The National tribune., 1892-10-13

The now famous battlefield at Snfioh OF
Pittsburg Landing, has been the theme OF
many writers since it was made forever MS
torical by the stirring events that took place
tbere on April 6 and q, 1862. In giving brief
sketch of the 41st Ill. at Shiloh, shall only
give mart of the scenes that occurred on that
Teld as NO one privste soldier cond give all
the many incidents that happened there. 4 lie
dist was fortunate in very many Things ana uh-
fortunate in others; for If there was any hard
fighting to be doue it was never sllghted hut,
in the language of Col. Bryant, OF the 18th Wis,
st the fight at Coldwater, Miss, it was, " 90 i'll,
11st. Won have been tried and have proved your
selves good soldiers The regiment WAS Tor
inmate i'm having good aud brave commanders
Coils. Pugh, Tupper Male, Warner, Mctadccn,
and Others who never knew what lear was,
and who would have died for the flag and the
Union, as did Col 1upperi ara many others Oh
his brave boys, at Shiloh.
When Gen Grant aud his victorious army
returned from Fort Dopeison, and the Army OF
the Tennessee WAS ordered up the river to Pitts
burg Landing, how well we all remember tfat
never to be forgotten scene as that grand army
bearded the great feet OF steamers and swung
ont into the Tennessee River with bands play
inr. Gags waving. and troops cheering, as they
would mass each other Oh he way 10 Dixie, and
10 meet the enemies Of our Union and tag on
other fields 1cu will remember the two
steamers with the steam cailopcS, tie Glen
Dale, and the Silver Moon. one playing
aDiKie" and the other. the " Girl Lett Sc
hind Me- The 4ist Ill. WAS fortunate IN be-
ing assigned to the steamer Alexander Scott,
The swiftest boat on the river, and we passed
all others except Gen. HuFibut's headquarters
boat and arrived at pittsburg Landing in adj
vance of the rest OF the army. Loading our
guns on the steamer, a skirmish-iins was
thrown out, and Serg't A. ID. McIenry, OF 20.
r, claims the honor of being the first man to
IL 4 Il fnrnR
The 4lst III. was the first regiment TO land
there.
When the army went up the river there had
been two companies of the SD Ill. and gun
boat up there previous 10 this, and the 32d
bows had skirmish with the Contederates and
had one or two men wounded and killed, but
the dist was the first 10 take possession and
hold the place. The skirmish-line advanced
out about one mile, and found no armed enemy
In their front Soon the regiment arrived and
went into camp, and the remainder OF the d.
vision along with the other divisions, landed
and went into camp. Sherman and McClernand
out near the old Shiloh Church, and w. ii. l..
Wallace and prentiss on the right OF Hurbnt,
with Gen. Lew. Wallaees Division eight miles
Down the river, at CfuDps Landing. Thus the
army remained until the morning of April 9,
when the battle began.
You will remember the scene that occurred
on that morning when we heard the roar oil the
long roll as it came down the line from Wal
laces Division, until ii reached the left OF our
division, and we heard the shrill. keen voice of
old COL Pugh calling out, Fall in, 4lst Ill.,"
and in very few minutes we were IA line and
ready TO &c TO the front. Nou will also remem
her the admonition of that grand old man when
ne eaid Members of the 4Ist ILL.,. shall ex-
pect every man TO do his duty to-day: and, re
member the State of Illinois is watching you
Oh every battlefield. Let the honor of our
arm at his post"
AS We marched to the front there were many
retreating stragglers that were rushing by to
The Landing, and Col Pugh ordered them to
Tall in On the left Of his regiment and stand
their ground. We were assigned a position
lust to the left of the old Bell House, aud adj
ganced some distance TO the front, when there
came a roar OF musketry on the right, and the
whole line fred off their guns. The result was
large COW was killed. that being all there
was in our immediate front at that time We
were then placed in position near the Bell
House and ordered 10 attack. Gen. Grant
and his staff arrived between s and 8 o'clock
and passed out between our lines 10 see bow
Sherman aud McClernana were gettin. along.
he soon returned and said, Boys, you will
soon have something TO do" which WAS veri-
FED by the assault made across the open field at
the Peach Orchard. This Gen. Johnston said
WIS the key TO the position. and it was here the
Confederate chieftain urged forward his bril-
fades and divisions until he became desperate,
and leading brigade against the 4lst, 2Sth,
and 32d ILL.,, lost his life.
1 had the pleasure Of visiting that famous
old battlefield two years ago and just to the
right of the Bell House stands all evergreen
tree which marks the place where Gen. Albert
Sidney Johnston fell. 1t is just opposite the
postion held BY the left wing Of the 25th ILL.,.
fbe right Of the 4lst III.
You will remember that as the battle opened
there came regiment in on our left 1T a double
quick TO Gil up the. gap between the 41st and
Stewards Brigade. This was the fighting 9Th
ILL, regiment that never knew what fear was.
at Donelson il had fought beside US. and at
Shiloh il lost 365 men in killed and wounded.
Standing by our side on That field on Sunday,
when the Confederates had made assault after
Assault against our lines from 10 a. H. till 2 p.
m, and the left was turned We were ordered
10 fall back and form new line, which we did
An perfect order We were out of ammunition,
and only had what could be found in the boxes
Of some dead comrades.
Gen. Hurlbut had three times ordered Col.
upper TO take the regiment TO the rear and
supply il with ammunition. Mai. Warner had
gone for a wagonload, but had lot yet returned
Col. Upper said: We will not, and VIC must
not, give up this position" He ordered the
men 10 fix bayonets, and said We viii use
She cold steel before we will be driven back. )"
About this time a rebel bullet went crashing
through his forehead and he fell. being sup
ported by Serg't-M Maj James Coleman, who
assisted him 20 lie down. This was his last
hattie. and be sleeps in the cemetery at Decatur
Mai. Warner arrived at this time with the
ammunition, and assumed command of the
regiment, as Col. Pngh had been taken early
In the morning TO command the brigade, Col.
Williams, of the 81 Iowa being wounded. We
marched back to our camp where we replen-
had hoy .,,J
take our places on the last line of defense, one
mile from the Landing. As we were nearing
this line, Gen. Hurlbut rode up aud inquired
what regiment this was. When told that il
was tie dist ILL.,, he said: " ] am proud 10 see
the 4lst i'll. maintaining such good order
We took up our position just north of the
siege battery that Lad been gotten up from the
river and the line of artillery formed by Gen.
Grant and Col Webster, his Chief of-Staf, and
witnessed the assault Of Gen. Chalmerss Mis-
sissippi Brigade on the left Of the line along
Dilps Run. With the repulss Of this brigade
ended the battle Oh the 9Th. In the meantime
Col. Pugh came in and was Immediately sur
rounded by the boys. who took him by the
hand, and rejoiced THAI he had been spared
through the terrible struggle of tha day. He
said: Boys. / am all right, but ! fear oul
country is not"
This was the darkest hour the Western Army
ever saw. when. overpoweied aud outnun.
bered, il had been driven back 20 within one
mile oi thG Landing but it Was only tenn
porsry defeat, for with the early dawn Of the
following day the battle Was renewed aud Tho