SHILOH.
Johnston planned to attack Grant before the arrival of Buell, and
had brought together the largest army ever before assembled in the
Confederacy. He had the force under General Hardee from Bowling Green,
the remnant of Zollicoffer’s army, Bragg from Pensacola with a fine
corps of well drilled and well equipped troops, and Polk from Columbus
with a light force, altogether nearly 40,000 men. They were to attack
an army of veterans flushed with the victory at Donelson.
Johnston ordered the army to move on the morning of April 3, but some
of the troops did not get away until that afternoon. It was said
that this delay was due to the inexperience of both staff and men.
Johnston had intended to attack on the 5th, but the army, delayed by
the bad roads, did not arrive in time. Thus we lost twenty-four fateful
hours--twenty-four hours of as precious time as was ever lost in war.
Our regiment reached the front on the 4th and was ordered to guard the
left wing of the army. In detachments we guarded every road, trail and
opening around the whole left front and flank, with strict orders that
none of us be allowed to sleep at all. Soon after nightfall it began to
rain. It poured down in torrents, and the night was pitch dark. Whether
in the saddle, on post or in camp, we could hardly have slept in that
downpour. It was a long, dreary night, but morning, a bright spring
morning, came at last.
The regiment assembled once more, very wet and uncomfortable. Our arms,
too, were wet and, fearing they would fail us in action, we implored
Colonel Wharton to let us fire them off. With no thought of possible
consequences he consented. Pointing to a wooded hillside, he said:
“Go off there and shoot.”
We discharged all the firearms we had. It sounded like a brisk
skirmish. The colonel was immediately summoned to headquarters. Camp
rumor said that his interview with his superiors was rather stormy,
that he was severely reprimanded. It is a fact that on his return he
made us a speech, telling us that by yielding to our importunities he
had committed a serious blunder which had subjected him to unfavorable
criticism by persons in the higher military circles. He seemed to be
much perturbed mentally. He asked us to wipe out the stain by our
gallant behavior in the coming engagement; asked us to ride further
into the enemy’s ranks than any other regiment. I think most of us
audibly promised to do what he asked; and we kept the promise as far as
circumstances would permit, as will be seen.
The whole army had arrived by Saturday afternoon. Early Sunday morning,
April 6th, the forward movement began. The enemy were either in bed or
preparing breakfast, and were taken by surprise. I know the surprise
has been denied by so eminent a person as General Grant, but as he
was sleeping at Savannah, nine miles away, he is hardly a competent
witness. Thousands of us saw camp kettles and coffeepots on the fires,
beds just as the occupants had left them, blankets spread and clothing
strewn about.
It is not my purpose to describe the battle of Shiloh. I wish merely to
speak of some principal incidents. It was a continuous advance of the
Confederates nearly all of the day, Sunday. The roar of big guns and
the rattle of musketry was unceasing.
The Rangers were kept in column just in the rear of the left wing, and
had no part in the conflict till late in the day, when our eagerness to
take part in the fight was gratified by an order to clear our extreme
left, and assail the enemy, who was then retiring through thick woods.
We had to cross a muddy branch. At first two abreast could get over,
but it soon became so bad that only one at a time could cross, and then
it was a good long jump for a horse. Not half of the regiment was over
when the leading files rushed up the hill through a small open field.
Turning to the right they came to a high rail fence behind which was a
line of blue. From this line came a most destructive fire which emptied
many saddles. John Crane of Company D was killed. Clint Terry, a new
arrival, brother of our former colonel, fell mortally wounded.
We were too few to make any impression, although some of our men
dismounted and began throwing down the fence. A few even crossed into
the wood. The firing was so hot that we beat a hasty retreat in spite
of the appeals of Colonel Wharton and other officers, who did all they
could to stop our flight. We didn’t stop until we were out of range,
when we re-formed at once. Thus our second encounter with the enemy met
with a repulse. I may say, however, that this charge, if it be proper
to call it a charge, was not without good results to our cause. Several
years since I received a letter from Colonel Chisholm, who was then
on the staff of General Beauregard. He wrote that it was he who led
the regiment in that advance; that the object of it was to detain the
enemy until other troops could be brought up; that for this purpose the
movement was measurably successful.
That afternoon we learned with sorrow of the death of General Johnston.
This we then regarded as a great calamity, and time has not changed our
opinion.
We were not engaged again that day. We spent the night on the
battlefield, amid the dead of the enemy, subsisting ourselves and our
horses from the abundant supplies on every hand. Though it rained
another downpour, and though we had no shelter, we slept as only tired
soldiers can.
Reinforced by Buell’s 40,000, the enemy assumed the offensive next day.
The Confederates only resisted, as best they could, to get off their
wounded, their trains and artillery, over muddy roads. The Rangers were
dismounted to aid in resisting the forward movement, losing several
men. John H. Washington of Company D was shot through the hips and
left on the field for dead; but under the care of Federal surgeons he
recovered, and is living today.
Tuesday, the 8th, two companies of the Rangers, under Major Harrison,
with part of Forrest’s men, all under the command of Forrest, made a
brilliant charge on a mounted force of the enemy, believed to be a
large escort of a general officer, and ran them back to the main force
of infantry.
The pursuit now ceased and, without further molestation, we returned
to Corinth. Here we remained two or three weeks, and received some
recruits, the first since leaving Texas. Company D got six, T. A. W.
Hill, William and A. J. Kyle, George T. McGehee, T. M. Rector and S.
M. Watkins. They were quite an addition to our force. All were fine
soldiers and continued to the end. There was much sickness, caused by
bad water. Everybody was anxious for more active service.
The regiment was now ordered into Tennessee. Crossing the river at
Lamb’s Ferry, we captured a detachment of the enemy, guarding a
railroad bridge, after a hot fight, in which we lost several men.
Captain Harris of Company I was killed; also William DeWoody of Company
D. There is one incident of this affair which I shall never forget.
Among our prisoners was a captain of an Ohio regiment. He had six
bullet wounds in his body. He sat up in the boat as we crossed the
river, and walked unassisted up the hill on the other side.