The National tribune., 1895-05-02
ON HARD-FOUGHT FIELDS.
A Reminiscent Trip by Two Comrades Of
the 1Ath wis,

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: A pleasant
trip was made to the old fields OF Shiloh
and Corinth recently by Comrade +. f.
! Engle, of the 14th Wis, and myself. AT
Corinth we secured good team and light
spring wagon and were well equipped for
the occasion. We found the general con-
dition of the country in northern Missis-
sippi and eastern Tennessee very nearly the
same as during the war. There has been no
progress made whatever by the people, and
it looks about as desolate rs when the war
ragged in all its fury and destructiveness.
Where the battles were fought the grounds
are very much changed; the roadways that
were then used by our armies are nearly all
obliterated and grown up in timber and
thick brush, mostly post or jack-oak, and
it is with the greatest difficulty and trouble
that one can locate any particular camp or
line-ofbattle.
We were more fortunate in locating our
positions at Corinth and Shiloh than many
others will ever be; our regiment having
remained at Pittsburg Landing as Provost
Guard after the battle until August, which
gave us good opportunity to become famil-
lar with the Shiloh field and also at Corinth.
Around Corinth many old earthworks are
still found, the place having been strongly
fortified by Bsauregard during the siege and
also by our army during the Summer and
Fall of 1862. At Corinth the ex- Coniederates
are raising money TO erect a monument to
the memory of Col. Rogers, of the I'd Tex,
who so unsuccessfully, but bravely, led the
| forlorn charge on Robinett, Oct. A, in the
final charge at Corinth, and fell dead at the
| edge of the parapet. His remains are buried
where he fell
The little town of Corinth has grown
some, and has little enterprise in the way
of small wooden mill and machine shop
but aside from this the place is the same old
sleepy Corinth as before the war days.
A visit to the National Cemetery was
made, where 5,727 Union soldiers are buried
-l,7S7 known and 3,940 unknown. The
cemetery is well located and beautifully
laid out, surrounded by a handsome brick
! wall, three quarters of mile little south
east of the town, on high grounds. While
at Corinth we met Mr.. Bynum, a relative of
our Congressman Bynum. He is COM
mander of the Camp Of ex-Confederate SOL
diers at Corinth. He was glad to meet and
shake hands with the boys who wore the
blue. We met number of ex-Johnnies,
and all seemed 10 be glad to shake hands.
After visiting all parts of the field where
the battle was fought, Oct. and 4, 1862,
where the battle commenced on the morn
ing OF the Sd, our regiment, then part of
| Oiliver's Brigade, Mckean's Division, held
back the advancing JOhnnies until Rose
Grams, who was in command, rallied his
| forces.
We arrived at Corinth at 7:45 a. m. We'd
nesday morning, and left for Shiloh Thurs
day p. m; drove out 81 miles to Pittsburg
Landing over the road upon which Halleck
made his advance on to Corinth. We found
it very rough. On the route we could &C.
casionally see old rife-pits, but they were
mostly washed away, and only faint traces
remained. When we arrived at Shiloh
Church, three miles from the Tennessee
River, we found the old log church was de-
stroyed at the time of the battle, and every
piece of timber taken away as trophies. 1
presume several million of canes are made,
supposed to have been part of thai famous
church. Since then, on the same grounds,
there has been erected a small frame church.
We then started for the Landing arriving
there at $50 p. M. At the church and
around the Shiloh Springs we found num-
her had already arrived; stand, decorated,
had been built for the speaking, and several
hncksters were the ground with eatables,
etc, ready for business. On our way to the
Landing we stopped about halfway at
farmhouse which looked quite inviting,
owned by j. Il. Duncan. We found we
could obtain quarters for ourselves and
team, and told him we would soon return
Fortunately, Mr.. Duncan lived at this
same place; the old house was destroyed at
the time of the battle. He was then II
years old. To our great advantage he was
the best-posted native in that country. His
place was one-and-a-balf miles from the
Landing, on the main Corinth road, and to
the left, facing to the front, hafa mile, was
the Hornets Nest. Near by was the old
peach orchard, near the place where Gen.
Albert Sidney Johnston fell.
But a few yards from Duncan's place Gen. |
w. IL. l.. Wallace was killed, on Sunday,
April @, on the main road toward the Land |
ing. The small creek SO often referred to,
runs along his farm. Being so nicely To-
Gated, we had many advantages to help us
in our looking over the field. After going |
to the Landing and walking over our old |
camping grounds, which were located on the |
bluff overlooking the river, we returned for |
the night to where we had engaged quar-
ters On Saturday we started back to |
CorInth by way of Hamburg, four miles up |
the river. Soon after we left. q cold rain |
began. There were at least 1000 or 5000 old |
and young men, women and children, on
the grounds, including about 500 ex-soldiers
of each army, and but very little shelter.
1t was hard, cold storm, and much suffer
ing was the consequence Many came, in
all kinds of vehicles, single and double; OK
teams, mule teams, horses, and many mount
ed on horse and muleback. Some of the
wagons, one would judge, were used helping
Noah TO unload when he landed his ark.
During the three days of the Reunion,
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, until the
rain came, mixed squads of both armies
were scattered in places all over the battle
field. The greater portion of the throng,
however seemed TO remain around the Land
ing and Shiloh Church, and but few locke
the field over, except those who were at the
great battle of Shiloh.
The 14th Wis was an unassigned regi-
ment, but fought on the line with Critten-
den's Division, Buers army, temporarily
attached to William Smiths Brigade, this
being the advanced line of battle Monday
morning. The position held on Sun lay
night by Grants army, and the arrival Of
Gen. Lew Wallace with his veteran divis-
ion, made il safe from further being pushed
back.
The large trees which stood on the field Mt
the time of the battle are nearly gone At
the time the timber was riddled by shot
and shell, and what was left has been taken