The National tribune., 1907-08-22
Stories Emneny Worth Telling Of Experiences and Adventures
in the Great National Struggle.

instant Maj. Warner. then in command
of the regiment came up. wnen capt.
Male informed him of the reconnoiter-
ing party's discovery. adding. I'VE Will
be prisoners in 10 minutes if we do not
fall back from here The Major re-
piled I'VE dare not fall back without
orders for that would leave other parts
of the line exposed" adding. Il learn
MacArthur's Brigade is ordered to our
F.. support. and they viii surely be here
soon" Put" said Male. I'VE are out of
ammunition and can do nothing" War
ner replied. Il have sent back three
times for ammunition. and we will sure
ly be supplied soon" Almost at that
moment MacArthur's Brigade came up
with a rush. struck the column of the
enemy referred to. doubling ii back and
sending it back in confusion The 9Th
Ill. being the right of MacArthur'S Bri-
gade. overlapped the left of the 41st
about two companies, and. by the way.
it was at that time. when this column
was sent back in disorder. that Gen.
Johnston. in his desperation. resolved to
lead a charge against us and lost his
life. There is scarcely doubt that il
was ball from the 9th III. that wound
ed Gen. Johnston. The opportune ar
rival of MacArthur's Brigade avoided
the most disastrous thing that could
have occurred to our army at that time.
viz. the turning of our left. Now. that
is as near as the 41St came to reinforc
ing the 9th III. at the battle of Shiloh.
Comrade Palmer also charges that on
account of the many errors the Illi-
nois Shiloh Battlefield Commission be-
came so confused that they did not give
the 32d or 41st III. their correct places
on the battlefield. Now, in justice to
that Commission and for the edification
of Comrade Palmer and any others who
may have become victims of errors" ]
will say, as member of that Commits
sion, that we were not in any way in
fiuenced by what any one might or
might not have remembered of the
many important nhases of that battle
after a lapse of about SO years. We
adopted as Il foundation for our work.
and upon which to base a report, the
official reports of the different division,
brigade and regimentaf commanders.
submitted at the time of or soon after
the battle. While those reports may
not be absolutely correct in every de-
tail. i am sure the comrades participant
ing in that battle will prefer this data
rather than to rely on treacherous mem
ory to establish lines or camps after a
lapse of SO years. Again. Comrade Pal
mer charges that one of the Illinois
Commissioners who helped to establish
the lines of Illinois troops on the field
was not in the battle on Sunday. April
6, 1862 That charge cannot be sus-
tanned. The comrades informant J. in
error He also charges that the Com
mission was created thru political in
fuence" rather than merit or from a
knowledge of facts and experiences. Let
us see If he is in error about that. The
Commission was composed of the fol-
lowing comrades: First. Maj.-Gen. John
A. McClernand, who commanded a di-
vision all thru the battle of Shiloh, and
was highly complimented on his eff
cheney and bravery; second. Maj. Geo
Mason was Adjutant of the 18th H..
and had two horses shot from under