FROM BATTLE OF SHILOH TO BATTLE AT CORINTH.
_Trip up the Tennessee River--Remain on boat--Battle of
Shiloh--Losses in this battle--Losses in 9th Regt. Ill.
Inft.--List of killed and wounded--Advance upon
Corinth--Pursuit--Officers commissioned--Garrison Rienzi._
Having ascended the Cumberland River, and ascertained that the enemy
had evacuated all the prominent points on it, Gen. Grant now marshals
his forces for a trip up the Tennessee River, hoping from it to reach
Corinth, where the enemy were strongly fortifying themselves and
collecting in great number.
The 9th Ill. Inft. was destined to take part in this expedition. Hence,
it struck tents at Fort Sevier on the 6th March, 1862, and embarked,
with camp and garrison equipage, on board the steamers "Lady Pike" and
"Commercial." It moved down the Cumberland River on the morning of the
7th, and passed Fort Donelson on the 8th, reaching Paducah the same
evening. It moved up the Tennessee on 10th March, and joined Gen.
Grant's flotilla six miles above Fort Henry.
The trip up the Tennessee River, with this great army, is described by
the boys, as grand beyond all description. There were, I believe,
ninety-five steamboats loaded with soldiers. The weather was beautiful
and pleasant. Bands of music were playing. Everything that was
calculated to charm was there. Doubtless very many of this great
multitude did not realize that in a short time so many of them must
fall in the deadly conflict. The terrors to come were forgotten in the
joys and grandeur of the hour.
This fleet, containing a grand army, reached Savannah, Tenn., on the
12th of March, 1862. Here the boats remained tied up until the 18th of
March, when we moved up to Pittsburg Landing, disembarked and went into
camp, one-quarter of a mile from the river, on the 19th. On the 23d,
our camp was moved one-half mile further back from the river. At this
point the 81st Ohio, and the 13th and 14th Missouri Infantry, were
attached to the Brigade. The two latter were afterwards exchanged for
the 22d Ohio and 66th Illinois Infantry.
On the 1st of April Col. Mersy was ordered to the command of the
Brigade, in the place of Col. McArthur, who had been placed under
arrest.
On the morning of the 6th, at daylight, the enemy made a furious attack
on Gen. Prentiss' Division. The enemy moved forward in echelon by
Divisions, point foremost, the evident intention being to break, by a
furious attack, the centre of our line. But in this they did not
succeed. Gen. Prentiss was compelled, however, to fall back a short
distance to his supports. Here he gallantly maintained his position for
a long time.
But my object in this sketch, is not to give an account of this
terrible battle, but of the part the 9th Illinois took in it.
Our Division was held in reserve, and consequently did not reach the
field of action until after noon. Col. McArthur had been released from
arrest, and resumed command of his Brigade. Brig. Gen. W. H. L. Wallace
relieved Major General Smith of the command of our Division, the latter
being too unwell to do duty on the field. We were moved to the left of
Prentiss' Division. On the way the Regiment met with hundreds of
stragglers hastening in confusion to the sheltering cover of the river
bank for protection. About fifty of these were pressed into our
Regiment. Nearly all of them were killed or wounded during the day.
The Regiment held its place in the line for two hours, against a
vastly superior force of the enemy. The 41st Ill. Inft. was on our
right, and the 12th Ill. Inft. on our left. The latter Regiment fell
back three hundred yards, after being exposed to the fire of the enemy
for over an hour. Thus our left flank was exposed to a flank movement
of the enemy. Of this they soon took advantage, and poured a murderous
fire down the ravine which we occupied. After holding this position
until a new line was formed, three hundred yards in the rear, the
Regiment fell back hastily behind it. It was not long, however, until
this line was broken by the terrible assault of the overwhelming forces
of the enemy. A new line, of immense strength, was finally formed
one-half mile from the landing. All the available artillery was
gathered to this point; the victorious advance of the enemy was
checked, and their masses for the first time during the day recoiled
before the murderous discharges of grape and canister from one hundred
iron throats.
Gen. Prentiss' Division not falling back soon enough to this new line,
were completely surrounded, and compelled to surrender to the enemy.
The Division numbered about 3,000 men.
After the repulse of the enemy at this point, no further attack was
made, and night soon closed the conflict of the day. During the night
the gunboats kept up a constant firing of 64-pound shells among the
enemy, and finally compelled them to fall back six hundred yards. This
gave our forces a fine chance to operate in the morning. During the
night also, some 20,000 fresh troops from Buell's army were ferried
across the river. Maj. Gen. Wallace's Division, from Crumpt's Landing,
came up on the left flank of the enemy. So that on the morning of the
7th we had 20,000 fresh troops on the front of the enemy, our gunboats
on their right, and Gen. Wallace's Division of 6,000 fresh troops on
their left flank. The contest was not long. The enemy soon gave way.
Then began a retreat which finally, at 3, P. M., became a perfect rout,
as they fled in wild dismay toward their works at Corinth. The
miserable condition of the roads prevented pursuit for more than half
of the distance. Hence, we succeeded in capturing only 1,000 prisoners.
The entire Union loss in this engagement was, 1,700 killed, 9,000
wounded, and 3,800 taken prisoners. The rebel loss was about 2,300
killed, 12,000 wounded, and 1,000 taken prisoners. Total Union loss,
14,500. Total rebel loss, 15,800.
Here, in this one battle, were 4,000 American citizens left dead upon
the battle-field, and 21,000 more wounded. By whom was this terrible
destruction of life? Had some savage foe invaded our once happy and
peaceful land? Ah, no! It was the hand of brother against brother;
fellow-citizen against fellow-citizen! It arose on the one hand, from
a determination to rivet tighter and tighter the chains of human
bondage, even at the cost of the overthrow of that government under
which our country has been so highly prospered; and on the other hand,
from a determination that so good a government should not be overthrown
to support any such unhallowed cause. Oh, the sadness of human strife,
and especially when it arises from a _family quarrel_!
The loss of the 9th Ill. Inft. in this battle, was 61 killed on the
field and 287 wounded. Among the killed, was Lieut. F. Vogler, of Co.
B. Among the wounded, were Col. Mersy, Lieut. Col. Phillips, Adjutant
Klock, Assistant Surgeon Gulick, Captains Adam, Kneffner, Beckier,
Hawes, Webb, Armstrong and Robinson, and Lieutenants Rollmann, Scheel,
Williford, Clements, Purviance, McCleery, (mortally,) Lowe and Krebs.
Lieut. Krebs was severely wounded and taken prisoner.
The following is a list of the killed and wounded in the various
companies, during this battle:
COMPANY A.--_Killed_, Sergt. Peter Schoppert, Corp. Joseph Brown,
Privates George Andrea, Henry Glink, Ambrose Lamber and William
Herrman. In all, 6 killed. _Wounded_, Capt. Emil Adam, Lieut. Oscar
Rolmann, Sergt. Andrew Bastian, Corps. Anton Hund, Anton Schwertner and
Henry Burmeister, Privates Friedrich Bremenkamp, Henry Brenner, John
Baner, Erasmus Fries, Nickolaus Frank, Anton Gaulocher, (afterward
died,) Ferdinand Hoas, Wm. Holl, Michael Hortweck, James Loehr, Charles
Miller, Henry Mueller, August Meyer, Jacob Nickolaus, George Schaefer,
Jacob Wehrli, Martin Weis, Jacob Duttenhoefer, Adam Schalter, Benidiekt
Stranbinger, William Stahl, George Winter, Christian Rose, Nickolaus
Vonburg, Friedrich Koch, Theodore Bachlg, Henry Tahncke, Chas. Ribke,
Michael Braun and Andreas Sehuehman. In all, 36 wounded.
COMPANY B.--_Killed_, Lieut. F. E. Vogler, Sergt. John Schmidt,
Privates Edward Dettmar, Albert Kineoke, Conrad Maul, John Mesh, Frank
Scheffer and Henry Weber. In all, 8 killed. _Wounded_, Sergt. John
Mallmann, Privates Lorenz Ackermann, Joseph Ammon, Mathias Arnold,
Jacob Bauer, Morand Barrmann, George Betz, Gustar Blank, Joss. Cropp,
Albert Donner, Frederick Entz, Amald Gerig, Charles Grin, Conrad
Hellmuth, Gerhard Janssen, Valentin Kadel, August Lopold, Louis Linne,
Paul Martin, Ignaz Menne, Sabastian Pfister, John Raffel, Peter Reppel,
George Salz, Henry Schmidt, Jacob Spiess, Philipp Spiess, Corp. Hermann
Suemnicht, Jacob Sulzer, Daniel Werner, Christ. Wickermann, Ferdinand
Wisshack, Corp. Augustus Wurmb. In all, 33 wounded.
COMPANY C.--_Killed_, Wm. Klingenberg, John Lamprecht, George Lehr,
Michael Lehr, Friedrich Lippert, Geo. Luther, Henry Riditer, Sergt.
Chas. Hahle, Christian Schenk, Wm. Slorch and August Wichard. In all,
11 killed. _Wounded_, First Lieut. Oscar Rollmann, A. Arramus, Anton
Becker, Henry Behm, Andrew Benci, Philipp Erbe, Chas. Friedrich, Wm.
Gaebe, Jacob Haberkorn, John A. Helferich, Frank Helferich, Jacob
Herpin, Christian Keith, Christian Macdel, Frank Moser, Andrew Nadber,
Jacob Randall, Antoo Saebert, Charles Schenk, Fred. Scheve, Henry
Schemph, Peter Schneider, Nicklaus Schouelber, John Spaule, John
Salzmann, Freiderich Slaab, Henry Vishsel. In all, 27 wounded.
COMPANY D.--_Killed_, Jacob Becker, Charles Geesel, Henry Geesel, Adam
Loebig, Christian Kahn, Adam Kertz, Jacob Kieps, Philip Laner, Albert
Scheleberg, Schelz Tert, Wm. Vogelpohl and Henry Vohs. In all, 12
killed. _Wounded_, Capt. Beckier, Lieuts. Krebs and Scheal, John Baehr,
Herman Bange, Isiter Bayett, Joseph Beck, Rudolph Bekier, Wm.
Beeverson, Jos. Ersenhauer, Anlon Garllhoeffner, Fred. Havermann,
Conrath Heidmann, Chas. Huber, Edward Krebs, William Lieser, Chas.
Miller, George Metzker, C. Moeninger, C. Roth Roffy, Fried. Scheel, Os.
Stocker, Bernhard Vogel, and Tweibert Henry. In all, 34 wounded.
COMPANY E.--_Killed_, Sergt. Silas Bunker, Privates John Anson, Frank
M. Moore, Wm. D. Nevius, James McKenzie, John C. Cadie. In all, 6
killed. _Wounded_, Corps. Jas. G. Carnahan, Joseph R. Cox, and Philip
Anderson, Privates Jas. M. Blake, Matthew Bromley, Geo. H. Campbell,
Chas. Dryden, Michael Furlong, Daniel Hubbard, John W. Hay, Jos. B.
Jones, Jas. Mahone, Geo. Meyer, Francis J. Murphy, Jesse Mack, John N.
Shoemaker, Thos. Stalkal, Neal Vestal, Sergt. Lewis C. Bornman,
Musician Samuel Williams, Wagoner Wm. Minor, Wm. Mock. In all, 22
wounded.
COMPANY F.--_Killed_, Sergt. And. J. Webster, Corps. Joshua Gear and
Frank Pothast, Privates Demean McCulloch, John Chantick, Toliver
Foster, Thos. Cox, Joseph Koontz, Geo. McLeish, Charles Hills, John W.
Snofpr, Private of the 71st Ohio, name not known. In all, 13 killed.
_Wounded_, Capt. Webb, Lieut. Geo. Williford, Sergts. Jos. C. Gales and
R. N. Heinberger, Corp. And. J. White, Privates John B. Choenewith,
Jas. Rodgers, James Duncan, N. B. Winters, John McCarter, John
Stutfouth, John H. Lauchly, James Getty, Jos. L. Miller, James Hobbs,
Wm. T. Miller, John H. Collins, M. N. Fisher, Harlow Bassett, Jas. M.
Hickman, And. Grudin, Henry Grundin, R. Pimpkins, Geo. W. Warren, John
M. Ticknor, Marcus Burns. In all, 26 wounded.
COMPANY G.--_Killed_, David Jones, Alpheus Bascum, Jas. Walker, Thos.
J. Ouly and Wm. H. Bascom. In all, 5 killed. _Wounded_, Lieut. Clemens,
N. G. Poraine, John B. Russell, E. B. Rhoads, Wm. Hampton, John J.
White, (afterwards died,) John W. Brown, Wm. L. Brown, N. G. Brown,
Henry Brown, John J. Zippy, John J. Stripling, Wm. R. Bradley, Wm.
Addison, Lewis R. Applegate Robert Marshall, Daniel Ryan, Thos.
Stotlar, A. B. Suttin, W. S. White, John McCord, Lewis Wise, Jun.,
Allen Edwards, S. P. Hartsell, Charles W. Miller, Bennet Strotlar. In
all, 26 wounded.
COMPANY H.--_Killed_, Sergt. Francis D. Hubbel, Will. R. Haller, Daniel
C White, Thos. Wright. In all, 4 killed. _Wounded_, Captain W. F.
Armstrong, Sergts. Daniel Pentzer and Jacob Miller, Privates Nickolaus
Keller, Alonzo F. McEwen, Paul Roberts, Jas. W. Osborn, Sidney B.
Phillips, John Arny, Wm. Boldeman, Dennis Bahon, Chas. Biernbrier, Wm.
S. Cheeney, Wm. A. Cottingham, Ira G. Dart, John Droesch, Thos. Fry,
Will. H. Ilsley, Wm. Keep, John B. Livingood, John F. Moore, Patrick
Mogneham, Layfayette Mason, Jas. S. McGuillion, Edward Nail, George
Ralph, Francis M. Stickel, Almon D. Simmons, Jos. E. Taulber, Moses H.
Turner, Patrick Whalen, Erasmus Gaw, Jas. A. Clotpelter, George H. Dry,
John Salzmann, and Daniel C. Carriker. In all, 36 wounded.
COMPANY I.--_Killed_, Nathan Abbot, John Bass, Reegon Edward, John N.
Larance and Frederick Swartz. In all, 5 killed. _Wounded_, Captain Jos.
G. Robinson, 1st Lieutenant Wm. H. Purviance, Sergt. W. W. Jarvis,
Corp. G. W. Stice, Privates John Baird, Norman Barber, Isaiah Bery, G.
W. Clark, Thomas C Gillham, Wm. Helms, Thomas Hauskins, John Jaka, S.
B. Jarvis, Chas. C. Lewis, Albert Mills, Geo. McKinley, Chas. A.
Redman, John Wilson and Henry Wormyer. In all, 19 wounded.
COMPANY K.--_Killed_, George Sloan, Wm. Foster, Jas. L. Kriddler, Thos.
Walton. In all, 4 killed. _Wounded_, John Richmond, Samuel W. Sloan,
Geo. W. Burton, Sen., Geo. W. Burton, Jun., John Burke, Chas. W. Boles,
Henderson Cogdall, John L. Creed, John Clifford, Wm. A. Carding, Frank
F. Cogles, John Horn, Thos. J. Hagler, Laro May, Sam'l L. Miller,
Robert E. Ramsey, Jonathan Stone, and Chas. L. Tomlinson. In all, 18
wounded.
The terrible conflict which was endured by the 9th Ill. Inft., in this
battle, will be seen from the number of killed and wounded. There was
present for duty when the Regiment went into the engagement, 570 men.
Of these 348 were killed and wounded, and ten were captured. One
commissioned officer was killed, and 19 wounded. Only four
commissioned officers were left unhurt. I heard one of the soldiers who
was present at the time, say, that when they ceased fighting on Sabbath
evening, there were 70 men in line for duty, out of the whole Regiment.
It is said that Col. Mersy, when the Regiment was first drawn up in
line after the battle was over, shed tears, saying, "Vel, vel; dis is
all dat is left of my little Nint!" It must have been a sad sight to
see a Regiment, which numbered over 1,000 men when at Paducah a few
month's previous, cut down to this small number. But such is war.
Such was the battle of Shiloh, and such the part taken in it by the 9th
Ill. Inft. The writer well remembers the feeling which prevailed in the
North with reference to it. There was rejoicing over it as a victory.
Still it was regarded as a dearly bought victory. There was a very
decided feeling that somebody was at fault. That the rebels had
completely surprised our army. That our pickets were out but a very
short distance. Hence, the surprise. Gen. Grant, as chief in command,
was faulted. It was charged that he was drunk at the time. That he had
disobeyed orders, and landed his men on the wrong side of the river,
etc. I heard a citizen of Chicago, not a month ago, say that if Gen.
Grant had made his appearance in Chicago immediately after the battle
of Shiloh, he would have been mobbed, such was the feeling of
indignation.
It is not my province here to write a defense of Gen. Grant. Nor is it
needed. His own brilliant career since that, has set him right in the
minds of the people. A man who has captured more prisoners and more
guns than the world-renowned warrior, Napoleon Bonaparte, certainly
does not need, at this day, a written defense of his military career.
Suffice it to say, the officers and men who fought under him, even at
Shiloh, become restless if a word is said against him.
Immediately after this battle, Gen. Halleck, who had charge of the
South-Western Department of the army, with his "Head Quarters" at St.
Louis, left that place for the field of strife and took command of the
army in person. Expectation was high in the North. It was thought that
now surely the rebels will be "pushed to the wall." Never since the war
broke out, has there been such intense anxiety in the North-west, as
that which filled the public mind during the time which intervened
between the battle of Shiloh and the evacuation of Corinth. Many hearts
were sad over friends who fell at Shiloh. Every days' news was
anxiously awaited, expecting it to bring an account of another terrible
conflict. The suspense was long and painful. When the news finally came
that Corinth was ours, but that the enemy had evacuated it, there was
a feeling of sadness ran through the public mind. They were not
prepared for that. They were prepared to hear of many slain in the
effort to take Corinth, but not to hear that the enemy had fled and was
out of reach.
The 9th Ill. Inft. remained in camp on the battle-ground of Shiloh,
exposed to all the sickening influences of the nearness of so many dead
animals, as well as offensive odor arising from the shallow and
imperfect burial, which necessarily had to be given to so great a
multitude of dead. In conversation with a citizen from Illinois, who
visited the battle-ground a week or ten days after the battle, I
learned from him that the offensive smell of the dead was almost
insufferable. That, together with the diet upon which the soldiers had
to live, produced disease to an alarming extent. Here the Regiment
remained in camp until the 29th of April, over three weeks. On that day
it removed, with camp and garrison equipage, towards Corinth ten miles,
and bivouacked. It moved forward again on the 30th, five miles further,
and went into camp. Here the Regiment had muster and inspection by Col.
Mersy commanding.
Here Brig. Gen. R. J. Oglesby took command of our Brigade, in place of
Col. McArthur who was severely wounded in the late battle, Brig. Gen.
T. A. Davies took command of our Division, in place of Gen. W. H. L.
Wallace who was mortally wounded.
On the first of May, moved camp five miles further towards Corinth, and
remained there until the 4th of May. On that day removed to Monterey,
Miss., and went into camp a little West of that town, and remained
there until the 8th of May, when another forward movement was made, to
within seven miles of Corinth, finding no enemy.
The country here is very poor and broken, and water very scarce and
unfit for use. A great many of the men were sick with the Diarrhea and
Typhoid Fever. The Regiment remained here until the 14th of May, when
it moved two miles further in the direction of Corinth.
The Division moved forward again on the 16th, about one mile, and
formed a line, with Brig. Gen. Hurlbut's Division on our right. On the
17th, moved forward again one mile, and one-half mile on the 19th. This
brought our line within two and a-half miles of Corinth, and within
range of 32-pounder rifled guns. None were fired, however, and the
plain inference was, that the enemy had none. On the 21st of May, our
line advanced 400 yards, and again on the 29th 400 yards more. The
pressure now became so heavy, that the enemy evacuated Corinth, and
moved Southward toward Okolona.
Thus it will be seen, our army was just one month moving from
Pittsburg Landing to Corinth, a distance of about thirty miles. Just
one mile per day. And this after having remained 22 days in camp,
before leaving the battle-ground. This, too, in pursuit of a fleeing
enemy. It will be difficult ever to convince the country that this
great delay was necessary. And yet many military men, who were present,
regard it as a master-piece of Generalship. The country through which
this vast army must pass, was entirely uncultivated. No army could have
subsisted in it, even for a few days. Had our army advanced rapidly,
they were exposed to a flank movement which would have thrown the enemy
between them and the river, and cut off, as a natural consequence, our
supplies. That done, and our whole army would have been at the mercy of
the enemy. There was certainly great caution. But it was thought it was
all needed.
When an advance was made, after halting, in an incredibly short time,
breast-works were thrown up to prepare for an attack. It is amusing,
even now, to hear the boys laughing at their expertness with the spade.
They all turned out to be pretty good Irishmen, so far as the use of
the spade is concerned.
Immediately upon the evacuation of Corinth, Gen. Davies' Division, to
which the 9th Ill. Inft. belonged, was ordered, with Gen. Pope's army,
in pursuit of the fleeing enemy. The rapidity with which that pursuit
was prosecuted, will be seen from the following record of our daily
marches. Is it to be wondered at that they were not overtaken? On the
first day we moved out five miles, and bivouacked for the night near
Farmington. Moved forward again on the 31st, three miles, and went into
camp on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Here we remained in camp until
the 5th of June.
The following events occurred while in camp here: On the 1st of June
the Regiment was paid for the months of January, February, March and
April, 1862.
On the 2d of June commissions arrived as follows: First Lieut. James C.
McClery, to be Captain Co. K; 2d Lieut. G. G. Low, to be 1st Lieut. Co.
K; and Sergt. James Oats, to be 2d Lieut. Co. K. Sergeant Mallmann, to
be 2d Lieut. Co. B; and Sergt. Gottlab, to be 2d Lieut. Co. A.
On the 5th of June we again moved forward, eight miles, and went into
camp. On the 6th, moved forward and went into camp near Boonville,
Miss. Here we remained until the 12th of June. General Davies,
commander of the Division, being absent on sick-leave, General Oglesby
was in command of the Division; Col. Mersy of the Brigade, and Major
Kuhn of the Regiment.
On the 12th of June, the Regiment moved on its return towards Corinth,
fifteen miles, and went into camp. On the 13th, moved again and
occupied its old camping ground two and a-half miles south of Corinth.
On the 17th of June, Col. Wright, of the 22d Ohio, being senior
Colonel, relieved Col. Mersy of the command of the Brigade, and Col.
Mersy went home on sick-leave.
The Regiment remained in camp here until August 16th, 1862. During this
time the following changes occurred: Captain Webb resigned, and his
resignation was accepted July 15th, 1862. Lieutenant Purviance, of Co.
I, was discharged August 16th, for inability from wounds received in
action at Shiloh.
On the 16th of August, in compliance with orders from Gen. Davies,
Division commander, the Regiment moved, with camp and garrison
equipage, to Rienzi, and reported for duty to Brig. Gen. Granger,
commanding at that place, by whom it was assigned to Col. Schaeffer,
commanding 2d Brigade.
Regimental Quartermaster, W. G. Pinckard, was promoted to be Captain
and Assistant Quartermaster, to rank from April 30th, 1862.
There are some incidents during the period covered by this chapter
worthy of note. During the battle of Shiloh, Lieut. Col. Phillips was
wounded. It occurred late on Sabbath evening. He says the only time he
had ever been scared since he has been in the army, was when they were
carrying him off the battle-field wounded. The thought occurred to him,
that now there was almost six feet exposed to the fire of the enemy
instead of one foot, forgetting for the time, that while his body
occupied an additional space horizontally, it did not occupy so much
perpendicularly, as when he was on his horse.