St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-12-08
ON HISTORIC GROUND.

ON HISTORIC GROUND.
The Ever Memorable Battlefield Of
/ Shiloh.
\ Whore Gee. Johastoa Kell-Hls Death Leoe
the Battle e the SoatAeea APmy-A
Cedar Tree ussks the Spot WAseo
Jehastoa Diod-No Marble shan
Over the coossAeease Dead.
I stood, but little while ago, upon
the forever memorable and historic 6sld
OF Shiloh. and in the boastful spirit Of
the author who thought it worthy Of
note that he had looked into the tomb
ana seen the dust Of Shakespeare, may
not he who writes these lines esteem it
something that he has trod upon that
famous battle-ground
Leaving the railroad at Corinth, . ride
OF eighteen miles in = northeasterly di-
rsction. over high ridge road. the same
over which our army marched - it went
out to attack tho enemy. carried u
across the border into Tennessee and
brought US to Shiloh church, and We
were on the famous field. where, on the
9th Of April, 1853, there met in deadly
combat the magnificent armies Of Grant
and Albert Sidney Johnston. the one
fighting to destroy . newborn nations
hopes and to humble what they e.
teemed to be . rebellious and presump-
tuous people; the other defending the
blood-bought heritage bequeathed to
them by the fathers Of American liberty.
Those who met the Southern soldiers
in the deathful clash OF War know full
we'll what gallant struggle they made;
and the battle-scars OF thousands Of vet
Grams. and tho graves Of our heroic dead,
scatterd all over the land, bear testi-
mony that the liberties entrusted to
their keeping were not suffered to de-
part ut price less than what they cost.
Besides the fame won by the combat
ants for daring attack and stubborn re-
sistance, there are other things that
make Shiloh memorable. 1t WAS the
first great open field battle OF the war;
both armies were composed, almost en-
tirely, of men fresh from the civil pur-
suits OF life, but few having ever before
seen the enemy; and there the South
lost its illustrious general, Albert Sid
ney Johnston. His death and the de-
feat 1t Shiloh were the first steps lead
ing to the downfall Of the Confederate
government.
The only engagements Of any note
prior to this were At Manassas, Pea
Ridge and Wilson's Creek; they were
considered sharp battles 1t the time,
but they fade into insignificance COM
pared with Shiloh. There died ten
thousand Of the flower Of America.
After this Struggle tho North and
South understood each other. The
fountains Of the great deep were now
broken up and each prepared for .
doluge of blood.
The South once believed that after |
few little battles the white winged dove |
If peace would return; the North thought |
that it could route the southern army
with few shots and shouts, but 1T Shi-
lob it learned that tho Southern race
were brave and stubborn people, who |
had staked everything, life. liberty and |
possessions upon the issue Of the war,
and would never yield 30 long ~ there |
were men and means to wage it: and |
after four years of ceaseless warfare.
against overwhelming numbers, tho |
once glorious army Of the South that |
had so often dipped its conquering ban
ncr in the crimson tide, WAS left shat
tered remnant but with souls uncon-
quered still.
Corinth was the base Of operation Of
J0hnston's army, and 10 Of itself place
Of historical interest There may still b
seen around its suburbs the grass-grown
bulwarks behind which lay tho South.
ern army, and over which the enemy
dared not attempt to come. After Fort
Donelson and Fort Henry surrendered
the Southern army fell back to recruit
and to protect the railroads which cross
here.
Grants army had reached Pittsburg
and was lying in camp await
ing the arrival OF the army Of the Ohio.
under Buell.. when Gen. Johnston sur
prised him on Sunday morning.
Shiloh Church, which gave its name
% the battle, was . little log house
without doors or windows. It was torn
Town several years ago and neat frame
erected upon the same spot.
When the battle began the church
vas within the Federal lines. and near
heir center. At the close of tina day
he Confederates occupied the position
hat they (the Federals) held in the
and the church was Gen.
headquarters. The Fed
rails had been driven back ON the Ten
,essee river, three miles from their
ormer position. A mile to tho north !,
vest Of the church Is Owl Crock. There
ested the Federal right Shermsn's
livision, when the battle opened. Their ,
eft, supported by Prentiss' division,
tretched away . mile and half to tho I
outhwest To the northeast Of the
he church, where the Purdy and Cor
nth roads cross, was McClernand's d. I
'ision. Two miles back the Corinth I
DAD intersects the road to Crump's
there WAS w. H. L. Wsllsce's /
ivision, and = mile 70 his left was /
iurlbut's. A mile to Hurlbuts left,
ear the river, was Stuarts brigade. =
.ew Wallace's division was at Crump's G
.snding, i've miles down the river. and q
|uell, with 10000 men, was on the way {
rom Columbia, Tenn. Neither arrived =
ntil after the battle OF the first day 4
rs over. Half . mile south Of the {
hurch WAS the Confederate's center. 1
he front line, composed Of the Third Q
orps and Gladden's brigade. WAS COM
landed by Hardee, and extended from n
wi Creek, ON the left, to Lick Creek. n
a the right, about three miles. Hind u
,an's division Of two. brigades, occupied {
be center; Cleburne's brigade the left b
nd Gladden's the right The second
ne WAS commanded BY Bragg, with b