Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-15
DID. GEN. WALLACE 90 RIGHT

The old organization OF the Army of
the Tennessee has been renewing its
interest in civil war events at India
napolis this week. This was General
Grants old army and the most forceful
factor in winning the success in the
west that eventually led to the over
throw of the confederacy.
one Of the incidents of this India
napolis reunion has been the receipt of
q letter from General Lewis Wallace
{author OF Ben Hur') addressed to the
society, asking it to appoint board
to review that portion of his record
which relates to his part in the battle
of Shiloh. This was in response to an
invitation urging him to renew his
membership in the Army of the Tennes-
see. When the battle of Shiloh opened
on the 9th of April 1862. General Wal
lace commanded division encamped
ON the Tennessee river, number of
miles below the body of our army:
IL.
forces had .aercely assaulted Grants
legions on that quiet Sunday morning
General Wallace was directed by GEN
eral Grant to bring his forces to the
scene of action. His division had been
in arms for several hours waiting to
move when the order was received.
Immediately the column was put in
motion, and after it had proceeded a
considerable distance on one road, the
driven back from its original lines,
and hence General Grant sent a new
order to Wallace to join the main body
by the river road. General Wallace
thereupon countermarched his men and
Joined the main force in the evening,
just after the first days conflict had
ended. Had he pursued the road first
taken, instead of uniting with our
forces he would have struck the rear
Of the. Confederate columns. The eff
feet of this might have been con-
fusion to both forces. or 1t might have
led to the defeat and overthrow of the
rebels, for Wallace had strong, ex-
perienced body of men. The writer Of
these lines was member of Wallace's
division and writes from his personal
recollection Of the movement Now if
Wallace obeyed orders, as it was un-
derstood by his men that he did, would
he be censurable for complying with
General Grants direction. 1t is I'M
derstood to be the first duty of
u soldier to obey orders
Theirs not to reason why;
Theirs but to do and die
The Des Moines Register whose edi-
tor was a soldier, declares that Gen.
Wallace made mistake, just as Gen.
Grant and Gen. Sherman made mis-
takes at Shiloh, and Gen. Wallace
should have acknowledged his mistake
years ago, just as Generals Grant and
Sherman did. His mistake can not be
whitewashed while hundreds of Union
soldiers who participated in that first
days battle are still living, and 1t can
be safely said that the Society of the
Army Of the Tennessee will not attempt
to whitewash it," The Register editor
holds that Wallace's division could
have reached the battle field soon after
noon. and IL 1t had arrived there, on the
route 1t proceeded on until it nearly
reached the field, the confederate army
would have been between two fires and
easily routed" Many others hold the
same opinion, but no one can say with
certainty what would have happened
His soldiers were ready for the fray,
and We believe Wallace himself was
anxious for the battle.
Suppose that instead of obeying the
order to take another road he had taken
the initiative. had plunged into the rear
of the confederate cessna and had Won