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Page 29
Does any reader aver, "But we see information often quoted from the
Southern papers of their movements." Never, until they are made. It
is safe to conclude, if you see in a Southern paper any statement
that the army is about to do a certain thing, that they will not do
any such thing, but something very different. No, the Southern
government is now a complete military despotism, and for a
successful carrying on of the war against them I think we must
adopt, to some extent, the same rigid policy. Freedom of opinion is
a precious right, and freedom of the press a valuable boon, but when
the publication of news and the utterance of personal opinions
endanger the lives of our soldiers, and even the success of our
armies, surely it is the duty of the government to restrain that
utterance.
CHAPTER V.
COURIER SERVICE.
New Duties. -- Battle approaching. -- Deserters and Scouts.
-- A Providence. -- Position and Forces of the Confederates.
-- Orders to prepare to move. -- My New Position. -- March
to the Battle Field. -- Federals off their Guard. -- Care of
the Confederates against Desertion. -- Council of War. -- A
Dreary Night. -- Awfulness of War. -- The Fight opened. --
Beauregard's Address. -- The First Dead. -- D�tour. -- Camp
of 71st Ohio Volunteers. -- Failure of Strategy. -- General
Johnson killed. -- Death concealed. -- Furious Fighting. --
Horse killed. -- Sad Scene. -- Rebels gaining. -- Struck by
a Shell. -- Another Horse killed. -- The Wounded Cavalryman
and his Horse. -- Sleep in the Camp of the 71st Ohio. --
Startling Reveille. -- Result of First Day's Battle. --
Victory for the Rebels. -- Arrangements for Second Day. --
Bloody Scenes. -- Grant's Attack. -- Rebels fall back. --
Fluctuations of the Day. -- General Hindman blown up. --
Retreat determined on -- Leaving the Field. -- Horrors of
the Retreat. -- Sleep among the Dying. -- Reach Corinth. --
Resolve.
General Breckenridge, about the 1st of April, let me know that he
would soon wish me to act on his staff as special _aid-de-camp_, and
advised me to instruct the next officers in command what to do in my
absence.
But, before proceeding further, let us return to the movements of
the Federal army under General Grant, which we left at Fort
Donelson in February.
During the month of March, this army was transported down the
Cumberland and up the Tennessee river in boats, and landed at
Pittsburg, near the foot of Muscle Shoals, beyond which large
transport boats could not pass. They camped about twenty miles from
Corinth, Mississippi, and were awaiting Buell's column, before
making an advance on Corinth.
Deserters and scouts gave Beauregard early notice of Grant's
flotilla at Pittsburg Landing, about the 1st of April. Let me here
repeat that the Rebel army has an incalculable advantage over the
Federal troops, because fighting on their own soil, and where every
man, woman, and child is a swift witness against "the invaders."
Beauregard and Johnson in conjoint command, resolved to attack Grant
at Pittsburg Landing before Buell should join him. And here occurred
one of those accidents, or providences, as a Christian man rightly
regards them, which decided the character of the contest and its
result. Grant was expecting Buell with reinforcements; Beauregard
was looking for Price and Van Dorn, with 30,000 Missouri and
Arkansas troops, who were coming down White River. They were
expected to come to Memphis by boat, and to Corinth by rail, and it
was hoped they would reach the Rebel forces by Sunday, the 6th of
April. Hence our attack was delayed from Saturday the 5th, when we
were ready to make it, in order to give time for at least the
advance guard of our reinforcements to come up. This delay prevented
the complete defeat and rout of Grant's whole force, as the
Confederates since believe. I merely give this as their opinion.
Indeed, my whole narration of events is intended to present the
facts as they appeared to those with whom I was constrained to act.
To give as clear a view as possible of the Southern side of that
destructive conflict, let the situation and strength of the Rebel
army be especially noted. On Thursday, the 3d of April, the
preparations for the attack were completed by the commanding
generals. Our army then presented a front toward Shiloh cross-roads
and church, which place was occupied by General Grant's advance. The
right wing, commanded by Brevet Major-general John C. Breckenridge
rested at Burnsville, ten miles east of Corinth, on the Memphis and
Charleston railroad. The center and left were massed at and near
Corinth, the center commanded by Major-generals Hardee and Bragg,
and the left by Major-general Polk and Brevet Major-general Hindman.
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