The National tribune., 1886-10-07
"SUNDAY AT SHILOH"
MAI. Bering, 4sth Ohio, Replies 10 Criticisms
Upon His Article.


To THE EDITOR: In reply to my article,
Sunday at Shiloh" in your issue of Aug. 10,
Comrade George p. Nicolai has made the same
mistake that is frequently made by the fight
ing them over" veterans, namely, he does not
reply TO a single statement that i made. i
started out 10 find the soldiers that were sur
prised in their beds by the Confederates on
Sunday morning at Shiloh. In doing so / gave
an account of what our regiment and brigade
did before and after the battle began in our
front. 1t is copied from my diary, all of which
has been fully corroborated by Gen. Il. p. Buck
land, our brigade commander, in the Cincinnati
Gasette Of April z, 1871, and Toledo Blade of
June A. 1881. as well as in his official report of
the battle; by Col. Peter ]. Sullivan, of the
4Sth Ohio, in the Cincinnati Commercial Of Oct.
Is. 1851; by Capt. L. NJ. Posegate OF the 4Sth.
of St Joseph Mo-, in a sketch of the regiment
read at our Reunion in 1884. would also refer
TO the official report of Col. ]. X. Cockerell, of
the 10th Ohio, of our brigade and TO the official
report Of Gen. Sherman. in his Memoirs" Vol.
j, page 2H.
TO further suhstantiate my statements will
call attention 10 only one letter from the mass
Of correspondence received on the subject. 1t
is written by Henry Hildebrant, private,
Co. T., 4Sth Ohio. He gives the same ac-
count that do Of what transpired on Sunday
morning. After the regiment formed on the
color-line, he received permission from his Off
GERS 10 return TO his tent, and rejoined his COM
pany just before the 18th was ordered to the
front 10 support the pickets. He did not wit
ness anything described by Comraae Nicolai,
although they belonged 10 the same company
and were both in their tents while the regiment
was in line of battle, with its arms stacked,
waiting for orders. Capt. James Lowry, who
was First Lieutenant of Co i, 4sth Ohio, at
Shiloh, informs me that he indorses all that
have stated in my article.
According TO the foregoing authorities quoted,
with an abundant supply of the same kind in
reserve, there can be no controversy whatever
in regard TO our brigade holdingits original po-
sition in advance Of our camps until 10 a. m. on
Sunday morning. lie will therefore learn for
the first time that his Letters and pictures of
the loved ones at home " that he abandoned in
suck great haste, were not disturbed by " the
rebel horde" for three hours after he left his
tent. 1t will occur TO most persons that three
hours was a very good start even for an invalid
10 beat the Confederktes to the Landing. which
was only two and half miles distant. Perhaps
he does not even know TO this day that his regi-
ment fought at Shiloh; at least he does not men
t:on il in his article.
Before / close / want TO ask but single
question: What will be the verdict on this
subject by the future historian Of the battle of
Shiloh, when he turns TO "Serios ], Vol. 10,
Union and Confederate Reports" published by
order Of Congress- containing the Confederate
official reports of the battle. in which every
Captain of Artillery, every officer in command
Of regiment, every brigade and division COM
mander, as well as the two corps commanders
who were in the advance, state that when they
got within sight Of our camps on Sunday morn
ing they advanced under a deadly fire OF
shell, grape and musketry2" Every report
states that they were fired on FIRST, telling in
| plain language how they were repulsed at the
+ first attack at various points Of the line even
giving the losses they sustained before they
got into position where they could return the
"galling fire" OF the Union troops. Then turn
| 10 page $50, Gen. Cleburne's report, whose bri-
] gade was the first 10 attack our brigade Buck.
! lands Of Sherman's DiyisiOn) at Shiloh. He
/ states that the 9th Miss. lost az the opening Of
| the battle 300 killed and wounded out Of 81;
men; being untitled for further service" the
remnant of the regiment go mem were Sent
10 the rear, with what was left of the I'd and
23d Tenn, and before noon on that Sunday
morning he reported TO Gen. Hardee that hi
was without a command, and this was all done
according TO the reports OF the stragglers at tn,
| Landing, by the sleeping soldiers!
would advise every soldier that is inter
ested in getting at the truth Of the battle o.
Shiloh, 10 procure Gen. NJ. +. Forces History
" From Fort Henry 10 Corinth," which is offer
ed as a premium by THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
for club Of six new subscribers. IL is the
standard authority on Shiloh, and in fact th,
| key 10 the Confederate reports, as il shows
from authentic sources what regiments anC
brigades were opposed 10 each other during tn,
two days battle Of both Union and Conieder
ate armies. This history will eventually d,
away with the controversy on Shiloh. A
BERINo, Major, 45th Ohio, Lynchburg, o.