The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-02-18

InaIS = We're LiRu rs 1thHl hlNla atlt
although Il Is Stated in some Of biz
biographies that the cause OF his re
moyal from bis command was his de
feat, the next year, by Gen Jubal a
Early at he battle OF Monoeaey, the
truth is that ii was his alleged failure
al Shiloh The real cause Of Wal
J laee's strange delay in reaching the
battlefield was that Snake Greek, a
small stream just above crump
Landing. was out Of It's banks IN ac'
count Of faipg and a rise IN the river
which had backed The river up into
/ The creek for several miles, making Il
imposs bic to ford and IN goins
around this stream, Wallace and his
division got lost aud marched all
lay. arriving at Shiloh a, o'clock
Of the frs days fight and closing the
battle Of that day for the Union side.
Gen. Wallace's explanations were liz
nored. however, and for many years
he res ed under the unjust accusation
Of cowardice,
I In 1894 the FIRST reunion Of the blue
and The gray was held at Shiloh
| Many noted men who charged on that
famous fE!d were there and parici'
Dated in the fratefnal exercises. The
writer OF this article was not among
this number, but was his pleasure
to be present Foremost among
the notables was General Wal
lace. Another was the late
General John A. MeClenand Of Hi
nois. Another was Gen. JAS r.
Chalmers OF Mississippi Gen. Wal
lace was the hero Of the festivities
At every town along the river crowds
of southerners rushed to the steam
er carrying the northern party, toI
meet Gen. Wallace-the author Of
Ben Hur Women's clubs visited
him in bodies to express TO him their
admiration for his great book. But
these at entlons, while they were re
ceiyed with much gallantry by the
rim Cld veteran, were given only I
passing notice By him He was on a
more serious and sterner mission. To /
Use his own words, he was going 10 I
Shiloh to "Yindicate the truth of his I
tory At Savannah, ten or fifteen /
miles below the ba tlefeld. he was /
joined hy the surveyor Of Hardin /
county. by prearrangement and 1T
crumps Landing Gen. Wallace, ac-
eompanisd By the surveyor, left the
boat. lie marched over the same
quite over which he had marched his
lyision thirty one years before. mea-
slrlng every foot Of the distance al
hough he had not gone ever the
QUE since thar fatefu day Of e.
re had little difficulty in finding his
var.
Az the exercises Of the second day
Il the reunion were being closed, The
Did warrior. with his surveying par
=, marched on .he scene. He was
allied upon for a speech and notwith,
itanding his protestaticns was forced +
0 respond, He took the pla form AMI
n rhe rsost eloquent, earnest. aympa
hetic five-minute talk the writer hast
ever heard, he told of the charges
lnder which he had rested. And as
'esult OF his survey on that occasion
le announced chat his division had
marched n miles on the day Ct April
!, 1862, IN their endeavor to join Cen
raj Graat. and quoted from military
authorities TO show that even q lG
nd IS miles march day was re-
arded as Eood work by large bodies
t men. He closed his speech with a
rief but beautiful eulogy Of the
and southern soldier. accord
ng to 10th equal virtue for bravery, {
'atriotism and sacrifice AT the
onclusiqn Of his talk he was given
great ovation, southerners as well :
$ northerners throwing their hairs Il
nd umbrellas in the air and shouting. Z
Hurrah for General Wallace What /
motions swayed his great soul az bio
God thore In his hour OF triumph !
yer an injustice long SUFFERED. aud
stoned 70 the ordinations Of his /
ountrymon, he and God alone knew I
But history had been vndlcatod
nd the military career Of a great
older who fought for his country /
ears bcfire on the plains of Mexico
as saved from even the semblance
stain.