Slavery and Four Years of War Part 34

( 6) _Ibid_., vol. iv., pp. 296-7, 300, 314, and 333, 341.

( 7) _War Records_, vol. v., p. 570.

( 8) Sherman was, in January, 1861, Superintendent of the Military Academy at Alexandria, Louisiana, over the door of which, chiselled in marble, was its motto: "_By the liberality of the General Government of the United States. The Union--Esto perpetua_."

As early as January 9th, an expedition of five hundred New Orleans militia under Colonel Wheat, accompanied by General Braxton Bragg, went by boat to Baton Rouge and captured the United States a.r.s.enal with a large amount of arms and ammunition. The Confederates sent two thousand muskets, three hundred Jager rifles and a quant.i.ty of ammunition to Sherman at Alexandria, to be by him received and accounted for. Finding himself required to become the custodian of stolen military supplies from the United States, and having the prescience to know that war was inevitable, he, January 18, 1861, resigned his position, settled his accounts with the State, and took his departure North.

Later we find him in St. Louis, President of the Fifth Street Railroad, and when, May 10th, the rebels at Camp Jackson were surrounded and captured, he, with his young son, "Willie"--now Father Sherman, and high in the Catholic Church--were on-lookers and in danger of losing their lives when the troops, returning from camp, were a.s.sailed and aggravated to fire upon the mob, killing friend and foe alike. Sherman fled with his boy to a gulley, which covered him until firing ceased.--Sherman's _Memoirs_, vol. i., pp. 155, 174.

( 9) _War Records_, vol. iv., pp. 349, 358.

(10) The Seventeenth Brigade consisted of the 3d, 10th and 13th Ohio, and 15th Kentucky.--_War Records_., vol. vii., p. 476.

(11) _Ibid_., p. 479.

(12) Colonel Terry was a brother of David S. Terry, who, while Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California, killed David C.

Broderick, then a United States Senator, in a duel at Lake Merced, Cal.

Davis S. Terry, for alleged grievances growing out of a decision of the U. S. Circuit Court of California against his wife (formerly Sarah Althea Hill), setting aside an alleged declaration of marriage between the late millionaire, Senator Wm. Sharon and herself, in a railroad dining-room at Lathrop, Cal. (August 14, 1889), a.s.saulted Justice Stephen J. Field, of the Supreme Court of the United States, and was himself twice shot and instantly killed by David Neagle, a deputy marshal, who accompanied Justice Field to protect him from threatened a.s.saults of the Terrys. The Supreme Court, on _habeas corpus_, discharged Neagle from state custody, where held for trial charged with Terry's murder. Justice Lamar and Chief-Justice Fuller, adhering to effete state-rights notions, denied the right to so discharge him, holding he should answer for shooting Terry to state authority, that the Federal Government was powerless to protect its marshals from prosecution for necessary acts done by them in defence of its courts, judges or justices while engaged in the performance of duty.--_In re_ Neagle, 135 _U. S._, 1, 52, 76.

(13) _War Records_, vol. vii., pp. 82, 102, 108.

(14) Only two other orders were issued (March 8, 1862) denominated "President's General War Orders"; one relates to the organization of McClellan's army into corps, and the other to its movement to the Peninsula and the security of Washington.--_Mess. and Papers of the Presidents_, vol. vi., p. 110.

(15) The taking by Captain Wilkes (Nov. 8, 1861) from the British steamer _Trent_ of the Confederate commissioners, Mason and Slidell, came so near causing a war with England, although they were, with an apology, surrendered (January 1, 1862) to British authority, that great fear existed that something would produce a foreign war and consequent intervention.

(16) _War Records_, vol. vii., p. 155.

(17) _Ibid_., vol. viii., p. 555.

(18) Grant estimates his own force on the surrender of the fort at 27,000, but not all available for attack, and the number of Confederates on the day preceding at 21,000--_Memoirs of Grant_, vol. i., p. 314.

(19) _War Records_, vol. viii., pp. 160, 167.

(20) _War Records_, vol. vii., pp. 269, 283, 288.

(21) _Ibid_., pp. 274, 254.

(22) _War Records_, vol. vii., pp. 167, 270.

(23) _Ibid_., pp. 269, 283, 288.

(24) General Beatty accuses me, justly, of depriving him, at Bell's Tavern when very hungry, of a supper, by too freely commenting, when we were seated at the mess-table, on the _soupy_ character and the _color_ of the mule hairs in the coffee.--_Citizen Soldier_, p. 106.

(25) _War Records_, vol. vii., pp. 426, 433.

(26) Forrest's Rep., _Ibid_., vol. vii., p. 429.

(27) _War Records_, vol. vii., pp. 619-621, 624.

(28) Grant's _Memoirs_, vol. i., p. 320.

(29) Grant was born April 27, 1822, at Point Pleasant, Clermont Co., Ohio.

(30) Grant's _Memoirs_, vol. i, p. 326; _War Records_, vol. vii., pp. 683-3.

(31) _War Records_, vol. vii., p. 853.

CHAPTER VI Battle of Shiloh--Capture of Island No. 10--Halleck's Advance on Corinth, and Other Events

General Albert Sidney Johnston, while at Murfreesboro (February 3, 1862) a.s.sumed full command of the Central Army, Western Department, and commenced its reorganization for active field work, and on the 27th commenced moving it, with a view to concentrate to Corinth, Miss.( 1)

General P. G. T. Beauregard, March 5th, a.s.sumed command of the Army of the Mississippi. On the 29th the Confederate armies of Kentucky and the Mississippi were consolidated at Corinth under the latter designation, Johnston in chief command, with Beauregard as second, and Generals Leonidas Polk, Braxton Bragg, Wm. J. Hardee, and Geo.

B. Crittenden, respectively, commanding corps. Later, General John C. Breckinridge was a.s.signed to the Reserve Corps, relieving Crittenden. The total strength of this army was 59,774, and present for duty (April 3d) 49,444.( 2) This was, then, the most formidable and best officered and organized army of the Confederacy for active field operations. To confront this large force there was the Army of the Tennessee, with an aggregate present for duty of 44,895, of all arms.( 3) Grant had sixty-two pieces of artillery, and his troops consisted of five divisions commanded, respectively, by Generals John A. McClernand, W. H. L. Wallace, Lew Wallace, Stephen A. Hurlburt, W. T. Sherman, and B. M. Prentiss.

On April 3, 1862, the Army of the Mississippi was started for Shiloh, about twenty miles distant, under a carefully prepared field-order, a.s.signing to each corps its line of march and place of a.s.sembling and giving general and detailed instructions for the expected battle, the purpose being to surprise the Union army at daylight on Sat.u.r.day, the 5th. Hardee's corps const.i.tuted the left of the Confederate army, and on reaching the battle-ground his left was to rest on Owl Creek, a tributary of Snake Creek, his right extending toward Lick Creek. Bragg's corps const.i.tuted the Confederate right, its right to rest on Lick Creek. Both these corps were to be formed for the battle in two lines, 1000 yards apart, the right wing of each corps to form the front line. Polk's corps was to move behind the two corps mentioned, and ma.s.s in column and halt on the Back Road, as a reserve. The Reserve Corps under Breckinridge was ordered to concentrate at Monterey and there take position from whence to advance, as required, on either the direct road to Pittsburg Landing or to Hamburg. Other instructions were given for detachments of this army. The order was to make every effort in the approaching battle to turn the left of the Union Army, cut it off from the Tennessee, and throw it back on Owl Creek, and there secure its surrender.( 4)

Johnston issued this address:

"_Soldiers of the Army of the Mississippi:_

"I have put you in motion to offer battle to the invaders of your country. With the resolution and disciplined valor becoming men fighting, as you are, for all worth living or dying for, you cannot but march to decisive victory over agrarian mercenaries, sent to subjugate and despoil you of your liberties, property, and honor.

Remember the precious stake involved. Remember the dependence of your mothers, your wives, your sisters, and your children on the result. Remember the fair, broad, abounding land, the happy homes, and ties that will be desolated by your defeat. The eyes and hopes of 8,000,000 of people rest upon you. You are expected to show yourselves worthy of your valor and lineage; worthy of the women of the South, whose n.o.ble devotion in this war has never been exceeded in any time. With such incentives to brave deeds and with the trust that G.o.d is with us, your generals will lead you confidently to the combat, a.s.sured of success."

Five of Grant's divisions were encamped at or in front of Pittsburg Landing, between Owl and Lick Creeks; Sherman's division (except Stuart's brigade) being in front, near and to the right of Shiloh Church, was most advanced. McClernand's division was located about one half mile to his rear, covering his left. Prentiss' division lay within about one half mile (a little retired) of McClernand's left in the direction of the mouth of Lick Creek, and Stuart's brigade was still to Prentiss' left on the Hamburg road. Hurlburt's and Smith's divisions--the latter on the right, commanded on the field by General W. H. L. Wallace in consequence of Smith's absence at Savannah sick--were about a mile in rear of McClernand and Prentiss, and about three quarters of a mile from Pittsburg Landing.( 5)

Lew Wallace's division, numbering present for duty 7302 men, with ten pieces of artillery, was near Crump's Landing on the west bank of the Tennessee, five miles below Pittsburg Landing and four miles above Savannah.( 6)

By a straight line Savannah is seven miles below Pittsburg Landing.

Hamburg is four miles above this landing, on the same side of the river and above the mouth of Lick Creek. Shiloh Church, a log structure about two and a half miles from the river, gave the name to the battle.

We left Buell's army at Nashville. It remained there from February 25 to March 15, 1862, when his cavalry started for Savannah, where the Army of the Tennessee was then partially a.s.sembled under General C. F. Smith. Halleck had, March 4th, relieved Grant from any active command in the field, and ordered him to place Smith in command of the "expedition," and himself to remain at Fort Henry. Grant chafed much under this treatment, and repeatedly asked to be relived of further service under Halleck. Grant's recent success at Forts Henry and Donelson, and his exceptional character for a.s.suming responsibilities and fighting, led to a public demand for his restoration, which reached Washington and Halleck, and forced the latter, on the 13th of March, to restore him to the command of his army and district. Grant reached Savannah on the 17th of March, and found Smith fatally ill, and a portion of the troops already at Pittsburg Landing on the west bank of the Tennessee. He subsequently ordered other divisions to the Landing, and although the question of intrenching was considered, his chief engineer officer, Colonel (afterwards Major-General) James B. McPherson, reported against the necessity or practicability of employing the raw troops in constructing defensive works. It was decided the undisciplined and undrilled soldiers (as most of them were) could be better prepared for the impending campaign by drilling them.

Grant made his headquarters at Savannah (east of the Tennessee), leaving Sherman in charge of that portion of the army in front of Pittsburg Landing.

Besides some troops of Buell's army who were left to hold Nashville, Mitchel's division was detached to operate on a line through Murfreesboro south into Alabama or to Chattanooga, as might seem best.

McCook's division left Nashville March 16th, following the cavalry, and other divisions of Buell's army followed at intervals. At Columbia, Tennessee, McCook was detained, reconstructing a burned bridge over Duck River, until the 30th. Nelson reached this river, and by fording crossed his division on the 29th, and was then given the advance. Buell did not hasten his march nor did Grant, it would seem, regard his early arrival important. The purpose was to concentrate the Army of the Ohio at Savannah, not earlier than Sunday and Monday, the 6th and 7th of April.

Nelson's division reached there the evening of the 5th, of which Grant had notice. Buell arrived about the same time, but did not report his arrival, or attempt to do so until 8 A.M. the 6th, when Grant had gone to Pittsburg Landing to take personal command in the battle then raging with great fury.

It is well to remember that General Grant, on whom the responsibility of the campaign and impending conflict rested, had been actually present with his army but twenty days when the battle commenced; that he did not select the position of the advance divisions of his army, and could not, if he had chosen to do so, have changed the place of the junction of Buell's army with his, as Halleck had fixed upon Savannah as that place, and Buell was slowly marching towards it before Grant's arrival there.

The unfriendly disposition of Halleck and the lack of cordiality of Buell towards Grant made matters extremely embarra.s.sing. Buell was Grant's junior, but he had commanded a department for a considerable time while Grant only commanded a district, and this alone may account for a natural reluctance on Buell's part to serve under him. Had Buell's army arrived promptly on the Tennessee, the battle of Shiloh would not have been fought, as both Johnston and Beauregard determined the attack was only practicable before Grant's and Buell's armies united.

Grant was seriously injured, after dark on the 4th of April, while returning to Pittsburg Landing in a rain storm from investigating some unusual picket firing at the front. His horse had fallen on him, injuring his leg and spraining an ankle so much that his boot had to be cut off. He was unable to walk without the aid of crutches for some days after the battle.( 7)