemy
on Monday. April Z because of the condition of
trOopS. Wenerdi Dducdu, III Ills ulSbory, ALSO
makes the same statement, my authority.
Out of justice to General McCook and his COM
mand, must say that they left point twenty
two miles east of Savannah on the morning of
the 9th. From the heavy rains of few
days previous and the passage of trains and
artillery. the roads were necessarily deep in mud,
which made marching slow The division had
not only marched through this mud the day be-
fore, but it had been in the rain all night with
out rest. 1t was engaged in the battle of
the, second day, and did as
In fact, an opportunity occurred for it to per-
form conspicuous act of gallantry. which elicit
ed the highest commentator from division
commanders in the Army of the Tennessee
General Sherman, in both his memoirs and re-
ports, makes mention of this fact General
McCook himself belongs to family which
furnished many volunteers to the army. l refer
to these circumstances with Ininuteness be-
cause did General McCook injustice in the
article, though not to the extent one would sup
pose from the public press am not willing
to do any an injustice and if convinced that
have done one, 1 am always willing to make
the fullest admission. u. S. GRANT.
mt MCGREGoR, N. Y, June %, 1885"