Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-07-01

ably because he had been 3 soldier.
II was one Of those meetings that were
held in every city and. town in the
Northern States, and which were fol-
lowed by the formation of troops. .
Nothing in the book possesses greater
interest than the Generals confession
that even he felt disturbed and fearful
when he got his first new taste of war.
In speaking of his first battle in the re-
bellion, he says:
A FRANK CONFESSION OF FRIGHT.
As soon as the army saw us thew de-
camped as fast as their horses would
carry them. We halted at night on the
road, and proceeded the next morning
at an early hour. Harris had been en-
camped in creek bottom for the
sake of being near water. The
hills on either side of the creek
extend to considerable height,
possibly more than 100 feet. As we
approached the brow of the hill from
which it was expected we could see
Harris camp. and possibly find his
men ready formed to meet US, nv heart
kept getting igher and higher, until it
felt to me Us though it were in nv
throat. I would have given ANYTHING
then to have been back in Illinois. but
1 had not the moral courage to halt and
consider what to do; I kept right on.
When We reached point from which
the valley was in full view halted.
The place where Harris had been en-
camped a few days before was still
there, and the marks of a recent en-
campment were plainly visible, but the
troops were gone. My heart resumed
it's place. It occurred to me at once
that Harris had been as much afraid
of me as had been of him. This was
view of the question had never
taken before; but it was one never for
got afterward. From that event to the
close of the war never experienced trep-
idation upon confronting an enemy.
Here is another early experience:
At the battle of Belmont, fearing
that the enemy we had seen crossing
the river below, might be coming upon
us unawares, rode out in the field to
our front-stil entirely alone-to OBJ
serve whether the enemy was passing.
The field was grown up with corn so tall
and thick as to cut off the view of even
person on horseback except directly
along the rows. Even in that direc-
ion, owing to the overhanging blades
blades of corn, the was not extensive.
had not gone more than a few hum
dred yards when I saw body of troops
m 19g y past tt me- not fifty yards away:
and then turned my horse toward the
river and started back, first in walk,
and when | thought myself conce aled
from the view of the enemy, as fast as
my horse could carry me.
The cornfeld in front of our trans
ports terminated at the edge of
dense forest. Before I got back the
enemy had entered this forest, and had
opened brisk fire upon the boat.
Our men, with the exception of details
that had gone to the front after the
wounded, were now either aboard the
transports or very near them. Those
who were not on board soon got there,
and the boats pushed off. I was. the
only man of the national army between
the rebels and our transports.
The Captain of a boat that
had just pushed out, but had not start
ed, recognized me and ordered the en-
gineer not to start the engine. He
then had plank run out for me. My
horse seemed to take in the situation.
There was no path down the bank, and
every one acquainted with the Missis-
sippi river knows that it's banks, in
natural state, do not vary at any great
angle from the perpendicular. My
horse put his fore feet over the bank
without hesitation or urging, and with
his hind feet well under him, slid down
the bank and trotted aboard the boat,
twelve or fifteen feet away, over a
single gang plank. I dismounted and
went at once to the upper deck.
| Our smokestack was riddled with
bullets, but there were only three men
wounded on the boats, and but one of
these was soldier. When first went
on deck I entered the captains room
adjoining the pilot house, and threw
myself on sofa. did not keep that
position a moment, but rose to 90 out
on the deck to observe what was going
on. had scarcely left when a musket
ball entered the room, struck the head
of the sofa, passed throug h it and lodged
in the foot.
| RECOLLECTIONS OF SHILOH.
Those who have read the recent
differing accounts of the battle of Shiloh,
including the Generals own paper on
the subject published not long ago, will
be interested in this additional reference
from its place in this volume:
Gen. Beauregard was next in rank to
Johnston, and succeeded to the COM
mand, which he retained to the close of
the battle and during the subsequent
retreat on Corinth, as we'll as in the
siege of that place. His tactics have
been severely criticised by Confederate
writer's, but 1 do not believe his fallen
chief could have done any better under
the circumstances. Some of these crit
les claim that Shiloh was won when
Johnston fell and that if he had not fall
len the army under me would have
been annihilated or captured. Ifs de-
feated the Confederates at Shiloh.
There is little doubt that we should
have been disgracefully beaten if all
the shells and bullets fired by us had
passed harmlessly over the enemy, and
if all of theirs had taken effect. Com
manding Generals are liable to be killed
during engagements; and the fact that
when he was shot Johnston was leading
a brigade to induce it to make charge
which had been repeatedly ordered, is
evidence that there was neither the uni
versal decentralization on our side nor
the unbounded confidence on theirs
which has been claimed. There was,
in fact, no hour during the day when l
doubted the eventual defeat of the
enemy, although I was disappointed
that reenforcements. so near at hand
did not arrive at an earlier hour.
The description of the battle of Shiloh
given by Col. William Preston Johnston
IS very graphic and we'll told. The