The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-04-06
FATEFUL APRIL S, 1862.

FATEFUL- APRIL s, 1862.
The Battle Of Shloh-the greatest battle
of the Civil War up to that time was
fought fifty four years ago to-day. 1t was
Confederate victory, and had General
Albert Sidney Johnston lived to command
his troops to the end of the battle he would
have crushed and captured the Federal
army. By his death mighty victory was
'allowed to glide from the hand of the
conquerer.'' Gov Isham G. Harris, of
Tennessee says: Gen. Johnson's plans
had been carried out with signal success
up to his death; and I believed then, as |
do now, that the momentum of success al
ready achieved rendered certain a great
and decisive victory.'
Gen. William j. Hardee, in his report,
says: cit is, in my opinion, the candid
belief Of intelligent mon that but for this
calamity we would have achieved before
sunset triumph, signal not only in the
annals of this war, but memorable in future
history"
Gen. Leonidas Polk, another corps COM
mander, in his report says: "Nothing
seemed wanting to complete the most bril-
4 liant victory of the war but to press for
ward and make vigorous assault on the
demoralized remnant Of his forces.'
Gen. Chalmers says: Zone more reso-
lutte movement would have captured Grant
and his whole army, and fulfilled to the
letter the battle plan of the great Confed-
crate General who died in the belief that
victory was ours"
| Gen. Randall L. Gibson, Of this State,
| says: "My conviction is that, had Gen.
Johnston survived, the victory would have
been complete, and his army would have
planted the standard of the Confederacy
on the banks of the Ohio"
Gen. Braxton Bragg said Johnston's
, death ''sealed the fate of the South, and
destroyed the liberties of this country.
No one can fill the vacancy"
President Davis said, not once, but many
times: "When Sidney Johnston fell, it
was the turning point of our fate; for We
3 had no other hand to take up his work in
the West.'
Federal Gen. D. C. Buell. says when he
arrived on the river he found Grants men
demoralized and covering under the banks
of the Tennessee.
A correspondent of the Cincinnati Ga
zette says: ''We have been falling back
> all day. We can do no more. The next
are not transports enough to cross single
- division till the enemy would be upon US.
Meanwhile, there is lull in the firing
For the first time since sunrise you fail to
e catch the angry rattle of musketry or the
!, heavy booming of the field guns. On
the bluffs above the river is a sight that
may we'll make our cheeks Jingle. There
;, are not less than 5000 skulkers lining the
banks"
Field returns show that the Confederate
e Army had &c, 1886 present for duty, and the
Federal Army 70,893 in Sunday and Mon
I days battles-Grant Sunday as, 314, and
e Buel's reinforcements Oate Sunday even
y ing and Monday 2i,579.
= 1.-The Confederate casualties may be
II safely estimated at between 10, 700 and II,
e e 600 in killed, wounded and missing," says
: Col. William Preston Johnston. Swintor
= and Coupee, Northern writer's, agree tha
: : the Federal loss was $4,000.
y Many Louisianians participated in the
. Battle of Shiloh. Among the number be.
= ing two companies from this parish-the
- Vance Guards, Company A, Richard w
J Turner, captain, and the Robins Grays
= Company B, Loudon Butler, captain
20 Nineteenth Regiment, Benjamin L. Hodge
=. colonel; James M. Hollinsworth, lieutenan
\ colonel, and Wesley P. Wnas, major.
~ Nearly all of the men who fought so gal.
70 lantly at Shiloh on that beautiful Sunday
{ in April have long ago ended the Battle o
y Life and reported for duty in the Undyine
70 Army,