Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-05-30
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE
AS VIEWED BY THE BATTLE OF SHILOH.

1t was Wednesday night, April ?
! 1862. The weather was bleak anC
chilly and March wind whistled sad
ly through a wintry forest in the sub
urbs of Corinth, Miss. An unpreten
tious cottage set back we'll into th'
shadow of the trees. The illumina
ton of candle could be discernec
from the window, and a sentinel guard
ed the door. A figure in gray, with The
buttons of brigadier, emerged from
the darkness beyond, saluted the Wig,
liant knowingly, and passed quickly
in-John C. Breckenridge, of Ken
lucky, and his presence was added tc
a council of war.
Around an oaken table, in an un'
carpeted room to the left, with charts
maps and drawings spread carefully
before them, sat Gems Albert Sydney
Johnson and G.. T. Beauregard, Maj
Gems. Braxton, Bragg, Leonidas Polk
and William J. Hardee. What SEX
tette Albert Sydney johnson, upon
whose life, so soon to be sacrificed
hung, perhaps, the fate Of the confed'
eracy; Beauregard, whose genius di,
rected the first shot in the conflict
Bragg, the gallant commander; Har'
dee, the great tactician; Polk, the sold,
ier priest, and Breckenridge, the schol'
ar, the statesman, the warrior.
Exigencies of more than the ordi'
nary, even in times of war, had called
these chieftains together. The enemy
was near, and such an enemy Just
over the Tennessee river, twenty miles
north of this very scene, strong fleet
of federal gunboats was stationed, and
on the south bank of the river fifty
thousand soldiers in blue, well armed
and well equipped, were resting upon
their bayonets, with the fearless Grant
at their head, and Sherman, McClern'
and, Wallace, Stewart and Hurlburt
bold, skillful, enterprising all, at then
immediate command. On the way tc
reinforce Gen. Grant was Gen. Buell.
with twenty-one thousand well-sup-
piled soldiers, making a total land
force of over seventy thousand. The
confederates knew it all. Forty-one
thousand grays made the army around
Corinth to a man, and valor was their
only equipage. The supplies were
scant, the arms were rude, the disci-
pline was poor. But the bravery Of
the southern soldiers only reached its
zenith when marching to victory
through valley of death The cam
paign was determined upon, and on
Thursday morning, April 3, battle or
ders were given for the attack upon
Grant. 1t was late Saturday after
noon when the confederates were in
position at the enemy's front, and the
first clash of sabers was made shortly
after daybreak on Sunday, April 6.
And thus began the great battle Of
Shiloh
Perhaps no page in the history Of
the great battles of the world record:
more brilliant display of bravery
gallantry and boldness than that
evinced by the hungry, thinly-clad
boys of the gray on this our field oi
carnage The soldiers were from the
best blood of southern manhood, young
intelligent and fearless. They were
bound by the strongest ties of kindred
friendship and love. They fought moi
for glory, but for the honor Of theil
homes, and a country's cause. With
the science of tactics and the strength
of equipage against them, they marched
upon the enemy in the very shadow o.
death.
AS the morning of the memorable
Sabbath advanced the engagement be-
came general all along the iine-th'
clash of sabers, the roar Of artillery
the rattle of musketry, and the whoops
the wells of the victorious, and the
groans and agonies of the dying; The
streams of blood, the smoke Of battle
will the day never die?
The fortunes of war fuctuated. A
soldier is startled by cannon Shot
binding fash, mighty roar, the eartf
trembles; smoke, leaves, twigs and
gravel fill the air, all is confusion--i
falls as true as if carried by hand
! The smoke lifts and beneath is seen tht
lines of the enemy, closing in the oper
gaps. The grays advance. The fghr
becomes fendish; the evening bring
into action every available man anC
gun. The federal army is stubborn
The legions Of Beauregard are sur
prised. They halt, waver for mo
ment and retreat. Then comes disci