The National tribune., 1903-05-07
GALLANT BAND Of. io ilI, i n
Surrender of thu ,ath, 12ff and Hath Iowa
At Shiloh Occurred M Fn the Morning,

At Shiloh Occurred No91n the Morning
but In the Evening, Aftef an All-Day Bat.
tie.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I desire
to correct one or two stHferhents made BY
Comrade Strain in his "Afield with Crock
er's Brigade" where heuiefers to the bat
tie of Shiloh. He says, ave were ordered
to position on the right flank of the
army made vacant by the capture Of. the
Sth, 18th and 18th Iowa and the 5Sth ILL.,, ~
and, later, Moving to1;tfIe position as
signed to us, We closed the gap and in
stantly, realized that we. were in warm
/ place." '-i. --.- .-., --'--'
In somewhat careful examination OF
the map of the Shiloh battlefield, publish
ed by authority of the Secretary of War,
l find the 18th Iowa, to which Comrade
Strain belonged, on the right of McClern-
and's Division mot the right flank of the
| army, as Sherman was on McClernands
right, whereas the Sth,. 18th and 18th
Iowa and 5Sth ILL.,, were on the left of
w. III. L.. Wallace's Division, which was
on McClernand's left, and almost mile
from the position occupied by the 18th
Iowa, and that is as near as the 10th
iSwa came, on April 6, to the position
occupied by the four regiments named, and
let me assure him that neither his regi-
vacant by their capture.
From his article it appears they were
ordered to the front in the mOrning-he
is speaking of the morning when he refers
to their taking position; and consequently
the aforesaid regiments must have been
captured in the morning. That story, it
is supposed, was started by newspaper
correspondents who were no nearer the
field of conflict than Cairo, ILL.,, and has
siSfa CT
has many believers. Such, however, is
not the fact, as l will attempt to show.
Col. futile, who commanded the brigade
to which the 18th and 14th Iowa belonged,
says of his brigade, 1--WE came to the cor
ner of Duncan's field at $50 O'clock y
where they formed line Of battle in an
old sunken road, q position the 18th and
18th Iowa never left during the day lsaye
when they pursued an attacking brigade
for a short distance, returning to their
position in the road until orders came to
retire. which was about 3 o'clock p. m.
The Sth Iowa and 5Sth III. were from
Sweeney's Brigade; the Sth Iowa was
placed to the left of the 14th Iowa and
joining Premises Division.
In obedience to orders the regiments
retired slowly and in good order to an
elevation in the rear, where they discover.
ed strong rebel line in the direction of
the landing. Without hesitation they
opened on this line, which melted away
like dew before the sun. So severely were
they punished that the survivors gave to
the place the name "Helrs Hollow" as
they had named the first position occupied
by these men the Hornets Nest Addi-
tional troops were brought from the rebel
right in time to unite with their left in our
front--previous rear-when. it appearing
that longer resistance would be suicidal,
we surrendered. The hour of surrender
has been variously stated at from o'clock
to 6 o'clock p. m. Gen. Prentiss surrend-
cred about the same time and place, which
gave rise to the misstatement that his divi-
sion was captured. .- ,r.
Previous to the receiptIof orders to re-
tire, all support to the right and to the
left of the few regiments gathered there
had fallen, or been driven back, so they
were without support on either flank. This
disposed of all that remained of the only
continuous line of battle seriously engaged
during the day, as with the surrender the
fighting practically ceased, and it will be
apparent to all they left no gap" ....
Ingersoll, in Iowa and the Rebellion"
says, in his sketch of the 18th Iowa, p.
24S: Our regiment moved to the front,
and taking position on McClernand's line
in the right center, went into battle. Here
it fought bravely and well, though I'M
skillfully posted by one of Netherlands
staff officers, till ordered to retreat, when
the men fell back with irapidity and in
confusion" Not a word about closing any
gap. but it does confirm what have said
of their position. gu 1a' q zoe 1870 I
Comrade Strain further says: "When
night came we were massed on the crest
of the hills near the landing from which
we had started early in the morning"
While that line was forming the Sth, 18th
and 14th Iowa 18th I'LL and fragments of