The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-16
WARM ARGUMENT
SHILOH REUNION
Veterans Disagree as to Whether
Union Army Was Surprised
in Crucial Battle.

Tht oft disputed question as to
whether the battle of Shiloh was a
complete surprise or not caused con-
siderable controversy at the campfire
OF the Survivors of Shiloh at Plymouth
Congregational church last evening.
Fve-minute speeches were made by
the veterans, giving their "reminiscences
on the subject. From the contrary
opinions expressed the argument at
times grew so hot that the chairman
threatened to adjourn the meeting.
Commander H. NJ. Minor Of Denver
spoke of Shiloh as one of the critical
battles of the civil war. Had the con-
federates been successful Grant would
have been driven into the Tennessee
and the result of the war might have
been, different. He praised the object
OF the Shiloh association and looked
forward to the, time when both s&the
union and confederate survivors mi ght
be able to straighten out many impor-
tant tpoints of the fight which are not
clear.
A declaration that the history of
Shiloh had been written wrong was
made by l.. Kinkead of Des Moines,
who was in the Eighth Iowa during the
fight and was a member of the. Iowa
to investigate the story of the battle.
He said that the confederate attack was
Captain W. B. McCord, sixty-sixth
Illinois, Immediately challenged the
statement and told how his regiment had
been provided with forty rounds OF
ammunition the night before and ordered
to sleep on their arms.
A. P. Lowry Of Oklahoma, member
of the Sixth Iowa, and other veterans
from the Second Iowa and Eighty-frst
Ohio, agreed with him. This brought
other old soldiers, holding opposite opin-
ions, to their feet, and for several min
utes' the chairman's gavel was pound
ing in vain for order. >
The meeting finally came around to
the opinion that 'some parts of the
army were surprised and some parts were
not.''
The Wirz memorial case was brought
squarely before the reunion by Hon.
J. H. Stibbs Of Chicago, who is the only
surviving member of the commission
which tried and convicted Wirz. He
detailed some interesting incidents Of
the trial, and said:
'FAfter listening to the evidence
presented to us, I can say that I owe
no apology for having voted guilty.
Thenpeople of this country, nine-tenths
of the old soldiers, do not and cannot
comprehend the horrors Of Anderson
Vile. There never was such a hell on
6arCl.
'.:Wirz him8lf looked exactly like
Guiteau, the murderer Of Garfield
Captain Jack Crawford, the poet.
scout, was present and took the: audi
ence by storm in one of his character
istic speeches. "This is the most glo-
rious day the Grand Army Of the Re-
public ever experienced, he said,
"and this encampment is the most glo-
rious reception it ever received in Min
neapolis or any other city, He re-
cited. his famous poem, "The Veteran
and His Grandson,' which he wrote
in Corporal Tanners home many years
ago..
Numerous remarks and recitations
were given by the members. The meet
ing adjourned with the singing Of
Marching Thru Georgia. led by the
:. chaplain of the association, the veneer
able +. A. Heuring of Gentryville, Ind.
Major E. H. Cooper, past senior vice
commander, presided One hundred
- and twelve survivors were present and
as many more outsiders.
The association, which was organized
at Denver last year, held its second
regular business meeting Tuesday and
elected the following officers:
Commander, H. NJ. Miner, Denver;
senior vice commander, R. W: Terrill,
Manchester, Iowa. Junior vice COM
mander, Dan W. Brown, Pueblo, Col;
adiutant and quartermaster, S. NJ.
French; chaplain, F. A. Heuring, Gen
tryville, Ind.