The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-19
The BattIe of shiloh.

For a Southern woman to discuss the great battle of Shiloh or Pittsburs Landing. Is a glimpse into the past. which returns freighted with refiec- tions of deep regret, because of the | fact, that viewed in the light of subse- quent events. the defeat of our army l in that momentous struggle sounded | the death-knell of the Confederacy.
 General Grant after the capture of i Ft. Donaldson, moved up the Tennes- see River to Shiloh or Pittsburg Land l ing. General Buell. moved for the same point over land, thus the Federal | forces were divided. Grant had an and Mitchell Twas in supporting dis tance with 1S,O0O men. General Albert Sidney Johnston who commanded our forces there was certainly one of the l wisest and most skillful generals of l the Confederacy. He had seen service l in the Mexican war, and for years on our western frontiers. He was In all respects a courageous and accom- | plished soldier. Notwithstanding this. for months before the battle of Shi- ! loh, he had been bounded by tribe of | the shallow detractors and critics who | themselves had never been upon field | of battle, who never intended to risk | the shedding of a drop of blood, and
 sought no other employment than to bark at the heels of hero and pa- triot.
 By the exercise of extraordinary | skill and energy, General Johnston had brought together in the vicinity of | Corinth an army numbering somewhere about 10000 men of all arms, divided | into four corps, commanded respec- | lively by Generals Polk. Bragg, Buck | ner and Hardee. General Beauregard was second in command under John | ston. Knowing the condition of the | Federals-that is. that they had not | united their forces and probably would not do so until a couple of days after he expected to attack them-General Johnston planned his attack skillfully | expecting and intending to deal Grant | crushing blow before there could be any consolidation of the forces of | Grant. Buell. and Mitchell. The failure | of the troops of General Breckinridge | to reach the position assigned them on | time resulted in Johnston's deferring | the attack from the 9th until the 9th of April. Johnston knew Grant was on the ground, that Buell. was hastening forward to reinforce him, and his pur- pose was to whip the two in detail. Grant first and Buell. when he should arrive. Buell. came, however, two days earlier than he was expected. but this would not have changed the final
 result but for the calamity that befell the army on April 9th In the death of its commander.
 To understand fully the character of Johnston's army and to appreciate its achievements, 1t may be mentioned that in 1t, there were more enthusi asm than discipline, more capacity than knowledge and more valor than in-
 struction." True they were indiffer-
 ently armed. rifles smooth-bore mus
 kets, shot guns with flint and steel
 locks constituted the weapons with
 which Johnston's army attacked Grants
 splendidly equipped soldiers. In this
 connection, 1t may be remarked, how
 ever, that what our army lacked in
 discipline and arms they made up in
 the spirit and dash of true Southern
 soldiers. So that 1t Is not to be won
 dered at, that one describing the man.
 ner of the attack and its results. used
 this language, Like an Alpine avail
 anche, our troops moved forward des-
 pite the desperate resistance of the
 enemy, until after p. m., until they
 were in possession of all the encamp-
 ments save one, nearly all of his field
 artillery, about thirty flags, colors and
 standards. over 5000 prisoners, includ-
 ing major general and several briga-
 dier commanders, thousands of small
 arms, an immense supply of subsis-
 tence, forage, and munitions of war"
 The enemy was driven in utter dis
 order to the immediate vicinity of the
 heavy guns of his iron-clad gun-boats.
 but this was done by bringing into &C.,
 tion all the men of Johnston's army.
 Alas! that the shadows should fall on
 so brilliant day. but so fate seemed
 to decree 1t, for just as victory was in
 sight and the rebel yell of victory was
 resounding in his ears, the grand, but
 persecuted Johnston fell upon the san
 guinary field; his courage and general
 ship vindicated and all of his enemies
 forced into deepest shame. There was still daylight sufficient, If the army had
 been properly managed, to have cap
 tured Grant. or forced him and his army to drown in the river, but General Beauregard. in many respects a fine sol dier and good officer, made the fatal mistake of withdrawing the army for the night, during which General Buell. and General Lew Wallace, recently de- ceased, arrived upon the field reinforce ing Grant and enabling him to stand off his adversaries on the following day. To have maintained the victory of the first day, would have prevented the yankeeizing of Tennessee, Ken lucky. Missouri and perhaps several