The National tribune., 1901-02-07

McCook took part In the last advance
at p. m, in time to see the last Of the
enemy disappearing across Shiloh Branch
in the direction of Corinth, and at night
bivouacked on the right OF Crittenden in
front of Peabody's Brigade camp.
The Army of the Tennessee on the
morning of the 18th took position in line
by division in the following order: Gen.
Lew Wallaccs Division. with Thurbers
Missouri Battery, and Thompson's 9th In
diana Battery, on the right, and protected
on this flank by Owl Creek; then Sherman
and Wizards Battery; then McClernand
and McAllis:er's Battery; then Hurlbut
and Mann's Missouri Battery, connecting
on Huribut's left with the Army Of the
| Ohio under Gen. Buell., and at s q. m.
| moved forward and engaged the enemy's
lines on the ground over which Sherman
and McClernand had fought on the 9th,
and while the battle was waged with
nothing like the fury of Sundays on
slaught by the enemy, the battle was Sc
we're all along the front from 10 n. m.
until the enemy broke in final rout Mt 3
p. M: and these divisions were in the hard
est of il, firing the last shots as the enemy
disappeared from view across Shiloh
Branch, in front of the church. BueiFs
army, though no Drawer, was perhaps bet
ter drilled and disciplined, and as they
moved to the attack their lines were the
though compelled TO yield ground at one
or two points during the dag, it was only
for the moment. and these splendid men
moved forward again with the precision OF
Regulars, driving the enemy at all points
The enemy could not have much exceeded
10000 in the second days battle, such was
their crippled condition, and it was Eli
dent from the first they were only fight
ing to cover their retreat.
a statement of ihp number of men en-
gagged on both sides and a comparison of
losses with that of the second day IN
Buell's army will enable the reader to
judge of the fierce nature of Sundays
battle and something Of its decisive re-
suits. The Confederate army, under
Johnston and Beauregard. on the morning
of the 9th numbered 4 ,451 effective total.
Without any lines and with no one TO
form them, Gen. Grant had on the
field with which to meet them 81 ,331 men.
Had Lew Wallace's Division been pres
ent the numerical strength of the two
armies would have been about equal.
Losses by division during the battle
Gen. Grants: First Division, Gen Nc
Clernand commanding, /, 742; Second Di-
vision. Gen. w. IL. l.. Wallace command
ing, 2,749; Third Division. Gen. Lew
Wallace commanding, 296; Fourth Diyi-
sion. Gen. S. a. Hurlbut commanding,
1859; Fifth Division, Gen. w. L. Sher
man commanding. 1,90i; Sixth Division.
Gen. i. NJ. Prentiss commanding, 2,lI2.
Qew Walace's men were not engaged on
Sunday.)
Army of the Ohio, Gen. Buell. COM
handing: The entire loss of his divisions
engaged was but 2,163. These figures tell
their own story, and must stand forever
as complete yindication of the Army
of West Tennessee md silence forever
sensational reports made at the time and
to this day believed by many that Grants
men on Sunday night were covering I'M
der the river bank under the protection of
the gHnboats from an army that they had
beaten in its last assault.
That there were official reports written /
by officers high in command on both sides I
that would look better and reflect more
credit On the writers if they had never |
been written is only too true. Gen. Grant !
in his Memoirs says of Shiloh: mo such |
contest ever took place Oh this continent |
in Importance of results; but few have /
taken place in the history of the world.
Shiloh was the most severe battle fought
in the West during the war, and but few
have equaled it in the East for hard and
fighting" Gen. G. ii. Thomas
said: shiloh was the most decisive bat
tie of the war" We have hitherto, and
perhaps are yet, standing too close to this
conflict for impartial history to be writ
ten; but when the time does come the can
did verdict of the world will be that these
two great Captains were right in their
conclusion. And when Grants tired and
bleeding men rcpulsed the last assault at
night on Sunday they wrote across the
page of history what was to be the final
ending of the cause for which so many
gallant Southern sons had this day shed
their blood, and the record thus written
read: Doomed to defeat"
Trhn nndl