St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-09-28
The Battle of Shiloh.


penned. 1t will be interesting to old sol.
diers. especially to those who were in the
battle as its verisimilitude is startling.
1t recently appeared in the San Francisco
Examiner and is written by Ambrose
Bierce.
This is simple story of battle; such
a tale as may be told by soldier who is
no writer to reader who is no soldier.
The morning of Sunday, the sixth day
of April, 1862, was bright and warm
Reveille had been sounded rather late,
for the troops, wearied with long march
ing. were to have a day Of rest. The
men were idling about the embers Of
their bivouac fires; some preparing
break asst, others looking carelessly to
the condition of their arms and accou'
trements, against the inevitable inspec'
ton; still others were chatting with pur-
poseless dogmatsm on that never falling
theme, the end and object of the cam
paigu. Sentinels paced up and down the
confused front with lounging freedom
of mien and stride that would not have
been tolerated at another time. A few
of them limped unsoldierly, in difference
to blistered feet. At little distance in
the rear OF the stacked arms were few
tents out of which frowsy-headed officers
occasionally peered, languidly calling to
their servants to fetch basin of water,
dust coat. or polish a scabbard. Trim
young mounted orderlies, bearing des-
patches obviously unimportant, urged
their lazy nags by devious ways amongst
the men, enduring with unconcern the
good humored railery which was the
penalty OF superior station. Little me-
gros Of not very clearly defined status
and function lolled on their stomachs,
kicking their long, bare heels in the sun
shine, or slumbered peacefully, unconsci-
Gus of the practical waggery prepared
bv white hands for their undoing.
Presently the flag hanging limp and
lifeless at headquarters was seen to lit
itself spiritedly from the staff. At the
same instant was heard dull, distant
sound, like the heavy breat hing of some
great dHlIHdl DSlOW luS liz
flag had lifted its head to listen. There
was momentary lull in the hum OF the
the human swarm; then, as the flag
dropped, the hush passed away. But
there were some hundreds more men on
their feet than before; some thousands
of hearts beating with quicker pulse
Again the flag made warning sign,
and again the breeze bore to our ears the
long, deep signing of iron lungs. The
division, as il it had received sharp
word Of command, sprang to its feet,
and stood in groups at attention"
Even the little blacks got up. l have
since seen similar effects produced by
earthquakes; am not sure but the
ground was trembling then. The mess
cooks, wise in their generation, lifted the
steaming camp-kettes off The fire and
stood by to cast out. The mounted
orderlies had somehow disappeared.
officers came ducking from beneath their
tents, and gathered in clusters. Head.
quarters had become swarming hive.
The sound Of the great guns now came
in regular Interchangeable strong, full
pulse of the fever Of battle. The flag
Tapped excitedly, shaking out its bazon
ry of stars and stripes, with sort o.
fierce delight. Toward the knot of off
GERS in its shadow dashed from some
where--he seemed to have burst out Of
the ground in cloud OF dust-a mounted
aide-de-camp, and on the instant rose
the sharp clear notes of bugle, caught
up and repeated, and passed on, by other
bugles, until the level reaches o.
brown fields, the line OF woods trendine
away to far hills, and the unseen valleys
beyond were vocal of blown horns.
the fainter strains half drowned in ring
ing cheers. as the men ran to range them
selves behind the stacks of arms. Fol
this call was not the wearisome "gen
eral" before which the tents go down; il
was the exhilarating assembly" which
goes to the heart as wine, and stirs tn,
blood like the kisses of beautiful
woman. Who that has heard it calling
to him above the grumble of great gun
can forget the wild intoxication Of it
music?
The Confederate forces in Kentuck,
and Tennessee had suffered a series @
reverses, eliminating in the loss Of Nash
vile. The blow was severe; immens
quantities Of war material had fallen t
the victor, together with all the impol
tant strategic points. General Johnsto
withdrew Beauregard's army to Corintl
in Northern Mississippi, where he hope
SO to recruit and equip it as to enable
to assume the offensive and retake III
lost territory.
The town of Corinth is wretche
place-the capital of a swamp. 1t is
two days march west Of the Tennessee
which here and for hundred and fit
miles further, to where it falls into Il
Ohio at Paducah, runs nearly mort
1t is navigable to this point-that is
say, to Pittsburgh Landing, where Co
NTH gets to it by road worn through
thickly wooded country scanned wi
ravines and bayous, rising nobot
knows where and running into the riv
under sylvan arches heavily draped wi
Spanish moss. In some places they a
obstructed by fallen trees. The CORN
road is at certain seasons branch
the Tennessee river. Its mouth is PITT
burgh Landing. Herein 1862 were sol
fields and house or two now there is
national cemetery and perhaps other il
provements. 1t was at Pittsbur
Landing that Grant established
army, with river in his rear and ty
toy steamboats, as a means of comm
nication with the east side, whittier O.
eral Buell. with thirty thousand m
was moving from Nashville to join hi
The question has been asked, Why {
General Grant cross to the enemys 81
of the river, in the face of super
force, before the arrival Of Buell.? Blu
had long way to come; perhaps Gre
was weary OF waiting. Certainly job