The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-04-06
The Battle of Shiloh.

Fifty years ago the first days
battle of Shiloh was fought on Sun
day, April 6. The Confederate forces
of all arms aggregating, according to
official report, i0,335 effective men.
General Albert Sidney Johnston was
in command.
The Federal army under Gen. U.
s. Grant exceeding the Confederate
forces by several thousands. Cen
eral Grants position was on the
west bank of the Tennessee River at
Pittsburg Landing. He was awaiting
reinforcement by General Buell..
Anticipating the junction of Grant
and Buell., the Confederate forces
then at Corinth were moved towards
Shiloh. The march was begun on
April 2, but was retarded by roads
narrow and impossible from excess
sive rainfall.
Grants army had crossed the
Tennessee and was in position a
mile in advance of Shiloh Church.
Although the Confederate plan was
incomplete and imperfect, it was
determined to attack the Federals,
who comprised the flower of the
western army, being principally
from the States of Illinois, Indiana,
Wisconsin and Iowa land were in
every sense the opposite of the hire
1ings recruiting from Europe.
These men fought for principle;
the mercenaries for spoils and plum
der.
In the early dawn Of April 6 the
Confederates moved forward for the
deadly conflict. They assaulted the
Federals with enthusiasm. For a
while the battle ragged furiously and
with little intermission. The FEEDER
ais fought stubbornly.
According to the order of battle
the Confederate right flank under
the immediate direction of General
Albert Sidney Johnston had swept
all opposition. 1t was while the
Connfederates were responding to
the order to charge that General
Johnston, who was in the lead, was
wounded in the calf of the right leg
by a minie-ball, which had cut an
artery, but he did not realize his
condition until later when he re-
marked to one of his aides: II fear
1 am MORALLY wounded" The next
moment he reeled in his saddle and
had tainted from the loss of blood.
Until then he had supposed it had
been q flesh wound and paid no at
fention to it.
The command Of the army fell to
General Beauregard. The battle was
~aged with increased fury until
nishtfall, when the Federals had
been driven from the field and cow
cred on the banks of the Tennessee
under the protection of their gun
boats.
Being masters of the field, the
COnfederates, undisciplined, gave
themselves to- hilarity and jollifica-
fion.
In the meantime Buell. had crossed
5000 men over the river and had
Joined Grants shattered forces. At
dawn of the second day the Federals
were arrayed in line of battle. The
second days engagement was even
fiercer than the first, but the Fed
erals had the. advantage of greater
numbers and gradually regained the
position they had lost. At nightfall
the combatants were about in the
position of the first day. During the
night General Beauregard ordered a
retreat to Corinth, Miss.
In this article it is unnecessary to
offer any criticism of the Confeder-
ates' inaction on the night of the
first days battle. Possibly if the
Confederates had been amenable to
discipline and had had the expert
ence acquired in the years after,
they had become seasoned to the
horrors of war, they would have
crowded Grants forces into the
Tennessee or compelled their sur
render.
The death of Albert Sidney John
ston was calamity to the cause.
It is true he did expose himself
needlessly in this battle, but he was
spurred in his heroism from the UNI
fair censure of the press of that
time because of his apparent mac
tivity.
The history of the battle of Shiloh
is replete with deeds of valor and
heroism.
It was in this battle that tn.
Louisiana troops achieved the
greatest renown, as is recorded Of
them, on every field Of battle, and ii
IL therefore that the Louisianians of