Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-04-19
THE SIMPLE LIFE
OF A COMMONER
Continued from page 1l.

Our expectations were high; we re-
membered Fort Henry and the SPLEEN
did work done there, but we were
doomed to disappointment. for one
after another the gunboats were
disabled and dropped down out OF
range. Flag Officer Foote was
wounded and the rebels were jubil-
ant. 1t was a bitter disappointment
to us; we had expected so much and
our hopes were suddenly and cruel
ly dashed to the ground. The boys
were filled with gloom, and they
began to magnify the strength and
numbers OF the enemy. Some blam-
ed Grant, some Halleck, some Foote,
nearly all praised the Confederate
officers and everybody wondered
what was to come next. In the
meantime it had grown intensely
cold, it was raining, sleeting and
freezing, we had no tents, no shell
ter Of any sort, not even a tree; we
had no blankets, no overcoats, it
was fearful night, and we were
terribly exposed. God in heaven
only knows how some of those poor
fellows suffered that awful night;
a few froze to death, some contract
ed ailments from which they died
before they left the fort, others died
in the hospital a few months later,
and some are carrying the effects
OF that exposure to this day, and
will carry them to their graves. We
were not allowed to have any fires,
because that would draw the fire of
the enemy's guns, which were but
a short distance from us, and in
full range.
During that night a council was
held between Pillow, Floyd and
Buckner, which resulted in a deter
mination to make a sortie in the
morning and cut their way out and
get away by Wynns Ferry to Char
lotte. So in the morning just at
daybreak, before our fellows had
time to get into line, the enemy
came pouring down on our extreme
right and struck Oglesby's brigade
of McClernand's division. The bat
tie swung on till it reached Wall
lace in the center. McClernand' 5
men were rolled up in a mass. The
Eighteenth Illinois lost "A killed
and 10 wounded; the others suf-
fered much, their ammunition gave
out, for in the early days of the
war neither side seemed to take in
all the necessities of the case, and
contingencies were net provided for
as they were later on.
When it looked as though all was
lost, Pillow was greatly elated. He
was very vain man, and he thought
he had Grants whole army before
him; so he sent telegram to Sgd
ney Johnson, commander of the
Confederate forces in the west: "On
the honor of soldier the day i;
ours. Johnson sent it to Richmond
and it created great enthusiasm
! there, but it was mistake, the
day was not won by any means
but 1t might have been; Napoleon
would have won it, so would Well
ington, SO would Grant, so would
Buckner. But Pillow was vascillat
ing just when it required nerve, and
decision of character, and the day
was lost to the Confederates and al
went with it.
When Grant found his men in re
treat he simply said: Gentlemen,
addressing himself to Wallace anG
McClernand, "the position on the
right must be re-taken." That was
all, and then he galloped away. The
lines on the right were reformed
and preparations were made for q
new investment of the enemy's
works. Grant said to Webster, his
| chief of staff, "some of our men are
pretty badly demoralized, but the
enemy must be more so, for he ha:
attempted to force his way out but
has fallen back; the one who at,
lacks first now will be victorious
and the enemy will have to be ir
hurry il he gets ahead of me-
Then he directed Col. Webster t.
ride by his side and call out 10 the
men as they passed: Fill your car,
fridge boxes quick and get into line
the enemy is trying to escape ant
he must not be permitted to do so. ;
And that did the business, it acted
like a'charm, the enemy was forced
back into his works, never to leave
them again except as prisoners o.
war.
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