The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-08
Governor and Mrs. Durbin, Senator
Beveridge, Lieut.. Gov. Gilbert and
Others Of the Party.
MISS GRANT THE IDOL OF ALL
wORsHIPED BY MEN WHO FOUGHT
UNDER HER GRANDFATHER,
And shown Many Courtesies by Those
who Served on the Other Side-Pen
Picture by a Correspondent.


STAFF Correspondence OF the Journal.
PITTsBURG LANDING. Tenn. April T.
By telephone to Corinth. Mss.)-A deci-
mated army maneuvered over Shiloh field to-
day. advanced. retreated and came again to
a shadowy victory. The Indiana regiments
that held for Grant and won for Grant in
the person of a few score shattered old
men spent the entire day in moving pre-
cisely from position to position. living
again in half sad. half joyful imagery the
red days of April and Z, 1862.
After night on the fleet of boats, where
the officials OF the steamboat company
exerted even more OF their usual kindness
and courtesy. a night enlivened in the
earlier hours by the strumming of banjoes
and the rich voices OF Tennessee negroes,
the veterans responded briskly to reveille
and set out comrade with comrade for the
battlefield. Shiloh field is bad, the rolling
grounds. the deep ravine and the bluff ex-
tending for miles, but the remains of the
host of 1862, though in meager numbers,
advanced again. The drums beat the long
roll. the ife sang stirringly, cleaning bat
tlefags swept on and on. In fancy ii was
easy to see Grant. standing grim. steady,
sure. and 1t required little imagination to
see Prentiss riding madly, seeking his
crushed brigade. and Sherman hurrying to
see w. III. L. Wallace dying in the road:
see the wide blue line recover and with
Buell. on the left and Lew Wallace on the
right drive Beauregard at last from his
hard won position. By this sign and that,
after forty-one years. the veterans found
first OF all their initial position. With that
they started. and hour after hour they
tramped the field, obeying unspoken orders,
marching with men a generation dead,
hearing silent commands and noisy mus
kerry fire. To them II was again the bloody
struggle, the desperate resolve to hold out
against the coming OF Buell. and Wallace
Shiloh once more.
Gen. Lew Wallace. with General Wilder
drove to the right of the old battle line
and followed out the course of the third di-
vision on the second day. With the aged
Indiana general were a dozen or more of
his command, who eagerly assented to va
rious arguments advanced by Wallace. The
Governor. Mrs. Durbin, Mr.. and Mrs. Err
nest Trip and others made UP another
party guided by Col Cornelius Cadle of the
National Shiloh Park commission. Senator
Beveridge spent part of the day with men,
bers OF the monument commission, examn-
ing with keen interest the position of the
Indiana troops as marked by the stately
monuments.
VISITED SACRED SPOTS.
Lieutenant Governor Gilbert, with MEM
bers OF the staff and ladies, traversed the
fields. visiting the new Shiloh Church. the
spot where Johnston FELL Bloody pond, Hor-
nets Nest and other well-known places
Several Of the regimental associations had
their chaplains and services were held dur
ing the day. The Forty-fourth and the
Thirtieth met around their monuments. Of
fering short prayers and listening to brief
speeches. Col. James 8. Wright addressed
few survivors of the fighting Twenty
NTH. and one lone member of the famous
Ninth battery met by himself at the bat
tery's shaft He Private McKfIIa OF
Bloomington. Vehicles of all kinds were
sent to Pittsburg Landing from Corinth
and Selmer and placed at the disposal of
the veterans as on the first day.
Miss Nellie Grant became the idol of her
grandfather's men. Before leaving the
boat she was visited on the Savannah by
dozens OF the old men, who asked her to
view during the day their regiments mon
ument- Major J. H. Ashcraft. of Paducah.
escorted Miss Grant over the battlefield
during the morning. pointing out to her
scenes OF peculiar interest. One of the pref
tiest incidents of the day was the presenta-
tion to Miss Grant OF huge bouquet of
American Beauty roses by Colonel Park,
OF kendallviiie. and members OF the Thir-
tieth Indiana. Colonel Park and several
OF the old men told the young girl little in
cidents of the battle and assured her of
their deep regard for any one bearing the
loved name OF the old commander With all
her sweet femininity Miss Grant bears
distinct resemblance to the general. The firm
mouth and quick. keen eyes. counterparts
OF Grant, were recognized delightedly by
the veterans She was introduced to many
ex-Confederates. who bowed in a natural
courtesy. but who eyed her a little more re-
spectfuliy perhaps than they did the other
.Yanks."
The name o: Grant is still one IN CON-
jure with in these parts. One old man.
Captain Irwin said: Youth grandfather
was an able general. but you'ns didn't lick
US You'ns wore we all out"
The reconstructed with the reconstructors
met and compared notes. all in
tenseIy interesting. all deligbtfullv
unique. Many pathetic stories were
told Of men with slight wounds dying
horribly In burning underbrush and a
"Reb'' dropping his gun TO help carry the
unfortunate TO places OF safety. "Yank'
holding the feet. "Reb the head then
back TO the battle line.
Il ttiied a major of an Injiany regi-
men,. said grizzly Tennessee sharp
shooter 10 Colonel Wood to-day. II hated