Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-08-03

feau. Is one from Mrs wallace, widow
Of the gallant Gen William II. l.. Wall
lace, who met death at Shiloh. after
helping IrentisS 10 hold the center all
OF that terrible first day, when the
whole Union army was crumpled up
and crowded almost into the Tennessee
River. only escaping by holding Pitts
burg Landing until morning came,
with Buell's advance on the field, and
the dispirited troops of the day before
ready for a new trial before the grim
gods of war. .-.......,.,.
Mrs Wallace, worried and anxious at
home, had started TO visit her husband
III the camp at shiloh, and she arrived
at Pittsburg Landing on the steamer
Minnehaha before daylight Sunday
morning, April @, 1862. The letter
am describing was written by Mrs. Wal
lace some ten days after the battle to
near relation.
She describes her arrival-the visit
was TO be complete surprise 10 her
husband-and she remained on board
OF the river steamer, after sending
word to him that she was there. and as
she awaited him, as the sun rose over
the spring landscape, she heard firing,
but thought nothing OF II there, near
the great war camp, where thousands
of men were being drilled and trained
in the uses of war.
Before very long she saw wounded
soldiers being blonght on board of her
steamer, and then came more and more,
bleeding and panic-stricken, and they
all told the same story OF the early
morning attack and the driving In of
the outer lines, and occupation by the
enemy, of the outer camps
Her husband. she was told. was ON
the field. In the very center OF the rag
ing battle Nainly she tried to get an
| other message to him. lie was in the
Hornets Nest" where no one could
| penetrate. Before noon the boat WAS
crowded with wounded. and Mrs Wal
lace tried to comfort and assuage their
sufferings.
In the afternoon the Minnehaha was
used to ferry over Nelson's regiments,
the advance of Buelrs reinforCcments
| At last, when the boat landed on the
| Pittsburg side, a message was brought
! TO the anxious woman. Wallace's dl
vision, they told her. had been falling
back, Wallace leading 1t. just having
| been fianked by the enemy. Just clear
of the Hornets Nest" and as his com
mand came into the road to the Land
| ing, the general had been shot and hAt
fallen from his horse aud left for dead
One of his soldiers an orderly. cons
who loved him." had carried the bod!
more than a quarter of a mile, and thei
To avoid death and capture, had to Ia.
him down out Of the way or ~trutrtrtni
feet. and leave him
All night Mrs. Wallace nurscd tjh
wounded on the steamer, and at Il
o'clock Monday morning word came {
her that the general was still breath
ing, and that he was to be brought I
her. Her dead was alive, and she r,
joiced. She was allowed to take he
husband 30 Savannah, few mile
away, on the river, and to nurse hir
for four days, before he breathed hi
last.
Gratefully she tells In her letter o
the comfort It was to both that the.
could have these last days together
| The general could not speak, init h.
showed to the last minute that h
knew his wife. and by the faint pres
| sure OF his hand that she held told hin
much 1t was to him To have her by hi
side.
Such Is the story told by the fade,
letter: 10 read it brings home 10 tn
heart and imagination what the mel
and women Of the country suffered an,
endured, more than n generation ago
that the Union might live. Reyerent
| ~ refer to this old letter from ON,
of the women II Illinois The suryl
vors of Shiloh will hear OF It Will
mournful interest, | am sure.--Ada G
| Sweet in Chicago Journal.