Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-25

of the enemy, so as to cut off his line OF
retreat to the Tennessee river and throw
him back on Owl creek, where he will be
obliged to surrender" 1t is seen that
from the first these orders were carried
out in letter and spirit, and as long as
Gen. Johnston lived the success of this
movement was complete. The battle was
fought precisely as it was planned.
Gen. Johnston was with Statham's
brigade, confronting Hurlbut's left, which
was behind the crest of a hill, with a de-
preston filled with chap arral in its front
The Confederates held the parallel ridge
in easy musket-range; and ''as heavy fire
as ever saw d ring the war;" says Gov.
Harris, was kept up on both sides for an
hour or more. 1t was necessary to cross
the valley Taked by this deadly ambus-
cade and assail the opposite ridge in order
to drive the enemy from his stronghold.
When Gen. Johnston came up and saw
the situation he determined TO charge. He
sent Gov. Harris, Of his staff, to lead a
Tennessee regiment; and after a brief
conference with Breckenridge, whom he
loved and admired, that officer. fol-
lowed by his stan, appealed to the
soldiers As he encouraged them with
MS fine voice and manly bearing, Gen,
Johnston rode out in front and slowly down
the line. His hat was OF. His sword rested
in its scabbard. In his right hand be
H-lA d lAlt4c TIA GUY. AIt 1lclliDl ldi VI an
incident that had occurred earlier in the
day. Passing through a captured camp.
ne had taken this toy, saying: LET this BE-
my share Of the sp0ils to-day" It was
this play thing which. holding it between
two fingers, be employed more effectively
in his natural and simple gestculation
than most men could have used a sword.
His presence was full OF inspiration. His
words were few. He said: Men! they
are stubborn; we must use the bayOnet."
When he reached the centre Of the line,
he turned. Il viii lead your he cried
and moved toward the en9my. With a
mighty shout the line moved forward at
a charge. A sheet Of flame and a mighty
roar burst from the Federal stronghold.
The Confederate line wlthered, but there
was not an instant's pause. The clest
was gained. The enemy were in flight.
Gen. Johnston had passed through the
ordeal seemingly unnurt. His horse was
shot in four places, his clothes were
pierced by missiles, his boot sole was cut
and torn ~ a mimic, but if he himself re-
ceiVed any severe wound he did not know
it.
In the meantime knots ard groups of
Federal soldiers kept up desultOry fire
as they retreated upon their supports,
and their last line, now yielding, delivered
v0lley after VOlley as they sullenly retired.
By the chance of war the mimic ball from
one Of these did its fatal work As he sat
there, after his wound, Capt. Wickham
says that Col. O'Hara of his staff rode up
and Gen. Johnston said to him: ''We must
90 to the left where the firing IS heaviest"
and then gave him an order, which
O'Hara rode of 10 obey. Gov. Harris re-
turned, and, finding MN very pale, asked
him: General, are you wounded" He
answered in a very deliberate and en-
phatic tone: "Yes, and, l fear, seriously"
These were his last words. Harris and
Nickham led his horse back under cover
of the hill, and lifted him from it. They
searched al random for the wound, which
had cut an artery in his leg. the blood
flowing into his boot. When his brother
in-laW, Preston, lifted his head, and adj
dressed HIM with passionate grief, he
smiled family. but uttered no word. His
life rapidly ebbed away, and in few mo-
ments he was dead.
At this crisis came from Gen.
Beauregard an order for the withdrawal
of the troops, of which his chief Of staff
saws: "Gcu. Bcauregard, in the mean
time. observing the exhausted, widely
scattered condition of his army, directed
it to be brought out Of battle, collected,
and restored to order as far as practical
bic and 20 occupy fer the night the cap
tufeJ enCampmeuts Of the enemy. This,
However, had been done in chief part by
tie officers i'm immediate command of the
troops before the order was generally dis
tributed." For this last allegation, or
that the army was exhausted, there Is not
the slightest warrant.
The concurrent testimony of the geuer-
ais and soldiers at the front is at one on
all essential points. Gen. Beauregard at
Shiloh, two miles in the rear, with the
debris Of the army surging back upon
him. the shells bursting around him, sick
v71OufhC' TraNiNng Y1aIqlV
pictured in his imagination a wreck at
the front, totally different from the actual
condition there. Had this officer been
with Bragg, and not greatly Frustrated
and suffering from severe sickness. 1
firmly believe his order would have been
to advance, not TO retire.
Complete victory was in his grasp, and
he threw it away. Gen. Gibson says:
"Gen. JOhnstOn's death was tremendous
catastrophe. There are no words ade-
quate to express my own conception Of
the immensely Of the loss to our country.
Sometimes the hopes Of millions OF people
depend upOn one head and one arm. The
West perished with Albert Sidney john
ston. and the Southern country followed"
Monday was Gen. Beauregard's battle,
and it was well fought. But in recalling
his troops from the heights which COM
mauded the enemys landing, be gave
away position which during the night
was occupied by Buelrs 20, 600 fresh troops,
who thus regained the high grounds that
had been won at such a cost. Lew Wal
lace, too, had come up $500 strong.
Moreover the orders had been conveyed
bv Beauregard's staff to brigades and
even regiments to Withdraw, and the
troops wandered back over the field, with
out conference, direction or purpose, and
encamped where chance provided for
them. All array was lost, and in the morn
ing they met the attack of nearly 10000
fresh and organized troops, with no hope Of
success except from their native yalor and
the indomitable purpose reused by the
triumph of Sunday. Their fortitude, their
courage, and the free offering Of their
lives were equal to the day before. But
it was a retreat, not an assault. They re-
tired slowly and sUllenly, shattered, but
not OverthrOwn. to COrintb, the strategic
p0int0f Gen. BeduregdTd'S campaign.