The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-16

finite energies upon stony beach, would these men have not seen 1t? Eager anx- ious sharp in discerhment, keen in the discovery of mistakes or misconduct, and more than independent enough to expose them, how was 1t possible for me to have deceived them? And if afterward they discovered the deceit or mistake why did they not join in the hue and cry against me? An, the cloud I lay under twenty years and more, blackening my life, had yet it's silver lining. Not one man of the division, officer or private, ever raised his voice in the controversy except in sympathy and to defend me. Or, if he did, have never heard of it.
 At Crump's Landing
 "We were at Crump's Landing. by land six miles below Pittsburg Landing, the Sunday of the battle. The three brigades were in position, one at Crumps where l had my headquarters; the second at Stoney Lonesome, two miles and half out; the third at Adamsville, five miles.
 Thursday evening my scouts reported the Confederate army in march from Corinth to Pittsburg Landing at which the army of the tennessee was lying. So at dawn Sunday when 1 heard cannonad ing from the south knew a battle was in progress and hastened to order the brigades to concentrate at Stoney Lone- some, the lst and 3rd upon the End.
 About $50 o'clock General Grant, pass ing from Savannah, stopped by my boat at Crump's and ordered me to hold my self III readiness to march on orders re- ceived in any direction. 1 told him l was ready then. He repeated his order and went on
 ,'I rode out to Stoney Lonesome and waited, and at exactly Il :30 o'clock-mark the t1me-l received the expected order, directing me to march and form junction with the right of the army.
 Roads to Sherman's Camp
 Now from Stoney Lonesome there were two roads to Sherman's camp, which was the right of the lrmy; Lne to the left along the river by way of Pittsburg Landing, the other to the right by road l had corduroyed and bridged Tn anticipation of the emergency then upon me. If l took the first, the march would be about nine miles; while six miles only were required by the second. The point being to get to the destination in the quickest time, took the nearest road. Every step made .he noise of the battle more distinct. l never knew men more eager to get on than mine. They needed no urging.
 "The column had gained a number of miles and was plainly nearing the fight when second messenger from General Grant overlook me with a third order to come to Pittsburg Landing where in the language of the messenger, they wanted me like hell
 Il was then in the rear of the Confed- crate army or in other words, the whole Confederate army was squarely between me and Pittsburg Landing. If our army there had been able to help melt was really not able to help itself-I should have pushed on. As 1t was it seemed prudent to cross the country and try the river road around the enemy's left flank, and that was what I did, halting within half mile of Pittsburg Landing just af- ter nightfall. part of the division having, by chain measure, marched exactly eigh- teen miles and a quarter. fully one-third of the distance being through the mud and back water of Snake Creek up to the axleS of the gun carriages.
 Long, Arduous March.
 Eighteen and a quarter miles from Crump's. fifteen and a half from Stoney Lonesome-that is the record of my gal lant division. Take it. please. and re- member 1t, if ever again you hear one say 1t took the whole day to march the six miles from Crump's to Pittsburg Landing. Fifteen and a half miles from Stonev Lonesome, starting at Il 80 in the forenoon and by roads that would gave appalled, the stoutest heart but the ap- peal there was in the guns of the battle.
 My friends. let us suppose the march sown with errors. an error for every step, did not the division condone them next day?
 T shall not go into details of that fight. Find them. if you please, on, the monuments of the three regiments whose record I am discussing. This -oWever will say--we fired the first gun in the morning of Monday. and when the battle closed we were beyond Shiloh Run, near ly. if not quite, a mile beyond the rest of the line.
 with this conclude. I thank you for the patience wit which you have heard me-"