The National tribune., 1901-08-15
THE FIRST GUN AT SHILOH.
Opening of the Battle at Dawn OF April 6
1862.

years / have watched with interest the
controversy that has been going on in
the columns of The National Tribune con-
corning the commencement of the battle
of Shiloh, and in all these years the only
article that comported with what I heard,
from my point of vantage, was that of
H. G. Freeland in the issue of July 20,
1900. In that article he gives the honor
of the earliest skirmishing on that fate
full Sunday morning to two companies of
the 25th Mo. and two companies of the
18th Mich.
During all the years of controversy |
have carefully noted the location the writ
ers occupied in the line of battle. and
have concluded that much of the cOntro-
versy might have been avoided had the
writers taken into consideration the direc-
ton of the wind. | have observed that
those who occupied positions near the
right of our line almost, if not quite, in
variably place the beginning Of the battle
very early in the morning, while those
who were farther toward the left place
the beginning at a later hour, and some
of them two or three hours later than the
actual time of beginning. Each writer
is of the opinion that the first shot he
heard was the first shot of the battle, and
that the first appearance of the enemy was
in his immediate front. The fact was
frequently noticed that in hard thought bat
ties the sound was heard but q short dis
lance in one direction, while in the oppo-
site direction it was heard 40 or even TO
miles. This was true at the battle of
luka, where Gen. Grant was lying with
his army anxiously awaiting to hear from
ROsecrans who occupied a position on the
opposite side of the army of Gen. Price,
and only three or four miles away from
Grant, yet ROsecrans fought a terrific bat
tie with artillery, and not a single sound
reached the awaiting ears of Grant or
his army.
On the evening of April ., 1862, It was
my fortune to be detailed for picket
guard. The guard was placed by Col.
Harry Steadman, of my regiment the 6Sth
Ohio. On arrival of the guard at the re-
serve post, which was out on the road
leading from our camp, that of Thayers
Brigade, of Gen. Lew Wallace Division,
known as Camp Crump No. 2, to Pitts
burg Landing, by way of Shiloh Church,
Col. Steadman called the guard to front,
and informed us that he had information
that the enemy was approaching in force;
that it was more than probable that we
would be attacked before morning. He
commanded that no man of the detail
whether on post or reserve, should be al
lowed to close his eyes in sleep during
the night; that the safety of ourselves, as
well az the entire army, depended upon our
vigilance.
A heavy reserve was left on the road,
and the rest of the detail formed a chain
picket across the road some distance in
front, and extending 100 rods or more
on either side. ] was on the post at the
extreme right of the line. On the post
with me was Ezra +. Bechtol, ST., the
oldest man in my company, and as good
sentinel ms ever stood a trick of guard.
What was done on other posts of the line
that night | do not know, but on our post
the order of the Colonel was implicitly
obeyed, as neither of us slept wink dur
ing the night. The night was dark, the
light of the stars, If any stars were shin
ing, was obscured by the dense foliage of
the trees under which we were stand
ing.
Just at the break of day there rang
out on the morning air single shot,
which, though two or three miles from
our post, sounded as if but a few furlongs
away. This shot was followed almost
instantly by another, then others followed
in rapid succession. 1t sounded as if q
videt had fired and received an answering
shot, then came few shots in rapid sue
cession, as If a picket post had fired;
then came other shots singly and in light
yolleys, each moment adding to the num-
Der; soon 1t appeared that companies and
regiments had entered the fray. Now
the rattle OF musketry became constant
and terrific. 1t seemed to me that the
heHL Hdu DteH raging LOT HdlI OF Three
quarters Of an hour, when the first spite
full report Of the field gun was heard Like
the small-arms, the cannon dropped into
action singly, then by battery, and 1t was
not long until reports could not be dis
the roar of cannon became con-
and the small-arms could only be
heard as low rumble under the bilIow-
ing wave of the cannon, and this condi-
ton did not cease, but increased in force
during the morning hours, and lasted with
undated fury throughout the entire day,
ceaslng only when night with its dark
ness made it impossible to distinguish
friend from foe; and then, as if in remin-
der of the day, the large guns on board
the iron-clad steamers in the river at the
Landing, every 10 minutes during the en-
tire night, with deafening noise, sent their
heavy shells over the heads of our men
into the ranks of the tired enemy, which
had retreated to safer grounds mile
or more back from the river. These shots
were fired with the regularity of time it
self.
From our point of vantage the ebb and
flow of the battle could be followed
through the entire day. In the early
the sound came from the south
east, but as the fighting progressed the
sound receded to the east, then to
slightly north of east. There was an
apparent but very slow retreat of our army
throughout the day. As we noted the |
slow but sure retreat of our friends the
refrain went from mouth to mouth, .'Our
boys are being whipped" Our army is
falling back"
Night came at last, and night was never
more gladly welcomed by any set of men
than by us, who had been left back by
Gen. Thayer to guard the equipment at
Camp Crump No. 2.
That night was darkness, blackness it
self, and after the awful din of the day
he silence was painful; the monotony was |
broken at intervals of 10 minutes by the |
huge guns Of the gunboats, which caused |
the ground to tremble where we stood. !
Toward midnight there came up one of
hose terrific Southern thunder storms |
With rain falling in torrents. The storm |
aged as If angry at the turmoil OF the |
lay and the artillery of the heavens seem |
I'd to vie with the monster guns in shak-
ng the earth. The storm abated, and |
he thunder was STILL but the big guns
until the dawn of the morning.
'eminding the tired, sleepless armies that |
he carnage of death was not yet salts
led.
With the first gray streaks of morning
light the battle was renewed, and with
I'll the yigor of the day before, though the
lighting was now farther from the river
han at the close of yesterday. The order
If yesterday is reversed, and the advance
If our army is easily noted. The ground
ost in yesterdays battle was being slowly,
tut surely, regained, the faces of our boys
the look of horror of yester-
lay gave way to a look of cheer, and Our
Boys are driving them,' 1.-The battle is
,urs today" could be heard on every hand.
Nh, din of battle of the first day was rn |