The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-03-03
Bue,l and sherman In the Evening
of the First Day at Shiloh.


Hinder the title "Shiloh Review
ed. /" Gsa. D G. Buell. contributes to
the March Century his account OF
nrobablv the most disputed battle
of our war. From it we quote as
follows
I'm the dusk of the evening after
the close of the engagement on sun
day. 1 walked out with my chiei-oi-
staff. following the road and the line
of the troops. Ms object was to gain
information by which to determine
the formation of my divisions, and |
not only observed all that ] could
see at such an hour, but /
made inquiry as passed along. L
came 10 Hurlbul's left. 500 yards
from the river, ! passed to the front
ard clne to troops that answered as
McClernand's, and which suppos-
ed AZ the time to constitute his di-
vision, bat which were probably MS
First Brigade only passed to the
'front.' of these troops. and when /
turned 10 togard the road again, |
came upon Sherman line as 1t hap
peued. not far from where ne was,
and [ was conducted to bin. twas
then growing dark Judge the dis
tance 10 have oeeD about three quar-
ters of a mile from the rlver-less
than half a mile from Hurlbut :
len. and | think now thatit was near
the camp OF Col SSeeny's regiment,
the Fiity-secOnd Illinois, that /
found Gen Sherman.
The impression made upon my
mind by that interview has remain
ed as vivid as the circumstances
were peculiar. ! had no thought OF
seeing Gen. Sherman when set out
bet on every score | was glad 10 meet
bin, aud 1 was there to gain lntor-
nation. By what precise words 4
sought and be gave il, / would not
pretend al this day to repeat. 1t Is
sufficient Tor the present To say That
| learned the nature OF the ground
10 front: that his right flank was
some 800 yards from Us, and that
the bridge by which Lew Wallace
was 90 cross Suake Creek was 10 his
right and rear 10 40 angle, as he
pointed, of about forty degrees. /
do u8: KNOW whether | asked the
question. Dat / ka0w now that 1t
va, 4 mile or mlie and a quarter
from his flank and that he did not
cover 10 in any practical sense,
though in advancing Wallace would
approach by his right and rear.
also see loW that ! was mistaken IN
suupl,ia- ilat these several COM
mtads rcaiaed regular organize
uoa aud nsd distinct limits, where
a.. they were 10 fact very much ia
femixei
"Of course we talked OF other in
cia-uts matters. La all hi. career
he has. venture TO say, never APP
pea-ed % better advantage. There
was the frUk, brave soldier, rather
subduad, reauzing the critical sitna-
tl0u Boo rhich causes OF some sort.
percbaucs bis cwn fault chiefly, had
placed him. but ready, without affec-
iauon or arlyado. TO do anything
that duty required of him. He ask
ed me shat The plans were for the
morrow answered that | was 60
Ing 90 ltacS the enemy at daylight,
and nr expressed qualification at
my reply. though apparently not be-
cause ai ANY unmixed confidence in
the result [ had mad no consulta-
ton with General Grant aud knew
nothing oi MS purpose. | presumed
that we would be in accord, but !
had been only few hours within
the limits of his authority, and !
did not look Gpon him As my com-
mauder. though | would zealously
have obeyed his orders. General
sherman allowed me to take with
me the map, la fac similie of which
wa. printed with this article !
never imagined that in the future it
wo4ld have the interest which now
attaches to it, aad after the battle il
was laid aside aud forgotten.
WitbIu two years after that
meeting, quite contrary opinions de-
veloDed themselves between Gener-
al Sherman and myself concerning
tbeb utle Of Shiloh, and his Memoirs
give q different account of the inter
viea abo.e d-, ;ribed. He saws that
he handed the map to my engineer
officer. Captain Michler, who, in { .c'
WIS not present, and complains that
it vas never returned to him. He
Gays that I grumbled about the
s.raggiers. and that he feared | would
not bring my army across the river
Oac would suppose that his fear
woald have been allayed by the fac'
that al the very moment my troopi
were arriving and covering his from
as fast as legs aud steamboats, coul,
carry them.