Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-23
BATTLE OF SH|L D H
Gen. Lew Wallace's Action
in That Engagement.
COL. McELROY'S VIEWS
THE STORY AS WALLACE TOLD IT
TO HIM.
Why the General Was Delayed in Get
ting on the Field-Splendid Work
the Second Day.

The action of Gen Wallace and his divi-
sion at Shiloh was the subject for many
years of acrimonious dispute, of charges
and counter-charges, and led to Gen. Wal
lace being undeservedly relieved from the
command of his division, and his military
career Interrupted at most unfortunate
time for his fame.
after the capture of Forts Henry and
Donelson, said Col. John McElroy, VINO
has made quite study of that series of
battles, Gen. Grant moved his army up
the Tennessee river to Crump's, Pittsburg
and Hamburg Landing, preparatory to
marching across the country to Corinth,
eighteen miles away. Corinth was an i'm
portant railroad center for those days, as
1t was where the railroad from Memphis to
Chattanooga intersected the one running
from Mobile to Columbus, Ky. The main
camp was established at Pittsburg Landing.
The little country church of Shiloh was
two miles inland from the river. Gen. Hal
leck, then in command of the troops west
of the Allegheny mountains, had ordered
Gen. Buell. to march his army across the
country from Nashville to join Gen. Grant.
Gen. Grants army of about $4,000 men was
divided into six divisions. commanded by
Gems. McClernand, Lew Wallace, Sherman,
Hurlbut, Prentiss and w. II. l.. Wallace.
All of these divisions, except that of Lew
Wallace We're in the Pittsburg Landing
camp. Wallace's division was detached
from the others and sent out the Purdy
road about six miles from Crump's Land
ing and about the same distance from the
right wing of the army at Shiloh. The
country was broken. wooded and intersect-
ed by several creeks, then in a state Of
flood from the backwater of the Tennessee
river.
Gen. Wallace's headquarters We're estab-
lished at Stony Lonesome, about five miles
from Crump's Landing. and he had his
three brigades disposed adyantageously to
cover the roads The object of placing
Gen. Wallace where he was was to check
any movement of the confederates from
Corinth by the Purdy road, to strike the
Tennessee at Crumps Landing, and inter
fere with the line of transportation. Gen.
Grant established his headquarters at the
little town of Savannah, where he would
be in direct communication with all parts
of his army and would also meet Gen.
Buell. advancing to reinforce him.
Gen Johnston's Attack.
Gen, Albert Sidney Johnston, by very
many believed to be the ableSt of the con-
federate generals, had been severely stung
by the fall Of Forts Henry and Donelson.
which had broken his line and lost to him
Kentucky and a large portion of Tennes-
see. He, with Gen. Beauregard as his sec
ond in command, was making a prodigious
cred at Corinth some $1,000 men with whom
Johnston planned to make a sudden swift
stroke upon Grants army upon the banks
of the Tennessee and crush 1t before Buell.
could arrive. With the divisions of his army
commanded by such able officers as Bragg,
Polk and Hardee, he marched out on his
campaigns at Corinth. and on the evening
of Saturday, April 5, 1852. was within two
or three miles of that portion of the Union
army encamped at Pittsburg Landing.
He attacked on the morning of Sunday,
April 6. with great fury and an obstinate
battle lasting all day resulted in Gen.
Grants army being forced back to the
bluffs on the river where artillery was
massed and the last attack of the confed-
crates repulsed. Gen. Johnston himself
was killed during the battle, and Gen.
Beauregard, who succeeded him, caused a
suspension of operations after the failure
of the last assault. Just after the last as
sault was repulsed Gen. BueIl's troops be-
gan to arrive on the field. and during the
night possibly 10000 of them crossed the
river and formed in line for a renewal of
the battle the next day. The eonfederates
were driven back from the battlefield, and
finally retreated to Corinth. Gen. Wal
laces division took part in the fighting of
Monday, the 7th, and acquitted itself in the
handsomest manner. AS to why Gen. Wal
lace did not arrive earlier is the bone of bit
ter contention. Some years ago Gen. Wal
lace himself gave the following detailed
story of his experience that day to me as
follows: