The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-16
TIE nArTLEOE snlLOu,


What Admiral Porter says Is u In His
Naval History OF tho War.
POrtr's Nv hook.
Tho account Of the famous battle which
soon occurred at this place must be LETT to
military writers, but the battle OF Shiloh,
with It's changes Of fortune from hour to
hour, its keen anxieties, the splendid
fighting on both sldes and the splendid
victory that was finally wrenChed from
the enemy alter no had driven our troops
upon the river will always be remembered
by those who have read the history OF that
day.
We will only refer to the moment when
our troops having been driven by the
enemy from point to point and riGga to
ridge, had reached the river bank and
were brought to bay. Here tho gunboats
Lexington" and "faylor" rendered good
service, and tho National troops, rallylng
under the cover Ot their guns, now made
superb resistance, and although the
enemy flung himself again and again
upon the Union lines, he was again and
sgain driven back. The military his.
lOrians have not done justice to
the work Of the gunboats at this i'm.
portant nnCture. 1t is the be.
lief Of many officers that without the aid
Of these vessels the Federal army would
have been annihilated. Between
our position and where the enemy hsd
prepared for this last rush waa ravne
whiCh they must Cross In the assault, aud
here tho two gun.boats took up position.
At the same time Col. Webster, OF Con.
Grants stuff, hastily collected some scat
tered guns and placed them where they
could play on the left flank ofthe enemy'a
line when they should advance. This WAS
tho decisive point in the battle. Tho next
half hour would settle the question
whether or not victorious Confederate
army should occupy and lay under ContIi.
button the States north OF the Ohio
There was brief lull in the firing while
the Confederate host was making lis final
preparations, and our troops were being
collected in q semi.circular mass, with the
center not half mile from the river. Our
men with the exception Of the shameless
skulkers) had fought bravely, but were
now in disorganized condition, and II
seems as II their main dependence must
now be upon the guns which Col. Web.
ster had collected to check tho advance Of
the enemy. .Asstated by Gen, Grant, their
troops we're massed go as to strike the main
blow at our left" 80 by turning 1t they
could seize the transports and stores. 1t
did not occur TO the enemy that this
would bring their column under the guns
at point-blank range. In this
engagement the "Tay lor" fired 1888 shells,
and the Lexington" about tho same nun.
bUr, and 1t can he imagined what gaps
we're made in the Cnemy'B ranks by our
expert gunneTs when they were lnasged at
the ravlne for rush upon our disOrgan-
iG.d troops already driven nearly to the
river.
There Is a tradition in the navy which
wi 10 down TO pOBterlty that the Taylor.
and Lexington prevented part oiuur army
on that day from being driven into the
river, and turned the enemy buck when
he considered that tho victory was In his
hands. Why Gen. Grant did not have a
large number Of gdnb1ats at Plttsburg
Landing is not understood, as II was u
tuost favorable position for their use, and
the 10000 Confederates spread over q
large area Of ground would have offered
many opportunities for them to throw in
an effective FIRE.
The victory was claimed by both par.
ties, but the Federals remained masters Of
the field.
It broke tip the delusion Of many In the
North who, up 10 this time, had believed
tnat, after o few heavy defeats the South.
ern people would return to their allegi.
AnCe.
tories OF Donelson and Shiloh, and the
capture OF Columbus, Nashville and
Bowling Green, no perCUplible effect was
made upon the resolution oil the Oonieder.
ates Their energy was not In the least
diminished,