The National tribune., 1901-08-29

supply the thousands who rushed to re
fresh themselves along its course.
April 5-We were not sorry to fnC
that we would spend half the day at thi!
grand spring.
At noon, when the march was re-
pair the road in advance of our wagons
SO had made only FIVE miles when We
halted at sunset.
A BATTLE IN PRoGREss.
April (Sunday)-When We turned out
at { a. N. it was to continue the same
drudgery of assisting or waiting IL. ne
wagons TO pass over difficult places III the
road, necessitating a halt every few min
utes. We had not proceeded in TINS man
ner more than half an hour when the
heavy report of a cannon was borne faint
ly 10 our ears from the direction OF the
Tennessee River, 80 miles distant. A
moment later there was another succeed
ed by dull conclusions at irregular but
short intervals, indicating that the occa-
sion must be urgent to demand such rapid
hrIng Of the heavy guns of Grants fleet.
a thrill Of excitement ran through our
ranks as we commented on the POSSIBLE
ity Of battle ahead. But there
seemed to be no prospect that we
should take part in it, when we
found, after hours of tedious labor, that
we were moving at a lower rate than two
u
| tinued without Cessation, and with in
creasing distinctness, we began to doubt
! that 1t meant anything important, since
! our commanders apparently took no no
| tice of 1t, nor changed our previous orders
| to plOd along with the wagons and mules.
At 10 a. M, after three hours march
ing and only five miles gained, the dull
mOnOtOny of the situation was suddenly
changed to the excitement of q hurried
preparation for forced march to the re-
! lief Of Grant, who had been sorely beset
| by the enemy all morning, while we were
leiSurely picking our way. \ staff off,
| Ger, dispatched by Gen. McCook from the
head Of our advance brigade, came riding
in furious haste down our line of march
with this information, hating only long
enough TO communicate the order to the
proper officers as he passed. Others
spurred their fOaming steeds, riding madIy
toward the two divisions in our rear with
similar instructions.
The details of our orders were soon
given by the Colonel; that every man uu-
able to endure a forced march should be
detailed as guard to the wagon train
which had to be left behind. This done,
the regiment moved forward with quick
ened step under the stimulus Of an ex-
pected battle, the roar of which increased
as the distance was rapidly shortened
Late in the evening Rousseaus Bri-
gade, leading our division, reached Sayan-
nah, and our brigade, under Col. Kirk,
Immediately followed. Gen. NJ Cook, find
ing no provision had been made to trans
port his command to the battlefield six
miles above, and on the south bank Of the
river, proceeded to impress such boats
as he could hnd, and during the night
succeeded in placing his soldiers where
they might take part in the great battle
to be fought the next day.
Nelson's Division reached the battle
field Sunday evening in time to fire a few
rounds before darkness ended the conflict
for the day, Crittenden and McCook
were at hand for the battle on Monday,
but Wood and Thomas failed to reach the
field, although they made a forced march
to accomplish it.
THE FIELD OF SHILOH.
April DARKNESS proved a welcome
visitor TO blue and gray when it spread
It's meFciful wing over the field of Shiloh
ending Sundays battle
During the night the Confedcrates were
too much exhausted to change their no.
sition, bnt our depleted ranks were re-
ceiving reinforcements which would on
able us in turn TO attack the enemy and
change the scale of battle. Gen. Lew
Wallace's Division of Grants army ar
rived from Crump's Landing, taking DO
sltion on the right, while Nelson's Diyi-
sion OF BuelIs army was placed on the
extreme left. Crittenden's Division also
arrived, forming on the right of Nelson.
/ MS disposition Of his two divisions was
made by Gen. Buell. without reference to
zen: Grant, whose plans were unknown
TO MN. a wide gap still remained to be
hlled IN order TO unite the two armies,
and Gen. McCook was directed to close
it with his division. >'N1N
Rousseau's Brigade, leading our diyI
sion, reached Savannah on Sunday even