The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-03-31
SHILOH.

Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennessee River,
and eighteen miles northeast of Corinth,
Miss, on Sunday, April 6, 1862, forty
eight years ago next Wednesday.
"No battle of the war-no event in Con-
federate history-has such a long list of
IFS and might have beens' as this Bat
tie of Shiloh; it is the saddest story of
them ALL" says Col. Drake, Confederate
officer and an active participant in this
battle.
1t was the intention of Gen. Albert Sid
ney Johnston, Commander-inC Chief of the
Confederate Army at Corinth, to begin the
battle at Shiloh on Saturday, and accord
ingly the Confederate troops began their
advance on the enemy at 3 a. m. Friday.
When within about four miles of the Fed
eral camp, Johnston put his command in
battle array, Saturday morning, April 9th,
intending to attack at once. Hardee and
Polk were ready, but Bragg, his Second
Corps commander, was not.
The leading idea in Gen. Johnston 8
mind was to surprise Grant and crush him
before Buell's army of $1,000 joined him.
Grants army, before any reinforcements
had reached him from Buell., who was
marching from Nashville to his assistance,
was already $4,000 strong. Johnston had
$1,000 available troops at Shiloh. .-
The Confederates completely surprised
the Federals, whipped them at every point,
and had Johnston's life been spared to the
Confederacy only few hours longer, he
would have annihilated Grants army be-
fore Buell. could have come to its relief.
The Federas were surprised. The
breakfasts were on the mess tables; the
baggage unpacked; the knapsacks, arms,
stores, colors and ammunition abandoned,
and as position after position was carried,
the shout of victory was heard all along
the advancing Confederate line of battle.
The scene at Pittsburg Landing late in
the afternoon is we'll pictured in the fol-
lowing extracts from the correspondence
of the Cincinnati Gazette:
"Our whole army is crowded in the re-
gion of Wallace's camps, and to circuit
of one-half to thirds of mile around
the landing. We have been falling back
all day. We can do it no more. The next
repulse puts us into the river; and there
are not transports enough to cross single
division till the enemy would be upon us.
We have lost nearly all our camps
and camp equipage. We have lost nearly
half our field artillery. We have lost
division general, and two Or three regi-
ments of our soldiers as prisoners. We
have lost-how dreadfuly we are afraid to
think-in killed and wounded. The hos
pitfalls are full to Overlooking. A long ridge
bluff is set apart for surgical uses. 1t is
covered with the MANNED, the dead and the
dying. And our men are discouraged by
prolonged defeat. Meanwhile, there is
lull in the firing. For the first time since
sunrise you fail to catch the angry rattle of
musketry or the heavy booming of the field
guns. On the bluffs above the river is
sight that may we'll make our cheeks
Jingle. There are not less than 5000
skulkers lining the banks. Remember
the situation. 1t was half-past four o'clock
perhaps quarter later still. Every d.
vision of our army on the field had been
repulsed. The enemy were in the camps
of four or five of them. We were driven
to within little over half mile of the land :
ing. Behind us was deep, rapid river.
RofnpQ Unto
still there was an hour for fighting. 'Oh,
that night or Butcher would comet! ooh,
that night or Lew Wallace would comet
Nelson's Division of Gen. Buell's army
much good.''
The following, from Gen. Nelson's re-
port, also illustrates the decentralization of
the Federal army. Nelson says:
81 found covering under the river bank
when crossed from 1000 to 10000 men,
frantic with fright and utterly demoralized,
who received my gallant division with cries
that we are whipped!' 'cut to piecesp etc.
They were insensible to shame and sar-
'asm, for I tried both on them; and, indig-
nant at such poltroonery, asked permits
'ion to fire upon the knaves.''
Gen. Buell., in his official report, said:
"The throng of disorganized and de-
noralized troops increased continually by
resh fugitives from the battle, which
steadily drew nearer the landing; and with
hese were mingled great numbers of teams,
III striving to get as near as possible to the