"AGATE'S" STORY CONCLUDED.
THE WORK OF SUNDAY NIGHT--LANDING OF BUELL'S TROOPS--EFFECT OF
THE BOMBARDMENT--LACK OF SYSTEM IN THE UNION ARMY--RENEWING THE
BATTLE--A CHANGE OF TACTICS--TURNING THE TIDE--CRITTENDEN'S
ADVANCE--THE ADVANCE AT THE CENTRE--A GRAND PARADE ON THE FIELD
OF WAR--REDEEMING THE LOSSES OF SUNDAY--FACING THE LOUISIANA
TROOPS--SILENCING THE BATTERY--END OF THE GREAT STRUGGLE.
After giving the roll of the Federal troops engaged at Shiloh, "Agate"
concludes his remarkable narrative as follows:
With the exception of the gunboat bombardment, the night seemed to
have passed in entire quiet. A heavy thunder-storm had come up about
midnight, and though we were all shivering over the ducking, the
surgeons assured us that a better thing could not have happened. The
ground, they said, was covered with wounded not yet found, or whom we
were unable to bring from the field. The moisture would to some extent
cool the burning, parching thirst, which is one of the chief terrors of
lying wounded and helpless on the battle-field, and the falling water
was the best dressing for the wounds.
The regiments of Buell's Divisions were still disembarking at the
Landing. Many had taken their places, the rest hurried out as fast
as they landed, and fell in, to the rear of their brigade-lines, for
reserves. I stood for a few moments at the Landing, curious to see
how these fine fellows would march out to the field where they knew
reverses had crowded so thickly upon us the day before, and where
many of them must lie down to sleep his last sleep ere the sun, then
rising, should sink again. There was little of that vulgar vanity of
valor which was so conspicuous in all the movements of our rawer troops
eight or nine months ago. There was no noisy and senseless yelling, no
shouting of boasts, no calling on on-lookers, to "show us where the
cowardly Secesh is, and we'll clean 'em out double-quick." These men
understood the work before them; they went to it as brave men should,
determinedly, hopefully, calmly.
It soon became evident that the gunboat bombardment through the night
had not been without a most important effect in changing the conditions
under which we renewed the struggle. The sun had gone down with the
enemy's lines clasping us tightly on the centre and left, pushing us
to the river, and leaving us little over half a mile out of all the
broad space we had held in the morning. The gunboats had cut the coils,
and loosened the constriction. As we soon learned, their shells had
made the old position on our extreme left, which the Rebels had been
pleasantly occupying, utterly untenable. Instead of being able to slip
up on us through the night, as they had probably intended, they were
compelled to fall back from point to point; each time as they had found
places, they thought, out of range, a shell would come dropping in.
Nowhere within range could they lie, but the troublesome visitors would
find them out; and to end the matter, they fell back beyond our inner
camps, and thus lost more than half the ground they had gained by our
4 o'clock retreat the afternoon before.
Less easily accounted for was a movement of theirs on our right. They
had held here a steep bluff covered with underbrush, as their advanced
line. Through the night they abandoned this, which gave them the best
position for opposing Lew. Wallace, and had fallen back across some
open fields to the scrub-oak woods beyond. The advantage of compelling
our advance over unprotected openings, while they maintained a
sheltered position, was obvious, but certainly not so great as holding
a height which artillery and infantry would make as difficult to take
as many a fort. Nevertheless they fell back.
The reader who is patient enough to wade through this narration, will
scarcely fail to observe that thus far I have said little or nothing of
any plan of attack or defence among our commanders. It has been simply
because I have failed to see any evidence of such a plan. To me it
seemed on Sunday as if every Division General at least--not to say in
many cases, every individual soldier--imitated the good old Israelitish
plan of action, by which every man did what seemed good in his own
eyes. There may have been an infinite amount of generalship displayed,
in superintending our various defeats and re-formations and retreats,
but to me it seemed of that microscopic character that required
the magnifying powers of a special permit for exclusive newspaper
telegraphing on government lines to discover.
Sunday night there was a council of war, but if the Major-General
commanding developed any plans there, beyond the simple arrangement
of our line of battle, I am very certain that some of the Division
Commanders didn't find it out. Stubborn fighting alone delayed our
losses on Sunday; stubborn fighting alone saved us when we had reached
the point beyond which came the child's "jumping-off place;" and
stubborn fight, with such generalship as individual Division Commanders
displayed, regained on Monday what we had lost before.
To those who had looked despairingly at the prospects Sunday evening,
it seemed strange that the Rebels did not open out on us by daybreak
again. Their retreat before the bomb-shells of the gunboats, however,
explained the delay. Our own divisions were put in motion almost
simultaneously. By seven o'clock Lew. Wallace opened the ball by
shelling, from the positions he had selected the night before, the
Rebel battery, of which mention has been made. A brisk artillery duel,
a rapid movement of infantry across a shallow ravine, as if to storm,
and the Rebels enfiladed and menaced in front, limbered up and made the
opening of their Monday's retreating.
To the left we were slower in finding the enemy. They had been
compelled to travel some distance to get out of gunboat range. Nelson
moved his division about the same time Wallace opened on the Rebel
battery, forming in line of battle, Ammon's Brigade on the extreme
left, Bruce's in the centre, and Hazen's to the left. Skirmishers were
thrown out, and for nearly or quite a mile the division thus swept
the country, pushing the outlying Rebels before it, till it came upon
them in force. Then a general engagement broke out along the line, and
again the rattle of musketry and thunder of artillery echoed over the
late silent fields. There was no straggling this morning. These men
were better drilled than many of those whose regiments had broken to
pieces on the day before, and strict measures were taken, at any rate,
to prevent the miscellaneous thronging back to places of safety in the
rear. They stood up to their work and did their duty manfully. It soon
became evident that, whether from change of commanders or some other
cause, the Rebels were pursuing a different policy in massing their
forces. On Sunday the heaviest fighting had been done on the left. This
morning they seemed to make less determined resistance here, while
toward the centre and right the ground was more obstinately contested,
and the struggle longer prolonged.
Till half-past ten o'clock, Nelson advanced slowly but steadily,
sweeping his long lines over the ground of our sore defeat on Sunday
morning, and forward over scores of Rebel dead, resistlessly pressing
back the jaded and wearied enemy. The Rebels had received but few
reinforcements during the night, their men were exhausted with their
desperate contest of the day before, and manifestly dispirited by the
evident fact that notwithstanding their well-laid plans of destruction
in detail, they were fighting Grant and Buell combined.
Gradually, as Nelson pushed forward his lines under heavy musketry,
the enemy fell back, till about half-past ten, when, under cover of
the heavy timber and a furious cannonading, they made a general rally.
Our forces, flushed with their easy victory, were scarcely prepared
for the sudden onset, where retreat had been all they had been seeing
before. Suddenly, the Rebel masses were hurled against our lines with
tremendous force. Our men halted, wavered, and fell back. At this
juncture, Captain Terrill's regular battery came dashing up. Scarcely
taking time to unlimber, he was loading and sighting his pieces before
the caissons had turned, and in an instant was tossing shell from
twenty-four pound howitzers into the compact and advancing Rebel ranks.
Here was the turning-point of the battle on the left. The Rebels were
only checked, not halted. On they came. Horse after horse from the
batteries were picked. Every private at one of the howitzers fell, and
the gun was worked by Captain Terrill himself and a corporal. Still
the Rebels advanced, till, in the very nick of time, a regiment dashed
up from our line, and saved the disabled piece. Then for two hours
artillery and musketry at close range. At last they began to waver.
Our men pressed on, pouring in deadly volleys. Just then Buell, who
assumed the general direction of his troops in the field, came up. At
a glance he saw the chance. "Forward at double-quick by brigades!" Our
men leaped forward as if they had been tied, and were only too much
rejoiced at suddenly finding themselves able to move. For a quarter
of a mile the Rebels fell back. Faster and faster they ran, less and
less resistance was made to the advance. At last the front camps on the
left were reached, and by half-past two that point was cleared. The
Rebels had been steadily swept back over the ground they had won, with
heavy loss as they fell into confusion; we had retaken all our own guns
lost here the day before, and one or two from the Rebels were left as
trophies, to tell in after days how bravely that great victory over
treason in Tennessee was won.
I have sketched the advance of Nelson. Next to him came Crittenden.
He, too, swept forward over his ground to the front some distance
before finding the foe. Between 8 and 9 o'clock, however, while keeping
Smith's Brigade on his left up even with Nelson's flank, and joining
Boyle's Brigade to McCook on the right, in the grand advance, they came
upon the enemy with a battery in position, and well supported. Smith
dashed his brigade forward; there was sharp, close work with musketry,
and the Rebels fled, leaving us three pieces--a twelve-pound howitzer,
and two brass six-pounders. But they cost the gallant Thirteenth Ohio
dear. Major Ben. Piatt Runkle fell, mortally wounded. Softly may he
sleep, and green grow the laurels over his honored grave. None worthier
wear them living.
For half an hour, perhaps, the storm raged around these captured
guns. Then came the reflex Rebel wave that had hurled Nelson back.
Crittenden, too, caught its full force. The Rebels swept up to the
batteries, around them, and on down after our retreating column. But
the two brigades, like those of Nelson to their left, took a fresh
position, faced the foe, and held their ground. Mendenhall's and
Bartlett's Batteries now began shelling the infantry that alone opposed
them. Before abandoning the guns so briefly held, they had spiked them
with mud, and the novel expedient was perfectly successful. From that
time till after 1 o'clock, while the fight raged back and forth over
the same ground, the Rebels did not succeed in firing a shot from their
mud-spiked artillery.
At last our brigades began to gain the advantage again. Crittenden
pushed them steadily forward. Mendenhall (with his accomplished First
Lieutenant Parsons, one of our Western Reserve West Pointers), and
Bartlett, poured in their shell. A rush for the contested battery,
and it is ours again. The Rebels retreated toward the left. Smith and
Boyle, holding the infantry well in hand, Mendenhall again got their
range, and poured in shell on the new position. The fortune of the day
was against them as against their comrades to Nelson's front, and they
were soon in full retreat.
Just then Brigadier-General Thomas J. Wood's advance brigade, from his
approaching division, came up. It was too late for the fight, but it
relieved Crittenden's weary fellows, and pushed on after the Rebels,
until they were found to have left our most advanced camps.
Thus the left was saved. Meanwhile McCook, with as magnificent
regiments as ever came from the Army of the Potomac, or from any army
of volunteers in the world, was doing equally well toward the centre.
His division was handled in such a way as to save great effusion of
blood, while equally important results were obtained. Thus the reserves
were kept as much as possible from under fire, while those to the front
were engaged. The lists of killed and wounded will show that, while as
heavy fighting was done here as anywhere on the right or centre, the
casualties are fewer than could have been expected.
It would scarcely be interesting to prolong details where the course
of one division so nearly resembled that of the others. But let me
sketch the close. An Illinois battery, serving in the division, was in
imminent danger. The Sixth Indiana was ordered to its relief. A rapid
rush; close musketry firing; no need of bayonets here; the battery is
safe. The enemy are to the front and right. Advancing and firing right
oblique, the Sixth pushes on. The Rebel colors fall. Another volley;
they fall again. Another volley; yet once more the colors drop. There
is fatality in it, so the Rebels seem to think at least, as they wheel
and disappear.
And then Rousseau's Brigade is drawn off in splendid style, as if
coming in from parade, conscious of some grand master of reviews
watching their movements. So there was--the Rebel general. As he
saw the brigade filing back, he pushed his forces forward again.
Kirk's Brigade advanced to meet them, coming out of the woods into
an open field to do so. They were met by a tremendous fire, which
threw a battalion of regulars in front of them (under Major Oliver,
I think,) into some confusion. They retire to reform, and meanwhile
down drops the brigade, flat on the ground. Then, as the front is
clear, they spring up, charge across the open field--never mind
the falling--straight on, on to the woods--under cover, with the
enemy driven back by the impetuous advance. And now he rallies.
Fierce musketry firing sweeps the woods. They advance--thirty rods,
perhaps--when the Twenty-ninth Indiana gets into a marsh, and falls
partially to the rear. Heavier comes the leaden hail. Twenty-ninth
and Thirtieth both fall back fifteen or twenty rods; they rally and
advance; again they are hurled back; again they start forward; and
this time they come in on the vulnerable points. The enemy flees.
Colonel Waggoner's Fifteenth Indiana comes up to the support; the enemy
disappear; fresh troops take their places, and for them the fight is
ended. I might describe similar deeds of Willich's and Harrison's
regiments, but "from one learn all."
Farther to the right, McClernand and Hurlbut were gallantly coming on
with their jaded men. The soldiers would fight--that was the great
lesson of the battle. If surprised, and driven off in consequence
of surprise, that can hardly be wholly charged on them. Four times
McClernand regained and lost again the ground to the front of his
division. Similar were Hurlbut's fortunes.
But I must abandon these details. Beginning at the left we have
followed the wave of successes that swept us forward again, from spot
to spot, over the hard-lost fields of Sunday--our paeans of victory,
the wild cheers of our successful soldiers, sounding the requiem of the
fallen Rebels, who have atoned for their treason by the brave man's
death. Nelson, Crittenden, McCook, Hurlbut, McClernand have borne their
divisions through the fray. It lasted longer on the right, and was
as rarely interesting as the chess-game of a master. Let us trace it
through.
In speaking of the beginning of Monday's battle, I mentioned
Major-General Lew. Wallace's opening the ball at seven o'clock,
by shelling with enfilading fires a Rebel battery. A few shots
demonstrated to the Rebels that their position was untenable. The
instant Sherman came in to protect his left, Wallace advanced his
infantry. The Rebel battery at once limbered up and got out of the
way. The advance had withdrawn the division from Sherman. Making
a left half-wheel, to get back into the neighborhood of our line,
they advanced some two hundred yards, which brought them to a little
elevation, with a broad, open stretch to the front.
As the division halted on the crest of the swell, there passed before
them a rare vision. Away to the front were woods. Through the edge of
the timber, skirting the fields, the head of a Rebel column appeared,
marching past in splendid style on the double-quick. Banner after
banner appeared; the "stars and bars" formed a long line, stretching
parallel with Wallace's line of battle. Regiment after regiment
followed on, the line lengthened, and doubled and trebled; the head of
the column was out of sight, and still they came. Twenty regiments were
counted passing through these woods. The design was plain. The Rebels
had abandoned the idea of forcing their way through our left, and now
the manifest attempt was to turn our right.
Batteries were ordered up--Thompson's and Thurber's--and the whole
column was shelled as it passed. The Rebels rapidly threw their
artillery into position, and a brisk cannonading began. After a time,
while the fight still rested with the artillery, the Rebels opened
a new and destructive battery to the right, which our men soon
learned to know as "Watson's Louisiana Battery," from the marks on the
ammunition-boxes they forced it from time to time to leave behind.
Batteries, with a brigade of supporting infantry, were now moved
forward over open fields under heavy fire, to contend against this new
assailant. The batteries opened, the sharpshooters were thrown out to
the front to pick off the Rebel artillerists, the brigade was ordered
down on its face to protect it from the flying shell and grape. For an
hour and a half the contest lasted, while the body of the division was
still delayed, waiting for Sherman. By ten o'clock Sherman's right,
under Colonel Marsh, came up. He started to move across the fields. The
storm of musketry and grape were too much for him, and he fell back in
good order. Again he started on the double, and gained the woods. The
Louisiana Battery was turned; Marsh's position left it subject to fire
in flank and front, and it fled. The other Rebel batteries at once did
the same; and Wallace's Division, up in an instant, now that a master
move had swept the board, pushed forward. Before them were broad fallow
fields, then a woody little ravine, then corn-fields, then woods.
The left brigade was sent forward. It crossed the fallow fields,
under ordinary fire, then gained the ravine, and was rushing across
the corn-fields, when the same Louisiana steel rifled guns opened on
them. Dashing forward they reached a little ground-swell, behind which
they dropped like dead men, while skirmishers were sent forward to
silence the troublesome battery. The skirmishers crawled forward till
they gained a little knoll, not more than seventy-five yards from the
battery. Of course the battery opened on them. They replied, if not so
noisily, more to the purpose. In a few minutes the battery was driven
off, with artillerists killed, horses shot down, and badly crippled
every way. But the affair cost us a brave man--Lieutenant-Colonel
Garber--who could not control his enthusiasm at the conduct of the
skirmishers, and in his excitement incautiously exposed himself. All
this while Rebel regiments were pouring up to attack the audacious
brigade that was supporting the skirmishers, and fresh regiments from
Wallace's Division came up in time to checkmate the game.
But the battery was silenced. "Forward," was the division order.
Rushing across the corn-fields under heavy fire, they now met the
Rebels face to face in the woods. The contest was quick, decisive.
Close, sharp, continuous musketry for a few minutes, and the Rebels
fell back.
Here, unfortunately, Sherman's right gave way. Wallace's flank was
exposed. He instantly formed Colonel Wood's (Seventy-sixth Ohio) in a
new line of battle, in right angles with the real one, and with orders
to protect the flank. The Eleventh Indiana was likewise here engaged
in a sharp engagement with the enemy attempting to flank, and for a
time the contest waxed fierce. But Sherman soon filled the place of his
broken regiments; again Wallace's Division forced forward, and again
the enemy gave way.
By 2 o'clock the division was into the woods again, and for
three-quarters of a mile it advanced under a continuous storm of shot.
Then another contest or two with batteries--always met with skirmishers
and sharp-shooting--then, by 4 o'clock, two hours later than on the
right, a general Rebel retreat--then pursuit, recall and encampment on
the old grounds of Sherman's Division, in the very tents from which
those regiments were driven that hapless Sunday morning.
The camps were regained. The Rebels were repulsed. Their attack had
failed. We stood where we began. Rebel cavalry were within half a mile
of us. The retreating columns were within striking distance. But we had
regained our camps. And so ended the battle of Pittsburgh Landing.
I do not pretend to give more than an estimate; but I have made the
estimate with some care, going to the adjutants of different regiments
that had been in as heavy fighting as any--getting statements of their
losses, sure to be very nearly if not quite accurate, and approximating
thus from the loss of a dozen regiments to the probable loss of all.
I have ridden over the grounds, too--have seen the dead and wounded
lying over the field--have noted the number in the hospitals and on the
boats. As the result of it all, I do not believe our loss in killed and
wounded will number over five thousand. The question of prisoners is
another matter.
The best opinions of the strength with which the Rebels attacked us
place their numbers at sixty thousand. They may have been reinforced
five to ten thousand Sunday night.
Grant had scarcely forty thousand effective men on Sunday. Of these,
half a dozen regiments were utterly raw--had scarcely had their guns
long enough to know how to handle them. Some were supplied with weapons
on their way up.
Buell crossed three divisions that took part in the action--Nelson's,
Crittenden's, and McCook's. They numbered say twenty thousand--a
liberal estimate. Lew. Wallace came up on Monday, with say seven
thousand more. That gives us, counting the Sunday men as all effective
again, sixty-seven thousand on Monday, on one side, against sixty to
seventy thousand Rebels. It was not numbers that gained us the day, it
was fighting. All honor to our Northern soldiers for it.