The National tribune., 1899-08-03
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
BUELL'S MARCH TO SHILOH.
The 4sth Ohio was There and Got Iao the Serimmnge
to Its Credit.

Nevin. The different divisions were
marched out on open ground for grand
review of all the troops. Buell. looked every
inch a General, and the army hoped he
would prove to be the right officer to lead
our forces to victory on every battlefield.
In a few weeks the army was marched
southward to Mumfordsville, near the
north bank of Green River. Camp Wood
was the name given to the camping ground.
Here we all went into Winter quarters,
and experienced some Kentucky weather.
1t would get as cold as "blazeS" for two or
three days at Il time. then thaw out, and the
mud would be knee deep. The roads fire.
quently would get impossible for mules
and army wagons.
The ,Johnnies had burned the wood
work off the railroad bridge across Green
River before the Union troops got there.
1t was quite structure, being built on
stone piers about 100 feet high, and the
| bridge was fully 600 yards across from one
bank to the other.
| saw a man, who, it was said, was a
sailor, walk over the river at that giddy
hight on one of the railroad ties that had
| been left in place. 1t was a wonderful feat,
almost equal to walking across on Il rope.
| Most of the soldiers could hardly walk
| over the bridge after it had been completed
| by our bridge builders, with the railing on
each side. To look down from such a
hight to the greeniSh waters beneath would
turn many of the boys dizzy. 80
One day, while at that place, part of the
army had a little excitement, rs some of the
| regiments were out under arms to meet the
enemy, who appeared in sight on the oppo-
site side of Green River. The troops moved
| out On double quick time, crossed over the
| stream on the pontoon bridges, ready for
| the battle with the Texas Rangers, who
came TO destroy the new bridge But at
| our approach they soon fled to a more
| congenial place of safety.
Early in theSpring of 1862 Buell. started
with his army toward the enemy on the
| Louisville and Nashville pike. We ad-
| vanced into Tennessee, and in a short time
| city in the evening, and went into camp
about SIX miles beyond its limits.
Our army had marched through the
great State of Kentucky, called the Dark
and Bloody Ground" name given to it
by the Indians i'll former years. We had
| seen the hills and valleys of that great
State, noted for its blue grass region, corn,
| tobacco, and Bourbon whisky. Thus far
we had gotten into the State of Tennessee,
named after the river of the same name.
meaning the river of the big bend" which
can be seen by referring to the map Of the
State. 81
At that time we did not anticipate that
and countermarches through those two
noted States. The eastern ald middle
parts became familiar to our part of the
army. The mountains in the eastern part
OF Tennessee, with its mining and grazing
interests, were scenes which we looked
upon later on with wonder and amaZement
We got to see the corn, wheat, and cotton
of Middle Tennessee, and many times
were out foraging with wagon-trains nearly
a mile long loaded down with corn and
other forage for man and beast in our camps
Then 1T was we encountered the enemy,
who were trying to protect this property
for the use of the Confederate army, and
numerous sklrmishes occurred; but we got
there nearly every time when the army
needed something to eat. OF course, such
was not the case under Buell.. The forag-
ing done under Buell. was mostly on the
sly.
! must now return to camp below Nash
of the infantry were Alex. McCook's,
Nelson's s and Crittenden's. We belonged
to McCOok'S. The army soon had march
ing orders, with McCOok's Division in ad-
vance, Nelson's next, and Crittenden's in
the rear. We marched to Columbia, Tenn,
where the rebels had burned the bridge
over Duck River to impede our progress
southwark. McCook's IS Division was halted
there 10 days while the bridge was
being built. Nelson's Division came along
before the bridge was completed, put down
pontoon bridges, and crossed Duck River,
with his artillery, the infantry fording the
stream, and then led the advance column.
1t was rumOrcd in our camp that the
army was needed at the front Two days
later the bridge was finished, and then our
division followed after Nelson's, with
Crittenden still in the rear marching after
us. On Friday evening, April 5, 1862,
Buelps army was encamped within about
25 miles of Savannah, Tenn. That night
we heard sounds of heavy cannonading in
our front We learned afterwards that it
was from the gunboats on the Tennessee
River, near Pittsburg Landing, shelling
the rebels. We were again enthused over
the prospects Of real battle.
Early on the following morning, April 6,
the rattle OF mlsketry and the continuous
booming OF artillery were heard in the dis
tance to the southwark. The earth seemed
to tremble, and we realized that mighty
contest was going on between contesting
forces at Shiloh.
The soldiers received orders to leave their
knapsacks, which were then full of clothing,
extras, and a woolen blanket, with the
wagon tram. The boys were each to carry
three days rations, 40 rounds of ammuni-
ton and rubber blanket. Our troops
were wild with excitement all day long,
rs we marched forward toward the enemy
to the music of musketry and cannon.
The rebels had assailed our comrades with
terrible fury, and Buell's army was going
to their assistance.
This army had been on long march,
and was well disciplined thereby for the
bloody encounter with the rebel hosts under
Beauregard and Johnston. The wagon
trains along the road were Side-tracked in
places, and there were many impediments
in the way, but our marching columns
pushed ahead with all possible speed
Our part of McCook's Division reached
Savannah about } a. IN. on April 7, and
itwas raining, so that we had disagreeable
time. The boys made some coffee in haste,
which was always our standby for stimu-
lating our exhausted systems, and under
the emergency a quart Of the strongest
decoction was drunk by each soldier. The
Union army might not have conquered
the enemy had it not been for our rations
Of coffee. Then sow-belly and crackers
came next; but our rations Of beans and
rice did not seem SO necessary IS the first
three rations. We had to eat our grub
that morning in hurry, as every moment
was precious in saving the Union army
from destruction. ~
The 49th Ohio was run down to the land
ing on boat, as were many other regi-
ments. The river bank was lined with
struggling soldiers who had been run back
landed that their regiments had been all
cut to pieces the day before and that we
would soon be back with them. But Buell's
troops were tired andYll-natured, and not
in a condition to retreat They felt like
dying in their tracks rather than falling
back from in front of the enemy.
Nelson's Division had gotten on the
battlefield the evening before, and now
McCook's and Crittenden's We're to follow.