Sandusky County, Ohio - Chapter 22: Military History, 1882 (part 2 of 5)

On Friday, the 26th day of February, 1864, a telegram to Fremont announced that the regiment was at Cairo the day previous, on its way home. This good news soon put the public mind in the city and county in motion. The brave men we had sent out more than two years before, and who had toiled and suffered, and marched and fought at the front so many weary days, were now coming home to greet those whom they left behind shadowed with anxiety and tears at their departure. It may truly be said that the hearts of the whole county thrilled and throbbed with joyous anticipations at the meeting, and with a desire to honor the veterans on their arrival. The mayor of Fremont at once gave notice of a public meeting of the citizens to make arrangements for a proper reception of the regiment. A large meeting was held, over which the mayor, Captain John M. Kline, was called to preside, and D. W. Krebs was chosen secretary. On motion the mayor and common council of the city j appointed a committee of arrangements, with power to appoint such sub-commit- I tees as they might think pfoper. The sub- committees were then promptly announced as follows: The committee on arrangements and refreshments were: H. R. Shomo, Isaac E. Amsden, John Flaugher, Captain A. Young, C. H. Burdick, and Isaac M. Keeler. The committee on reception were: Homer Everett, J. L. Greene, sr., John Bell, David Betts, James Justice, Dr. Thomas Stilvvell, William N. Morgan, Isaac Knapp, Nathaniel Haynes, and William S. Russell. Dispatches were then sent to Columbus, Ohio, inquiring what time the regiment might be expected in Fremont, and also to Governor Brough, asking that the regiment might be ordered to come here in a body, and be furloughed at Fremont instead of at Columbus. To this the Governor gave his assent, and the information came that it was expected to arrive in Columbus Saturday afternoon, and would leave that night at 10 o'clock, and reach Fremont at 10 o'clock a. m., Sunday morning. This left but a few hours to make arrangements to receive the brave men in a proper manner. The great Daniel Webster once proclaimed at Philadelphia during a great financial crisis, that "there are no Sabbaths in revolutionary times." All our statutes on the observation of the Sabbath, have an exception from the prohibition of labor on the Sabbath, which says works of necessity and charity excepted. Here, in the reception of the brave boys in blue, our people found a work of necessity and charity combined, and notwithstanding the fact that our people loved the Sabbath, and the common, quiet duties of that sacred day as well as any other people, on this occasion they made it a holy duty to feed the hungry and thank the brave defenders of our flag.

Our people at once took hold of the preparations with a will. Union hall was procured in which to set the tables for refreshments. Word was immediately sent through the town and vicinity for provisions to be sent in. The Ladies' Aid Society at once began work with an energy only known to the women of Fremont, who know no such word as faint or fail. Their efforts soon put the question of ample provision for the patriots beyond all doubt. Had there been twenty-four hours more time there would have been sufficient to feed five times the number.

Eight tables were set, each containing forty plates, besides, in the ante-room adjoining, about fifty more plates were set. Tables were never more tastefully arranged, nor more bountifully supplied. There were oysters, stewed and raw, hot coffee, turkeys, chickens, ham, beef, sliced tongue, slaw, pickled cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, peaches, cherries, bread, biscuit, cakes in quantity, pies, apples, canned peaches, strawberries, cherries, currants, with all other varities of fruits. No such sumptuous tables were ever before spread in Fremont; they were, in short, loaded with the best that could be provided. At half past eight o'clock Sunday morning a telegram announced that the train conveying the Seventy-second had passed Oberlin at 8 o'clock that morning, on its way to Fremont. At Wakeman this train lay on the side track an hour and a half, waiting for a freight train to pass. After this delay the train bearing our brave boys came thundering into the depot at Fremont, a few minutes after 12 o'clock, Sunday, February 28, 1864. Acres of people were assembled at the depot, and welcomed them with well rendered music from the Fremont band, and cheers and shouts from the glad multitude. The soldiers quickly left the cars and promptly took position in the regiment for the march. The reception committee conducted them down in good order, through Croghan street to Main, on Main street down to State, down State to Front, and up Front street to Union hall, on the corner of Front and Garrison streets. Here the regiment standing amidst a throng of men, women, and children, were welcomed on behalf of the citizens by Homer Everett, esq., in a brief speech, which was as follows:

Brave Men, Patriots and Soldiers of the Army of the Union : - The people of Fremont and vicinity, by the mayor and common council of Fremont, desire me to say that during your absence in the field of active military duty for more than two years, they have watched your conduct with intense interest. We have all observed your sacrifices, hardships, suffering, and sympathized in them all. Our best wishes and prayers have been constantly offered in your behalf. We feel that the honor and glory you won on the bloody field of Shiloh, and at the laborious and trying siege of Vicksburg, is in a measure reflected back on us, and we rejoice to share it with you. We thought and believed when we parted with the Seventy-second, that we were sending into the field as fine, intelligent and brave a regiment as' ever adorned the service of any State or Nation. Now we know it to be so. You left as volunteer citizens unused to war; you return soldiers, veteran soldiers, with banners soiled and tattered in the storms of battle. It is the Sabbath day ; we hope we do not violate it in discharging our solemn duty to thank you on the only occasion we can have to do so. We remember that on the Sabbath of the 6th of April, 1862, you beat back the assailing foe, that we might enjoy this day in peace. Hence to-day you see this great assemblage of men, women and children here to thank you. You went away a thousand strong, you return with less than half that number. Battles and disease have thinned your ranks. Many dear and once familiar faces no longer answer to the roll call. Many cheering voices, once animating your ranks, are heard no more. To all those who fell or died of wounds received in battle, as Canfield, Weigstein, Witmer, Wonders, Glass, and many others; to all those who died of disease in the service, as Crocket, Caldwell, and many others of the Seventy-second, as well as to all who have perished in this great war, we here pay our grateful tribute of dear remembrance, holding them as priceless offerings on the altar of Freedom and Union. They have not died in vain. Your brave and beloved Colonel Buckland, so devoted to the honor and welfare of the Seventy-second, though not present on this occasion, we rejoice to know still lives to serve the country in another and advanced sphere of service.

Brave men, notwithstanding your sufferings and services, with a full knowledge of all the privations and dangers of war, you have further proved your devotion to the great cause by re-enlisting, by voluntarily promising to fight the battle through. This noble act crowns your merit, proves you worthy of the country's confidence and excites our admiration to the highest point. We thank you! We are proud of you! You are weary and hungry; fathers, mothers, wives and sisters, and other dear ones, are yearning to embrace you; your hearts are bounding to embrace them. It is not the time to hold you here to recount all, all yoy have done for us.

Brave men, veteran soldiers of the Grand Army of the Union! The people with open arms gratefully, thankfully welcome you to our hearts, our homes, and the best cheer we can give.

After heartily cheering the welcome, the regiment marched in order into the hall for refreshments. The men had eaten nothing since 8 o'clock the Saturday night previous to their arrival. They were, as may be properly supposed, in a condition to appreciate the repast prepared for them. Never did men eat with a better relish, or with more earnest, heartfelt thankfulness take a feast of good things amidst smiling and grateful faces of beautiful and good women than did the veterans of the Seventy-second on that memorable day. Such expressions of gratitude by both the entertained and the entertainers were never heard before in the county. The hearts of all the soldiers, and all the citizens, were never before so manifestly sympathetic and tender. It was a scene and a time long to be remembered in Fremont, and in fact throughout the county of Sandusky.

In two hours after the men had surfeited on the good things, all but forty or fifty had left town for their homes in the country. The remaining ones took sup per at the hali, and about thirty were present at breakfast on Monday morning. 'There were three hundred and fifteen men who re-enlisted. About one hundred were left behind who had not re-enlisted, and were, of course, not entitled to the veteran furlough. No accident occurred to mar the joys of the occasion, and no impropriety was manifested during the day.

As the men marched along their way from the depot to the front of the hall, between lines of cheering citizens, they appeared grave, silent, and almost sad. In fact, they were travel-worn, weary, and hungry. Their march was not a holiday parade; they moved steadily and slowly j along, without noise or demonstration of | emotion whatever. As they took position in front of the hall, and listened to the words of welcome, some countenances in the ranks were momentarily lighted by an expression of satisfaction. There was a total absence of everything gay, or gaudy, or frivolous about them. But behind those bronzed faces could be seen the deep determination of brave, patriotic men, who had tasted war and knew its perils, and were still determined to endure more for the flag and the Union. Beneath the soiled and battered caps on their heads there were brains sufficient to organize and conduct the affairs of a State; underneath the ragged blouses were big, brave, noble hearts, ready to dare and to do for their country. And, although the external appearance of the men as they stood plainly indicated that they were in want of the bath, the barber, and the tailor to fit them for parlor entertainments in the lives they had led in the homes they had left for the tented field, there were thousands present who knew that each man was a precious jewel, whether placed in the storm of battle for his country, or in the discharge of civic duties in social or political life. "God bless the boys," was the heartfelt utterance of thousands on that day.

No doubt equal merit should be awarded to hundreds of thousands of our volunteers from other localities, but as we are writing the history of Sandusky county, of course it is our special duty to mention our own soldiers.

Again To The Front

On the 5th of April, 1864, the regiment reassembled at Fremont and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. During the furlough considerable recruiting was done, and the regiment returned to the front with nearly five hundred men. It next moved, April 8th, to Cairo, by railroad, and arrived there on the 10th of the same month; and while there, awaiting river transportation, it was ordered to Paducah, Kentucky, to assist in the defence of that place against Forrest, whose forces made a slight attack on the place, which was repulsed. It remained at Paducah until the 2 2d of April, 1864, when it embarked for Memphis, and arrived there the next day. The regiment here remained quietly in camp, drilling the new recruits, until the 30th of April, when it joined an expedition under General Sturgis, against Forrest. They moved by rail nearly to Wolf River, thirtyeight miles from Memphis, and from there marched to Bolivar, arriving just in time to see the place evacuated. From there the regiment marched with the expedition southward, toward Ripley, Mississippi, but finding no enemy, turned back, and on the 9th of May reached Memphis. The regiment formed part of an expedition which started June 1, 1864, against Forrest. The forces sent on this expedition consisted of twelve regiments of infantry and a division of cavalry. The force encountered Forrest's men at Brice's Cross Roads, Mississippi, and the cavalry began skirmishing. The enemy was in a well chosen position at and behind Tishomingo Creek. The infantry was brought up on the double-quick for several miles, and at once went into action. No attempt was made to establish a line, and the regiments were hurled against the enemy one at a time, and thus each regiment was subjected to great odds, and was badly cut up. To make matters worse, an attempt was made to advance the wagon train across the creek, directly under the enemy's fire. This attempt brought great confusion; a retreat was ordered, and the retreat became a panic. A portion of the train was destroyed, and the remainder fell into the hands of the enemy, and the National troops were left without ammunition and without rations. No attempt was made to cover the rear or to secure an orderly retreat. It was a regular stampede, and on the same day of the fight the expedition fell back twenty-three miles, to Ripley. Here an attempt was made to reorganize, but to no purpose. . The Seventy-second was the last to retreat from the fight at Guntown or Tishomingo Creek, and the last to reach Ripley. Whitelaw Reid's History of Ohio in the War, says the officer in command of the expedition surrounded himself with cavalry and started for Memphis, leaving the infantry, as he expressively said, "to go to the devil." Why any historian could suppress the name of the wretch who would so imprudently lead - no, not lead, but order - his men to certain destruction, and coward-like ride away and leave them to their fate, seems to be an emphatic omission. The name of the miserable mismanager of this expedition was General Sturgis, and his name should always be connected with that terrible disaster, to shut out all chance for inference that some worthy man who was there might be charged with the slaughter and terrible imprisonment of the brave men who were there sacrificed. In this expedition General Buckland took no part, but was at the time post commander in Memphis, and faithfully doing duty as such, while the immediate command of the Seventysecond devolved on Lieutenant -Colonel Charles G. Eaton, a brave man and noble commander.

death or rebel prison lay in reaching Memphis, and to do this the men on foot must outmarch the rebel cavalry. Incredible as it may seem, nine officers and one hundred and forty men of the Seventy-second, reached Germantown on the morning of the 12th; thus marching at the close of a battle without a morsel of food, one hundred miles in forty-one hours. Eleven officers and two hundred and thirty-seven men of the Seventy-second were killed, wounded, or captured. The greater portion were captured, and of these very few returned to the regiment. Many of those who reached Germantown were broken down completely, and on reaching Memphis, where the regiment was transported by rail, many of the men were utterly helpless and could neither walk nor stand.

On the 15th day of June, 1864, five days after the sad affair, Captain Leroy Moore, of Company F, wrote from Meridian, Mississippi, to the Fremont Journal, as follows:

Meridian, Mississippi, June 15, 1864. Mr. Keeler, Sir : - -The following is a list of prisoners from the Seventy-second regiment Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, now at this place. We arrived here this (Wednesday) morning, June 15. The greater number of these men were taken on the nth and 12th of June. Quite a number have undoubtedly been since taken, and perhaps some have been killed and wounded, but I have no account of any but the above named. The health of the men is good and they are in excellent spirits, but are very hard up for clothing - about one-half being without shoes, and a less number without blankets or coats.

the Seventy-second regiment in this expedition, made the following report to his superior officer. Of course military discipline would not allow him to criticise General Sturgis' conduct, but the facts stated in the report are sufficient for the purpose.

Sir : - In compliance with special order No. 39, headquarters First Brigade, First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, dated Memphis, Tennessee, May 31st, 1864, this regiment, as part of the infantry force commanded by Colonel W. L. McMillen, reported at the Memphis & Charleston depot, at 6 o'clock A. M., June 1st, 1864. From the depot we were transported by rail to a point about three miles east of Colliersville, from whence we proceeded, by slow and easy marches, to our camp on the side-hill, about four miles north of the Hatchie bottom, where we arrived the evening of June 9. The march of the command of which the Seventy-second Ohio formed a part, from Colliersville to this camp, was slow, on account of rainy weather, muddy roads, and being encumbered with a train of some two hundred and fifty wagons. At 6 a. m. , June 10, we moved from this camp, marching at a good pace for about nine miles, when I was notified by Captain Buckland, of Colonel McMillen's staff, that the cavalry command was engaged with the enemy in front, and that it would be necessary for me to hurry up my regiment. Accordingly, I moved my regiment at a very rapid pace, some three miles, to the battlefield, where we arrived between 2 and 3 P. M. The day being extremely hot and sultry, quite a number of my men fell out before we arrived there, being overcome with heat and fatigue. Upon arriving at the battlefield, by order of Colonel W. L. McMillen, commanding infantry division, the Seventy-second regiment was stationed on the left of the line, to support Miller's battery - which was immediately on its right - and cover the road to the rear. The battery was stationed on a hill in front of a log house, the right of the Seventy-second resting near the battery, and the regiment extending to the left nearly to the foot of the hill. In front of the Seventy-second, about two hundred and fifty yards, was another hill, on top of which were stationed a few rebels, concealed by bushes and a rail fence. The space between the Seventy-second and the rebel line was an open field, giving us a good opportunity to see any advance on the part of the enemy. I had five companies deploy as skirmishers to the front, and to the right. They kept up a little skirmishing with the enemy for about an hour and a half, when Colonel Wilkins, commanding brigade, ordered me to withdraw my regiment from the position on the left of the line, and to i form it in line, so that the left would rest about one ! hundred yards to the right of Miller's battery. Colonel Wilkins informed me that the object of this movement was to protect the cavalry while they should retreat across the bridge to the rear. Accordingly, I withdrew my regiment, with the exception of j the five companies which had previously been deployed as skirmishers, but had not arrived at the poj sition where I was ordered to establish my regiment, i before the five companies deployed as skirmishers I were heavily engaged with the skirmishers of the enemy. I suggested to Colonel Wilkins the propriety of moving my regiment back to its former position, for the reason that, if the enemy should drive back my fivq skirmish companies, it would enable him to pass up the road to our rear, thereby cutting us off from retreat in case of disaster, and also enable him to destroy the large train of ammunition and commissary stores. Colonel Wilkins, seeing how much damage the enemy could do by forcing back the left of our line, consented to my returning to my first position.

As soon as my regiment arrived at the first position, a heavy line of the enemy's skirmishers, which extended quite a distance beyond the left of my skirmish line, was seen advancing across the open field. I formed my command so as to give my men a good range of that part of the enemy's line of skirmishers which extended beyond the left of my line of skirmishers. A few volleys fired by my command caused the enemy to withdraw. J ust at this moment I discovered that the whole infantry command, with the exception of my regiment, was retreating. In a very few minutes, Colonel McMillen, in person, ordered me to hold my position until all of the other regiments should have crossed a creek and swamp to our rear, to the end that they might have time to form a new line of battle about half a mile in the rear. By the time the last regiment had crossed, the enemy was advancing from the right, left, and front of my position, and it was almost by chance that my regiment escaped being captured. After crossing the creek and swamp, Colonel McMilin ordered me to march my regiment along with the train, keeping the right hand side of the road, This I did until I arrived at a house on a ridge about half a mile to the rear of the battlefield, where General Grierson suggested that I should station my regiment behind a rail fence, to protect the train until it should all have passed this point. This suggestion I considered a good one, and immediately formed my regiment in line on the right hand side of the road,

| where I remained until the last wagon passed. Again I moved my command to the rear, keeping the right I hand side of the road, as directed. We had gone but a few rods when the teamsters near the middle of the train began to destroy their wagons by setting them on fire, thus blockading the road so that all the wagons in the rear of those destroyed had to be abandoned. Seeing that no new line of battle was established, and that all the rest of the command were continuing to retreat, and receiving no order from my superiors in command, I continued to march to the rear, until I arrived on the hill on the north side of the Hatchie bottoms, where I ordered my regiment to halt, intending to allow the men a rest of about an hour, as they were getting very much fatigued, having marched about eight miles from the battlefield without rest. The regiment had hardly halted when an aide to General Sturgis, in the name of the General, ordered me to keep up the retreat still further to the rear.

In obedience to these orders I again moved my command to the rear until I arrived on the ground where my regiment had bivouacked the night previous. My men, overcome by fatigue, having marched some twelve miles from the battlefield, without rest, I ordered a halt intending to remain until I should receive orders from some of my superiors in command. About half an hour afterward Colonel Warren's brigade of cavalry came up and the commanding officer ordered to move my command to Ripley. I enquired by what authority he gave me such orders. He replied, "By order of General Sturgis." Again I moved my command to the rear, and came up with General Sturgis and Colonel McMillen at a bridge crossing a creek about six miles south of Ripley. Colonel McMillen ordered me to continue the retreat to Ripley, which I did, arriving there at 5 o'clock the following morning. - having, in twentythree hours, marched a distance of thirty-eight miles, and engaged the enemy two hours. At a little before 7 o'clock Colonel McMillen sent an# aid (Lieutenant Livings), ordering me as the senior officer of the brigade then present, to immediately move the brigade on the Salem road following the cavalry, with instructions to have the armed men organized so as to be available at a moment's warning. Only three regiments were in motion before Colonel D. C. Thomas, Ninety-third Indiana infantry, came up and assumed command. After marching about two miles Captain Fernald, of Colonel McMillen's staff, ordered me to keep well closed up on the cavalry, which was the last order I received that day from any of my superior officers.

About eight miles from Ripley the enemy tired into the centre of the regiment from the left hand side of the road, which caused a slight delay of the left companies, thereby forming quite a gap between the fourth and fifth companies. The cavalry in advance began to march at such a rapid pace that it became utterly impossible for infantry to keep closed up with them - but the organization of my regiment was still kept up, keeping as close to the cavalry in front as possible. After marching about two miles further, the Fouith Missoitri cavalry, which was acting as rear guard to the whole command, suddenly made a rush to the front, riding through the ranks of my regiment, causing the men to scatter in all directions to avoid being ridden over; at the same time the enemy made an attack on the rear. My men, being wholly out of ammunition, and seeing that it was absolutely necessary to rid themselves of all incumbrances in order to aveid being captured, broke their guns and destroyed their accoutrements by cutting them in pieces. They then pressed rapidly forward, with the intention of keeping up with the cavalry and saving themselves if possible ; but the majority of them being overcome by the excessive heat of the day and the long and rapid march, were compelled to leave the road and seek safety in the woods. However, one hundred and forty-three of my command kept pace with the cavalry, and arrived at Colliersville about 8 o'clock the following morning, having marched a distance of nearly ninety miles in forty-eight hours. After resting part of the day at Colliersville. these men became so stiffened as to require assistance to enable them to walk, - some of them, too foot-sore to stand upon their feet, crawled upon their hands and knees to the cars.

When I left Ripley in the morning my command had three hundred and twenty guns, and averaged about eight rounds of ammunition to the man. Eleven officers and two hundred and thirty-five enlisted men have not yet returned to Memphis. They are most of them undoubtedly prisoners of war in the hands of the enemy. Of the officers and men under my command? I have just reasons for feeling proud. Not an officer or man did I see who failed to do his whole duty, and none of them surely are responsible for any part of the disaster.

On the 19th of June, 1864, Captain J. Mack Lemmon sent the following letter, which was published in the Fremont Journal of the following week :

Editor Journal: Enclosed I send you a complete list of names of missing officers and men of the Seventy-second Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, in the retreat from Guntown, June 10 and 11, 1864. It is hoped - though hardly possible - that some may yet come in. Prisoners who made their escape from the rebels report that our men were well treated when they fell into rebel hands. The loss of the expedition will amount to very nearly two thousand killed, wounded, and missing; besides, have lost one hundred and eighty wagons, sixteen pieces of artil- lery. about thirty ambulances, and two thousand animals. Major General A. J. Smith has been placed in command of the active forces here, and we may now look for better results.

Dan Brienman, Charles Caldwell, William Eckert, Thomas Flinn, D. A. Goodrich, H. K. Hurlbut, A. Hoilman, P. C. Miller, Perry Walters, Michael Walters.

Company

These communications present a sad view of the terrible consequence of a military blunder in the officer - Sturgis - in command of the expedition. The indignation of the returned men was such that General Sturgis found it prudent to keep out of sight and out of reach of their fury. And, although more than seventeen years have elapsed since this terrible scene was enacted, such is the indignation of the surviving men of the Seventy-second, that any insurance policy on General Sturgis' life would be collectable soon after any of them should find him in the county.

Soon after the sad affair General Buckland heard that Sturgis had tried to screen himself from accountability by reporting that the men would not fight. General Buckland lost no time in writing a letter to General Sherman, indignantly denying the truth of any such charge as to the men of the Seventy-second, or of the brigade he had commanded, asserting boldly that he had often witnessed their patient endurance of the hardships of the service; had often led them in battle, and knew that truer, braver, or better soldiers never went into action ; and that if properly

In an interview with the writer in September, 1881, Archibald Purcell, who was c.olor-bearer for the Seventy-second in the "Guntown fight, related the following incident:

He said that the Seventy-second regiment was the last to cross the bridge over Tishomingo Creek on the retreat. They arrived in a body and in order at Ripley about 3 o'clock in the morning of the 12th of June. Colonel Watterhouse's Board of Trade Battery, of Chicago, lost their battery about half a mile from Ripley, the guns being stuck in the mud and abandoned.

Purcell had brought away the flag and staff safely as far as Ripley, but when the men left there, after daylight, he found that he, with the flag in view, was a conspicuous target for the shots of the pursuing rebels. Concealing himself as well as he could he took the flag off the staff j and wrapped it around his body, under ; his shirt, so that it could not be seen. "I thought," said he, "if I got killed the flag might be undiscovered, or buried with me, and that if I escaped I would save it for the regiment, and prevent the rebels from getting it." He escaped, and after entering the depot at Memphis General j Buckland asked him, with a sad countenance, what had become of the flag. Not seeing it in Purcell's possession, he seemed to fear it was lost. Purcell finally told him it was safe, and pulling open his shirt he drew it forth, when the General's ! countenance brightened as he took it, and the men and women in the depot cheered and shouted as they realized the fact that the sacred emblem had been safely brought away.

subsequent history of the Seventy-second, which happily was not destined to any more such reverses, but soon entered on a brighter career, in which the conduct of the regiment proved that the assertion of General Buckland was true, and the base insinuation of Sturgis was false.

After a little rest, the Seventy-second regiment was assigned to the First brigade, under command of General McMillen, and became a part of General Mower's division of the Sixteenth Army Corps.

On the nth of July the rebels were found near Pontotoc. The corps made a feint against the enemy and then moved rapidly eastward toward the Mobile & Ohio Railroad at Tupelo. In this movement McMillen's brigade, only nine hundred strong, was in the rear of the infantry column, and just in advance of the wagon train. When about two miles west of Tupelo, Bell's brigade of N. B. Forrest's command, which was in ambush, attacked the column. This attack fell mainly upon the Seventy-second. They at once charged the enemy. The remainder of the brigade was brought into action, and within twenty minutes the rebels were driven from the field utterly routed. On the return march McMillen's brigade again marched in the rear of the infantry column, and just as it was about to bivouac for the night at Tishomingo Creek, Bell's rebel brigade fell upon the cavalry rear and drove it into camp. McMillen's brigade formed rapidly and advanced. A volley checked the enemy, and a charge drove the rebels from the field.

It was in this charge that the brave, gallant, and much loved Major Eugene Allen Rawson, of Fremont, Ohio, lost his life while bravely leading his men in a charge upon the enemy.

Although the charge at Tishomingo Creek was fatal to the brave Major Rawson, the rebels were driven from the field. Color-bearer Archibald Purcell says that some rebels, when they made the attack, were imprudent enough to shout, "Give them Guntown." This so exasperated our boys that in the charge and pursuit there was a spirit of vengeance and retaliation manifested which, under other circumstances, would have been unbecoming a cool soldier, but the provocation was great, and the men felt keenly, even to madness, the taunting mention of Guntown, and he could pardon them for the cruelties they committed. After the charge in which Major Rawson fell, and after the rebels were driven from the field, the expedition returned to Memphis without again encountering the enemy. The Seventy-second had, however, lost nineteen men and two officers wounded, one officer, Major Rawson, and four men, mortally.

The regiment next moved, about the 27th of July, 1864, from Memphis in the direction of Oxford, Mississippi, but the Third division of the corps was ordered to Atlanta, and the troops returned to Memphis. Mower's division was ordered to Arkansas on the 1st of September to resist General Price. The regiment embarked on the 2d on a steamer for Duvall's Bluff, but did not reach its destination until Price had passed north, and therefore failed to intercept him. From Duvall's Bluff the division moved northward. The march lasted eighteen days, and in that time the troops travelled three hundred and fifty miles, forded four rivers, and reached the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Daring this march the weather was hot and the troops on half rations. At Cape Girardeau the troops took transports for St. Louis, and from there moved to Jefferson City, from which point the division moved against Price. The troops made extraordinary marches, from early morning until late at night, making from thirty to forty-five miles each day. But Price's division was well mounted, and it proved vain to attempt to overtake him. The pursuit, however, continued to Little Santa Fe, on the Kansas line, where the infantry turned back to St. Louis. The weather during this march became intensely cold, and the men had only the clothing which was on their backs and a rubber blanker. No wood was to be found, and snow fell twelve inches deep. After enduring ma/1. - hardships the Seventy-second reached St- Louis on the 10th of November, 186- The division^ was next ordered up th Cumberland, and on the 30th of Nover ber it joined the forces under General Thomas, at Nashville, and was posted on the right of the line there. The com mand of the division now devolved on General J. A. McArthur, General Mower having been ordered to General Sherman. On the 7th of December the Seventysecond was on a reconnoissance, and was warmly engaged and lost eleven men killed and wounded. During the first day of the battle of Nashville, the regiment participated in a charge, in which three hundred and fifty prisoners and six pieces of artillery were captured from the enemy. This, among many other brave acts, proved that the men of the Seventysecond would fight when properly commanded, General good-for-nothing StuTgis to the contrary notwithstanding. At night the Seventy-second was sent to Nashville with prisoners, but it returned in time to take part in the fight of the 16th of November, 1864, and engaged in the charge on Walnut Hills. In this battle McMillen's brigade, numbering less than twelve hun- dred men, captured two thousand prisoners and thirteen pieces of artillery, while its total loss was only one hundred and sixty men. Here the Seventy-second proved again it would fight when properly commanded, as General Buckland asserted, and that the assertion of the miserable sham of the regular army, Sturgis, that - they would not fight, was a base falsehood.

The division then moved to Eastport, Mississippi, and went into camp, where supplies were very scarce, and there the brave men of the Seventy-second, as well as the other soldiers of the division, subsisted for days on parched corn and water

In February, 1865, the regiment moved with the division to New Orleans, and there camped. February 28, it embarked on the ocean steamer Empire City, and on the 3d of March landed at Fort Gaines, on Dauphin Island. On the 19th it crossed the east side of Mobile Bay, and moved up Fish River and landed about thirty miles east of Spanish Fort. Here a short time was allowed for bringing up supplies, and on the 27th Spanish Fort was invested. The siege lasted until the 8th of April, when the rebels evacuated the fort. In these operations the Seventysecond lost one man killed and three wounded. On the 9th of April it marched for Montgomery, Alabama, and after a toilsome march of thirteen days reached its destination. On the 10th of May the division moved toward Selma, and arrived there on the 14th. On the following day McMillen's brigade was ordered to Meridian, Mississippi. Here the regiment remained on garrison duty until June, when it was placed along the line of the railroad west of Meridian. About this time orders were received to muster out all men in the regiment whose term of service would expire before October 1, 1865. Under this order forty-one men were discharged. In September the Seventy-second moved to

Corinth, but was soon ordered to Vicksburg, where it was mustered out on the nth of September, 1865. It then at once embarked for Ohio, and was paid off at Camp Chase.

An Error Corrected

The hasty correspondents who sent to the press an account of the battle of Shiloh ! were inaccurate, and did injustice to the I Seventy-second regiment. This corres- | pondence was hastily compiled, and thus the errors were incorporated into some early histories of that battle. These errors were a source not only of injustice to the brave men of the regiment, but caused much mortification to all the officers and j privates. No one, perhaps, felt so keenly j the mortificaction of the mistake as Gen- | eral Buckland himself, who always afterj ward labored to correct the error. Finally a most fitting opportunity to set the history right occurred.

1 1881, a paper was read on the battle of j Shiloh by General Sherman. The statei ments in this paper were such as to call from General Buckland a full and true statement of his part, and of the part of the Seventy-second regiment in that battle. General Buckland's statement was published in the Toledo Blade of June 9, 1881, and copied into many other papers in different parts of the United States. The principal error which appeared in the correspondence first published giving an account of the battle, was in stating that the troops under General Buckland's command were surprised. General Buckland's communication refutes this statement successfully. It has been submitted to General Sherman and many others, and has been adopted by the Society of the Army of the Tennessee as the true statement, and printed by it as the correct history of * the battle of Shiloh. Therefore, as a mat- ter of justice to General Buckland and the men under his command, and especially the brave men of the Seventy-second regiment, we give his statement in full in this history.

At the Reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee in Cincinnati, April 6, 1881, General 1 Sherman read a paper on the battle of Shiloh, and submitted a map (made by himself) of the battle- , field and the location of the Union troops on Sunday j morning, and at the close of the fighting at night, j This map he sent to my seat, and requested my ! opinion as to its correctness. From a cursory ex- j amination I expressed the opinion that it was sub- j stantially correct. At the same time I said that the j commencement of the battle qf Shiloh had been grossly misrepresented, and the truth about it had never been properly understood by the public; that the first accounts published in the Northern papers 1 from their correspondents, particularly the account of | "Agate," (Whitelaw Reid) correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, stated that officers and men of my brigade, among others, were surprised in their tents, etc., and these accounts had been adopted by historians, whereas there was not one word of truth in such statement. I then made a brief statement of the events which occurred within my own knowledge in front of Sherman's division during the three days preceding the battle, and the circumstances of the commencement of the battle on Sunday morning, and the position of my brigade at the close of the fighting at night. My remarks were very imperfectly reported in. the papers, and have been criticized by the Gazette's correspondent, " H. V. B."

I had not read Agate's account for several years. Upon examination of it as published in The Record of the Rebellion, by Frank Morse, I find that j he does not say that my brigade was surprised in their tents, but as this account of " Agate " has been quoted for history, I will give here the following extract:

" About dawn Prentiss's pickets were driven in; a very little later Hilderbrand's (in Sherman's division) were; and the enemy were in the camps almost as soon as were the pickets themselves.

"Here began scenes which, let us hope, will have no parallel in our remaining annals of war. Some, particularly among our officers, were not out of bed; others were dressing, others washing, others cooking, a few eating their breakfasts. Many guns were unloaded, accoutrements lying pell-mell, ammunition was ill-supplied - in short, the camps were virtually surprised, disgracefully, it might be added, unless some one can hereafter give some yet undiscovered

"The first wild cries from the pickets rushing in, and the few scattering shots that preceded their arrival, aroused the regiments to a sense of their peril. An instant afterward shells were hurtling through the tents, while before there was time for thought of preparation, there came rushing through the wood, with lines of battle sweeping the whole front of the division camp, and bearing dqwn on either flank, the fine, dashing, compact columns of the enemy.

"Into the just aroused camps thronged the rebel regiments, firing sharp volleys as they came, and springing toward our laggards with the bayonet. Some were shot down as they were running, without weapons, hatless, coatless, toward the river. The searching bullets found other poor unfortunates in their tents, and there, all unheeding now,, they still slumbered, while the unseen foe rushed on. Others fell as they were disentangling themselves from the flaps that formed the doors of their tents; a few, it was even said, as they were vainly trying to impress on the cruelly exultant enemy their readiness to surrender.

"Officers were wounded in their beds, and left for dead/ who, through the whole two days' fearful struggle, lay in their agony, and on Monday were found in their gore, inside their tents, and still able to tell the tale.

"Such were the fearful disasters that opened the rebel onset on the line of Prentiss's division. Similar were the fates of Hilderbrand's brigade in Sherman's division.

"Meantime what they could our shattered regiments did. Falling rapidly back through the heavy woods till they gained a protecting ridge, firing as they ran, and making what resistance men thus situated might, Sherman's men succeeded in partially checking the rush of the enemy long enough to form their hasty line of battle. Meantime the other two brigades of the division (to the right) sprang hastily to their arms, and had barely done so when the enemy's lines came sweeping up against their fronts too, and the battle thus opened fiercely along Sherman's whole line on the right."

This is certainly a most sickening and, if true, would be a disgraceful picture of a great army surprised and slaughtered by its enemy, but I aver that as to the three brigades of Sherman's division camped near Shiloh Church, there is not a particle of truth in this story of surprise on Sunday morning. I have no personal knowledge as to Prentiss's division ; but I have good reason to believe that the story as to that division is equally false.

Again "Agate'' w'rites to the Cincinnati Gazette, under the date of April 15. 1862, and after saying that other troops besides Ohio's run on Sunday, says: "The amount of that 'disgraceful' running of Ohio troops" on Sunday morning is substantially this: the men were completely surprised; some of their officers were bayoneted in their beds, others were shot in their tents while sleeping; all were under heavy fire from an enemy fairly in their camps before they had an instant for seeking and grasping their weapons. There may have been Spartan veterans, who under 'such circumstances would have stood to be shot down rather than ' disgracefully run,' but I suspect that modern armies do not contain many of them."

"The on-pouring thousands swept the camps of ! the front division like an inundation, and the dreadful spectacle of a vast army in disorderly flight, before it bad time to form a line for battle, was presented. So swift was the onset on Buckland's brigade, of Sherman's division, that between the long | roll of the drum and the actual presence of the shouting foe in the camp, the officers were not yet up and had not time to dress, and the troops seizing their muskets as they could, fled like a herd of sheep towards the rest of the division."

Such are the first reports of the commencemeut of the battle of Shiloh, given by newspaper correspondents, who must have obtained their information from the cowards who sneaked away to the r#ar on the first appearance of danger. These widely published newspaper reports have been adopted by several historians as true, and are still believed by some people. The facts which I shall give will show how utterly false and groundless are all such stories to these brigades of Sherman's division encamped near Shiloh Church.

Sherman's division was organized at Paducah, Kentucky, about the 1st of March, 1862, and contained four brigades, each of three regiments of infantry, as follows:

Third - Seventy-seventh Ohio, Colonel Hildebrand commanding brigade; Fifty-third Ohio, Colonel Appier, and Fifty-seventh Ohio, Colonel Mungen.

Most of these regiments were new and reported at Paducah, mostly unarmed. My brigade embarked on the steamers on the 6th of March, and our arms were sent on board in boxes and were distributed to the men on the boats after we left Paducah. We left Paducah on the morning of the 7th of March, in advance of General Sherman, with orders to report to General C. F. Smith, near Fort Henry, he then being in chief command. I reported to General Smith, who ordered me to remain there until further orders. After some delay we steamed up to Savannah, then up to the mouth of Yellow Creek, above Pittsburg Landing, for the purpose of cutting the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, but the extreme high water prevented the accomplishment of that purpose, and we came back to Pittsburg Landing. On the 18th of March we commenced disembarking at that point, and on the 20th we took our position at Shiloh Church, fronting towards Corinth. The road leading from Pittsburg Landing to Corinth passes along close to, and on the left of the church. The right of Hildebrand's brigade rested on the road, and the left of mine at the church, there being only a few rods between the two brigades. The Seventieth Ohio on the left, Seventy-second Ohio on the right, and Forty-eighth Ohio in the centre, Mc- Dowell's brigade was some thirty rods to the right of mine, there being a considerable ravine or valley between the two. Stewart's brigade was located, as I understood, about one mile to the left of Hildebrand's, and to the left of Prentiss's division, to guard an important crossing of Lick Creek. In front of our line was Owl Creek, which is a crooked stream and ran nearer our line at the church than at any other point. According to my recollection the creek was about thirty rods from the left of my brigade and about twice that distance from the right. The space between my color line and the creek was covered with woods and underbrush, but not very thickly. Along the creek and beyond it was densely wooded. There was a bridge across the creek on the Corinth road, and we built a bridge about in front of the centre and another to the front and right of the brigade. It seems to me that this latter brigade was near half a mile from the right of my brigade. Something like a mile in front of our line were large, open fields, beyond which our picket line was established, and beyond these fields were dense woods for several miles. I don't know whether any regular cavalry pickets were established in front of our picket line or not, but the Fifth Ohio cavalry were out in front of us and consequently had frequent skirmishes with rebel cavalry for ten days or two weeks before the battle.

On Thursday, April 3, General Sherman ordered me to take my brigade to the front on the Corinth road four or five miles, send out scouting parties and see what I could discover; but cautioned me not to be drawn into a fight with any considerable force of the enemy. I marched my brigade to the forks of the road about five miles froni our line, where I halted and formed the brigade in line between the two roads facing towards Corinth. Both roads, as I understood, led to Monterey, about two miles further toward Corinth. I then sent two companies of the Seventieth Ohio, under Major McFarran, forward on the left hand, and two companies of the Seventy-sec- ond Ohio, under Major Crocket, on the right hand road. They both encountered rebel cavalry pickets within less than half a mile, and commenced skirmishing with them. Major Crocket soon after sent word to me that there was a large force of cavalry in sight, and that he would need reinforcements. Inaccordancewith my instructions not to be drawn into a fight, I ordered Major Crocket and Major McFarran to return to the brigade. While there several of the soldiers reported to me that they distinctly heard the long roll in the direction of Monterey. I did not. Soon after the scouting companies returned, we commenced our march back to camp, where we arrived a little before dark, and I reported immediately to General Sherman.

The next day, April 4, about 2 o'clock p. m., a considerable force of rebel cavalry attacked the left of my picket line, capturing a lieutenant and seven men of the Seventieth Ohio. Happening at the time to be near the right of the line, where the Seventy-second Ohio was drilling under Major Crocket, I rode in the direction of the firing, directing Major Crocket to follow with his regiment. On ascertaining what had occurred I sent Lieutenant Gear, of the Forty-eighth Ohio, acting as my aid, to inform General Sherman, who soon returned with word that General Sherman would send one hundred and fifty cavalry to pursue the enemy. In the meantime, on learning from Major Crocket that he had sent company B of the Seventy- second to scout outside the picket line, I told him that was wrong ; the officers and men being inexperienced, I feared they would get into trouble, and directed him to take company H, find company B and return with them to the regiment as soon as possible. Soon after we began to hear musketry firing in front. Colonel Cockerill arrived on the picket line with several companies of the Seventieth Ohio. The firing in front became constant and more regular. We therefore concluded that our men were intercepted and unable to return as ordered. I took three companies of the Seventy-second, A, D, and I, and started into the woods in the direction of the firing, directing Colonel Cockerill to come to my aid if he heard heavy firing. We had not gone far when we met some of Major Crocket's men, and learned that they had been intercepted and attacked before reaching company B, the Majo^either killed or captured, and that company B was surrounded by a large force of rebel cavalry. About the same time there came upon us one of the severest rain and thunder storms I ever witnessed. My boots, worn outsideof mv pants, filled full of water and ran over the tops. The storm stopped us and the firing for a time, but as soon as the storm was over the firing commenced again, and we pushed on with as much speed as possible, my men being deployed in line, and I riding eight or ten rods in front. About two miles from the picket line, on reaching near the top of something of a hill, I discovered through the

1 thick underbrush that I was nearer a line of rebel | cavalry faced from me than I was to my own line, and the rebels just at that moment gave a cheer, evidently preparatory to charging on company B. I waived my hand to my men, indicating that I desired them to hurry up. As they came in sight of the rebel line , distant only a few rods, they opened a destructive fire, taking the enemy completely by surprise, and threw them into such confusion that they made but a short stand. 'My men charged upon them and drove them from the field, killing a considerable number of horses and men, and capturing ! several prisoners, and company B was saved. I | soon discovered that the enemy were reforming in great force, with the evident intention of charging back upon us ; and whilst I was getting my men in position to meet the charge, Major Ricker came up with his Fifth Ohio cavalry, and enquired where the enemy were. I pointed them out to him, and he immediately charged them, dispersing them and capturing several prisoners. I followed him as rapidly | as I could. We pursued about a mile, when the enemy commenced firing artillery at us. Some of Ma- I jor Ricker's men charged right into a rebel battery,

| and one of his men was killed at the battery. We discovered that the enemy had a large force of infantry and artillery in line. We thereupon deemed it prudent to retire to our own lines with as little delay as possible. When we reached our picket line General Sherman was there with several regiments in line of battle. When I rode up to him at the head of my column, with about fifteen prisoners close behind | me the General asked me what I had been doing.

| and there was some of the fruits of it, pointing to | .the prisoners. He answered that I might have drawn the whole army into a fight before they were ready, and directed me to take my men to camp. 1 knew enough to know that my proceedings were irregular, but consoled myself that I had saved one of my companies from annihilation, whatever might be the consequences to myself. Soon after reaching camp one of General Sherman's aids came and said, "The General desires you to send him a written statement of what you have done and seen to-day," which I did the same evening. General Sherman afterward informed me that he sent my statement to General Grant the same night.

I was along the picket line several times during the day, and saw rebel cavalry at different points in front of the line. The pickets reported seeing infantry and artillery. I saw Lieutenant-Colonel Canfield, commanding the Seventy-second regiment, Colonel ; Hildebrand, and several other officers of the division, on the picket line watching the movements of the enemy in our front.- I talked with Colonel Hildebrand and other officers about the situation, and it was believed by all that the enemy* intended to at- tack us, either during the night or early in the morning, and I talked with Colonel Hildebrand particularly about the measures we ought to take to prevent a surprise. Colonel Hildebrand went with me to General Sherman's headquarters, and we told him what we had seen and that we apprehended an attack. I saw General Sherman several times during the day, and talked with him about the matter. He said we must strengthen our pickets, and instruct them to be vigilant, and keep our commands in readiness for an attack at any time. He said he was embarrassed for the want of cavalry, that his cavalry had been ordered away that morning, and that the cavalry he was to have in their place had not arrived, and that, as soon as his cavalry returned, he would* send them to the front and find out what was there. My understanding was that by order of General Grant there had been a re-assignment of both cavalry and artillery, which was being carried into effect on Saturday.

Late in the afternoon I had a consultation with the commanders of my regiments and it was agreed that several additional companies should be sent forward to strengthen and sustain the pickets, which was done accordingly. I also established a line of sentinels from my camp to the reserve of the pickets under command of an officer, with instructions to notify me instantly of any alarm on the picket line. Officers and men of my brigade were well aware of the near approach of the enemy; all were expecting an attack; and such precautions were taken that a surprise was impossible. The same must have been true as to McDowell's and Hildebrand's brigades, for there could hardly have been an officer or soldier in the three brigades ignorant of the fight on Friday, or of the presence of the enemy in our front on Sautrday. Officers of my brigade were instructed on Saturday evening to be prepared for a night attack, and to have their men up and at breakfast as soon as daylight or before. As may well be imagined, I was very uneasy during the night, and slept very little. I was up before daylight and ordered my horse fed and saddled. Soon after daylight, before I had quite finished my breakfast, word was brought that the enemy was advancing in strong force. I immediately ordered the long roll, mounted my horse and rode toward the picket line. I found the reserve of the pickets had fallen back across the bridge in front of the right of my brigade, and the pickets were skirmishing with the enemy's advance, and slowly falling back. I instructed the reserve of the pickets to make a stand at the bridge, take to the trees and keep the enemy back as long as they could. I then returned and found my brigade formed on the color line, awaiting orders. I rode through and along the line, and spoke to Colonels Sullivan and Cockerill, and to Colonel Canfield and others in passing, telling them that the rebels were coming, and that we should soon have a big fight, and cautioning them to be

! ready. I rode to General Sherman's headquarters, eighty to one hundred rods to the left and rear of my | camp, and about in the rear of the right of Hilde- | brand's brigade. I informed General Sherman that | I had been to the front and found the enemy advancing in strong force, and my pickets falling back; that I my brigade was in line, ready for orders. He an_

I and met Colonel Sullivan and Lieutenant-Colonel i Parker on their horses in rear of the Forty-eighth j Ohio. 1 told them what General Sherman's orders j were. They both requested me to send their regiment, which I designed to do, it being the centre regiment. I ordered Colonel Sullivan to take his regiment, as speedily as possible, across the bridge in his front, take position in the woods beyond with the pickets, and keep the enemy back as long as possible. When the head of his column reached the bridge he discovered that the enemy was forming line of battle under the bank, on our side of the creek, to the right. He fell back a short distance, and reported the fact to me. I first ordered companies A and B, of the Seventy-second, forward as skirmishers, and in a few minutes after ordered the Seventy-second and the Seventieth to advance, and the Forty-eighth to form on the advanced line. We advanced from thirty to forty rods, to within full view, and short musket range of the enemy's line, and the fight commenced simultaneously on both sides. The right of the brigade was considerably in advance of the left, to take advantage of the formation of the ground, the creek being much nearer the left than the right of the brigade color line.

Up to this time there had been no artillery firing, or heavy musketry, on any part of the line. My brigade had been in line awaiting orders full one hour before it advanced, and before any fighting anyi where within our hearing, except skirmishing by the I pickets, and the brigade fought, with great bravery,

| in this position more than two hours, driving the enemy back under the bank of the creek as often as they attempted to advance; and the right of the ! brigade was advanced considerably forward during the fighting to obtain a better position, which widened the space between my right and the left of Colonel McDowell's brigade. I sent an officer to say to Colonel McDowell that I feared the enemy would turn my right and get in between the brigj ades, and asked him to look to it. Colonel McDowell sent Colonel Hicks, with the Fortietn Illinois, who took a position to the right and rear of my right flank, where he remained at least one hour. I remember riding up to Colonel Hicks and speaking to him twice during the time he was there. The first time I asked if he did not think my men were fighting bravely. He replied: "Yes, they are doing splendidly. " The second time was after we had been fighting about two hours, and I found the

Seventy-second was getting out of ammunition. I asked Colonel Hicks if he would hold my position until the Seventy-second could replenish their ammunition. He replied that he was ordered not to engage in the fight unless attacked in his position. After we had been fighting about one hour one of General Sherman's aids came to me and said: "The General desires to know whether you can hold your position." I replied: "Tell General Sherman that my men are fighting bravely, and I will hold my position.'' At that time, I had not the least idea that we would be compelled to go back, although Lieutenant-Colonel Canfield, commanding the Seventy-second, had been mortally wounded and carried from the field, leaving the Seventy-second without a field officer, and many company officers and men had been killed and wounded. During the remainder of the battle the Seventy-second was commanded by myself, with the efficient aid of Adjutant Eugene Rawson, who displayed great courage from the beginning to the end of the battle. My adjutant's horse was killed, and my own horse wounded just in front of the saddle, and was bleeding profusely. As I rode along the line, speaking to officers and men, I found them everywhere standing up to the work bravely, and when I saw that my brigade was making a glorious fight and beating back every attempted advance of the enemy, I felt highly gratified and full of confidence. As the Seventysecond was without a field officer to command, the senior captains of companies A and B, were both sick and unable to command their companies, Captain Wegstein, of company H, was killed early in the fight, and other company officers had been wounded, I spent most of my time on the right of the line, the Forty-eighth and Seventieth having al^ their field officers. Consequently, I did not know what was going on in Hildebrand's brigade on my left. I discovered, however, that the enemy were bringing up heavy reinforcements in my front, and, after we had been fighting about one hour and a half, I sent word to General Sherman that the enemy were being heavily reinforced, and that I would need help. He returned for answer that he could not send me any reinforcements, and that I must do the best I could. This answer convinced me that matters were going wrong somewhere, and that sooner or later I would be compelled to fall back, and so informed my quartermaster, Lieutenant D. M. Harkness, and my surgeon, Dr. J. B. Rice, and directed them to make arrangements to take the sick and wounded to the rear as speedily as possible. We maintained our position, however, along the whole line for more than two hours, when the Seventy-second was compelled to fall back for ammunition, finding it impossible to distribute it along the line under the fire of the enemy; but the enemy did not advance at that point. The Seventy-second quickly filled their cartridge boxes, and were ad-

| vanced into line again, and were about ready to renew the fight, when I received an order from Gen- I eral Sherman to fall back to the Purdy road. The Seventy -second marched by the right of companies to the rear through their camp. In the meantime, Hildebrand's brigade had been fiercely attacked and given way, so that my left flank was completely turned, and Colonel Cockerill was compelled to face his regiment to the left. We fell back in good order to the Purdy road, followed closely by the enemy in front and on the left We had formed our line on the Purdy road, and were ready to renew the fight,

! when we were shoved out of the road and thrown into confusion by Berk's battery of artillery, which came rushing along the road at full speed from the ! right, and a mass of flying men from Hildebrand's brigade on the left. The enemy were so close upon us that it was impossible to form again along the j Purdy road. Back of the road was all woods and thick underbrush, and I found great difficulty in j riding through it. Farther back - some forty rods - it was more open, and I succeeded in forming a new line, but in the confusion the Seventieth Ohio bej came separated from the rest of the brigade, but was ! constantly engaged in the fight farther to the left,

! and rejoined me later in the day. Soon after leaving the Purdy road I received an order from General Sherman to go to the left, and as soon as I had succeeded in rallying and reforming my men, I attempted to obey the order, but encountered a superior force of the enemy and was compelled to fall i back again. We were all day contending against , superior numbers, and resisting their advance at J every point as long as we could.

Late in the afternoon, after the last repulse of the right of our line, my brigade was near a bridge across Snake Creek, which, I was informed by some 1 staff officer whom I did not know, it was very ' important to protect, as General Wallace would have to cross his division over it in coming from ! Crump's Landing. I placed my brigade in position to defend the bridge, but after remaining there some time and no enemy appearing, I was not satisfied that I was where I ought to be, and rode to the left | to find General Sherman and get his orders. I had not gone far when I found a new line being formed,

| and not finding General Sherman I said to the j officer in command that if desired I would form my | brigade on the right of his line, which he said he ! would be glad to have me do.

When I returned to my brigade, to my surprise, I learned that the Forty-eighth Ohio had marched away toward the landing. I immediately formed the Seventieth and Seventy-second on the right of the new line, about one mile and a half from the landing. Soon after my line was formed. General Sherman came along our front and said to me, "You are just where I want you. Remain where you are until further orders."

About dark General Wallace's division commenced arriving, and formed to the right of my brigade. About xo o'clock my quartermaster, Lieutenant Harkness, came to us from the landing. I learned from him that the Forty-eighth Ohio was at the landing, and had been ordered by General Grant in position to defend his batteries, and that the regiment had done good service there. I sent orders by Lieutenant Harkness to Colonel Sullivan to join me with his regiment forthwith, but owing to the rain and darkness he did not arrive until just after day light. Colonels Cockerrill and Hildebrand and myself tied our horses to trees and lay down together for the night, in rear of and close to my brigade line. The rebels' line was only a short distance from us on the other side of a ravine.

General Wallace opened his batteries on the enemy early Monday morning, and the three regiments of my brigade were formed in line of battle, with all their field officers present except Lieutenant-Colonel Canfield and Major Crockett, of the Seventy-second, the one having been mortally wounded on Sunday morning, and the other captured on Friday. Sherman's division during the day occupied a position on the left of Wallace's division, and we kept steadily up with his left, frequently under very severe fire from the enemy. General Wallace in his report says that at one time "the right of Sherman's division fell hastily back." I think General Wallace is mistaken. I know that my brigade was not driven back one rod on Monday. On one occasion when General Sherman ordered an advance under heavy fire of musketry and artillery from the enemy, I gave the order; but at the moment the men seemed to hesitate. I immediately rode to the color-bearer of the Seventysecond Ohio, took hold of the flag staff, and conducted the bearer to the point indicated. The whole brigade quickly advanced and was on the desired advanced line as soon as I was. Colonel Sullivan was wounded and taken to the rear.

Our forces drove the enemy back over the same ground that they drove us the day before. The fighting was severe but not so destructive, at least to our troops, as on Sunday. We drove them back more rapidly than they drove us. About 4 p. m. the enemy were in full retreat, and about 5 P. M. my brigade took possession of its camp at Shiloh Church. The rebels took such articles as they could on their hasty retreat, but my tent and bed I found in good condition, and I enjoyed a good sleep in them Monday night.

Early Tuesday morning I, with others, visited the ground of our fight on Sunday morning. In a small space on the line of the enemy in front of the Seventy-second, were found eighty-five dead bodies, and the dead of the enemy were found thickly strewn all along the line in front of the brigade. General Wallace also visited that battle ground, and when he saw the number of dead bodies of the enemy in so small a space, asked what troops did that. When told that it was the Seventy-second Ohio, he said, "That was the best fighting on the field." The number of the wounded in that Sunday morning fight with my brigade must have been very great, as the number of the wounded is always much greater than of the killed. The underbrush between the two lines was literally mowed down by musket balls. Not a twig could be found that was not hit; and every tree from the ground ten or fifteen feet up was literally peppered with bullets. I think more of the enemy's fire was too high than of ours, and, for that reason, more of the enemy were killed. The enemy in that fight greatly outnumbered my brigade, but our men, though inexperienced in war, were many of them used to the rifle at home, and took good aim.

I have detailed incidents of small importance in themselves, perhaps, in order that the reader may better judge how much truth there is in the charge that my brigade was surprised, in any sense, on Sunday morning. Instead of being surprised we were all expecting an attack early in the morning, if not attacked during the night, and we took every precaution and made every preparation that one knew how to make to be ready for the attack whenever it should come, and we were ready when it did come, as the result abundantly proves. I feel perfectly justified in saying that no troops ever went into battle more deliberately or with more coolness, and none ever fought more bravely or effectively than did my brigade on Sunday morning.

On the question of surprise I give the following extract from a recent letter to me from General M. T. Williamson, now United States marshal at Memphis, Tennessee, who was First Lieuteuant of company C, Seventy-second Ohio, and in command of the company at the commencement of the battle. General Williamson says:

"On the morning of the 5th of April, company C furnished a portion of the pickets for the Seventysecond, under Lieutenant Hoffman, and company E the remainder, under Captain Blinn. In the afternoon I went out to the picket line and could distinctly see some suspicious movements on the Confederate side. We were confident they were preparing for an attack, and I knew this was our conviction. We expected it before morning, and had arranged a line of communication from the pickets to the camp, so as to know when the forward movement began. I have forgotten the name of Captain Snyder's company clerk at that time, but he communicated with me during the night. I was up early Sunday morning, and had breakfasted, as had the men of the regiment, before the long roll was ordered, and I do not believe there was a man in the regiment but expected the long roll before it came, and every man was ready to fall in when it did come." interest, the article on the battle of Shiloh, by General B. W. Duke, published in the Cincinnati Gazette of the 28th of May. The article evinces candor, and was evidently prepared with care and consideration. He fully sustains all I have said in regard to the fight my brigade made on Sunday morning, but he is mistaken about McDowell's brigade participating in that fight, and as to some other matters. He says:

" While McDowell's and Buckland's brigades of Sherman's division had not been fiercely assailed at the inception of the Confederate advance, they soon received their full share of attention. The ground which they occupied, however, was, perhaps, the strongest position on the line. Every demonstration against it was repulsed ; artillery was used in vain against it; some of the best brigades of the army moved on it, only to be hurled back and strew the morass in its front with their dead. The Confederate loss at this point was frightful. At last, after having held the position from 7 or 7:30 A. m. until after 10 A. M., everything upon its right (left) having been driven back, and the Confederate artillery having reached a point where the guns could play upon its rear, it was abandoned as no longer tenable. The tenacious defence of this position, and the fact that, by massing on his own right, General Johnson turned it, when it proved impregnable to direct assault, ought to be of itself a sufficient explanation of the correctness of his plan of battle. Sherman falling back, formed on McClernand's right, the same relative position he had previously held."

Now, the fact is, that McDowell's brigade was not attacked at all on the front line, and did no fighting until after we had fallen back to the Purdy road. As 1 have stated above, the Fortieth Illinois, Colonel Hicks, at my request, came and took position at the right and rear of my right flank, and remained there without firing a gun, until the Seventy-second went back for ammunition, when the Fortieth Illinois marched back to its own brigade ; and this was after my brigade had been fighting more than two hours, and only a few moments before the whole line was ordered back to the Purdy road. What General Duke says about the fighting at that point is all true, and his is the first account I have seen that does full justice to my brigade. My brigade advanced to the front and commenced the fight before Hildebrand's brigade was attacked, and remained until ordered back to the Purdy road, after Hildebrand's brigade had been driven back and the enemy had completely turned my left flank.

" Hardee's line carried all before it. At the first encampment it was not the semblance of a check. Following close and eager after the fleeing pickets, it burst upon the startled inmates as they emerged, half clad, from the tents, giving them no time to form, driving them in rapid panic, bayoneting the dilatory

I wish General Duke had pointed out which camps were thus surprised. They were certainly not the camps of McDowell, Hildebrand, or Buckland's brigades. Captain Skelton, of the Fifty-seventh Ohio, one of Hildebrand's regiments, informs me that the first alarm he heard was the long roll in my camp, which was immediately followed by the long roll in the camps of Hildebrand's brigade, and that the brigade was in line of battle very soon after. I saw the brigade in line when I was returning from General Sherman's headquarters with orders to send a regiment forward to sustain the pickets. General Sherman says he rode to the front of Hildebrand's brigade into the woods, where his orderly, Holliday, was killed. He then went to Colonel Appier, of the Fifty-third Ohio, and ordered him to hold his position. It cannot be, therefore, that any of Hildebrand's brigade were surprised, bayoneted, or shot in their tents.

It is a well-established fact, I think, that General Prentiss was well aware of the presence of the enemy in considerable force in his front. His cavalry had skirmished with them on Saturday, and at 4 o'clock in the morning of the 6th he sent to the front one of his regiments to look for the enemy.

General Prentiss has made his statement, in which he says: "My division was in line of battle near onefourth of a mile in advance of the color line, and received the assault of the enemy at an early hour of the morning of April 6, 1862, and held them in check for hours, until the enemy appeared in our right rear, and, as I learned afterwards, aided by the misconduct of a regiment not of my division." He further states that his division fought gallantly during the day, and "at 5:30, completely surrounded by numbers so numerous, the gallant officers and soldiers, with myself, were compelled to surrender."

It is quite probable that some sick and wounded men were left in the camps, but I cannot believe the enemy would have shot and bayoneted such, or any company I, Seventy-second Ohio, was shot through the breast and left in camp, or near it, as too badly wounded to be moved, When we returned to camp on Monday evening, we found him alive in one of the tents. The enemy had taken good care of him, and he is now an inmate of the Soldiers' Home at Dayton. Therefore, I am compelled to believe that all these horrible stories about our officers and men being surprised, shot, and bayoneted in their tents are false.

There has been a persistent effort on the part of newspaper correspondents and others, ever since the battle, to make it appear that Sherman's and Prentiss's divisions were asleep on the morning of the 6th, ignorant of the approach of the enemy, and surprised and thrown into almost utter confusion by the first onset of the enemy. I think the facts I have given ought to convince every candid person that such was not the case. It is true that Colonel Appier of the Fifty-third Ohio, of Hildebrand's brigade, after his regiment had fired a few rounds, ordered a retreat, and then abandoned his regiment to its fate. This was no fault of the regiment. Such conduct of a commanding officer would demoralize any troops. This gave the enemy such advantage over Hildebrand's brigade that, although Hildebrand heroically .strove to maintain his position, he was unable to withstand the overpowering onslaught, and his brigade was forced back and irretrievably broken to pieces. Yet a large portion of his officers and men rallied by companies and squads, joined other commands and fought bravely during the day. But for this unfortunate conduct of Colonel Appier, of the Fifty-third, which is the regiment where bad conduct is referred to in the statement of General Prentiss, I have no doubt but Hildebrand's brigade would have maintained its position as did mine, and we would have held the enemy in check on the front line much longer and given McClemand's and other troops ample time to come to its support or place themselves in positions where they could best meet the enemy. The stubborn resistance of my brigade alone saved our army from greater disaster. The splendid fighting of our troops during the entire day is a sufficient answer to the charge that any considerable portion of them were demoralized by being surprised in their camps, or otherwise. The number that disgracefully fled to the rear was not much greater, if any, than in other great battles. Sutlers, teamsters, and all other non-combatants and hangers on of the army were concentrated into a small space at the landing, and mixed with the sick, the wounded, and runaways, and altogether they made a great, panic-stricken mob. No wonder Buell's men, in passing through such a mob, supposed the Army of the Tennessee was demoralized, but if they had been in front at any time during the bloody day, they would have come to a different conclusion.

If General Lewis Wallace, with his division of eight thousand men, had continued on the road he started upon, which I think he ought to have done, and struck the enemy on the left flank and rear by two or three o'clock P. M., the tide of victory would have been turned against the enemy. It would have saved the disaster to Prentiss's division, and I think we would have driven the enemy from the field the first day. I will not undertake to say who was in fault for the course General Wallace took. It is not the purpose of this article to defend Generals Halleck, Grant, or Sherman, but to state facts within my own knowledge and observation, and such as I believe to be true, taken from other reliable sources, and leave to the reader to determine in his own mind, from the facts, where blame or credit should be awarded.

Officers Of Seventy-Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Colonel Ralph P. Buckland, appointed lieutenantcolonel October 2, 1861; appointed colonel October 30, 1861, mustered into service January 10, 1862; commission dated January 11, 1862; appointed brigadier-general November 29, 1862.

Lieutenant-Colonel Herman Canfield, appointed lieutenant-colonel October 30, 1861; mustered into service January 10, 1862; commission dated January 11, 1862; mortally wounded at Shiloh April 6, 1862; died April 7, 1862.

Major Leroy Crockett, mustered into service December 10, 1861; commission dated January n, 1862; taken prisoner April 4, 1862; promoted to lieutenantcolonel April 6, 1862; date of commission June 20, 1862; paroled at Richmond, Virginia, October 12, 1862; exchanged November, 1862; found regiment January 17, 1863, in obedience to Special Order No. 1, Headquarters Paroled Forces, Columbus, Ohio, January s, 1863; died at home of disease December 10, 1863.

Adjutant Eugene A. Rawson, appointed December 4, 1861; mustered into service December 12, 1861, commission dated January 11, 1862; promoted to major July 23, 1863; died of wounds received at the battle of Tupelo, Mississippi, July 15, 1864.

Quartermaaster Daniel M. Harkness, ppointed October 8, 1861; mustered into service October 8, 1861; commission dated January 11, 1862; resignation accepted J anuarv 16, 1863; Special Order No. 10, Headquarters Department, Memphis, Tennessee, January 16, 1863.

Surgeon John B. Rice, mustered into service November 25, 1861; commission dated January 11, 1862; detailed surgeon-in-chief District of Memphis, Tennessee, Special Order No. 89, Headquarters District of Memphis, Tennessee, April 28, 1864.

Chaplain Abraham B. Poe, mustered into service January 11, 1862; commission dated January n, 1862; resignation accepted January 15, 1863, Special Orders No. 15, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, by order of Major-General U. S. Grant.

Assistant Surgeon William M. Kaull, mustered into service November 6, 1861; commission dated January 11, 1862; resignation accepted June 4, 1863, Special Order No. 150, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, near Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Assistant Surgeon John W. Goodson, mustered into service August 21, 1862; commission dated August 21, 1862; deserted November 20, 1862, from Memphis, Tennessee; dismissed the service of the United States of America March 30, 1863; Special Order No. 205, War Department Adjutant-General's

Steward William Caldwell, appointed steward February 6, 1862; mustered into service February 6, 1862; appointed assistant surgeon April 17, 1863 ; mustered into service April 27, 1863 ; resigned on account of disability January 7, 1865, Special Order No. 8, Par. 5, Headquarters Department of Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee.

Captain Charles G. Eaton, appointed and musered into service as second lieutenant October 9, 1861; appointed captain November 30, 1861; commission dated January 11, 1862; promoted to major April 6, 1862; date of commission June 20, 1862; appointed lieutenant-colonel July 23, 1863; mustered as lieutenant-colonel December 24, 1863, at Memphis, Tennessee.

First Lieutenant H. W. Gifford, appointed first lieutenant November 30, 1861; mustered into service as private October 10, 1861 , date of commission as first lieutenant January n, 1862; promoted to captain April 6, 1862; commission dated June 20, 1862; died at Cincinnati, Ohio, July 27, 1862, of wounds received in the battle of Shiloh April 6 and 9, 1862.

Second lieutenant Spencer Russell, appointed second lieutenant November 30, 1861, commission dated January 11, 1862; mustered into service as private October 10, 1862; promoted to first lieutenant April 6, 1862; date of commission June 20, 1862; promoted to captain May 17, 1862; resignation accepted August 21, 1863; Special Order No. 228, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, Vicksburg, Mississippi, August 2i, 1863.

Captain George Raymond, mustered into service as private October 9, 1861; appointed captain December 2, 1861, commission dated January 11, 1862; resigned May 23, 1862; Special Field orders No. 71, Headquarters Department of the Mississippi, camp in Corinth road, Mississippi, May 28, 1862.

First Lieutenant Henry W. Buckland, mustered into service as second lieutenant October 8, 1861; mustered into service as first lieutenant December 2, 1861; commission dated January 11, 1862; promoted to captain May 23, 1862, date of commission June 20, 1862; mustered out by reason of expiration of term of service, Memphis, Tennessee, November 23, 1864.

Second Lieutenant William T. Fisher, mustered into service as private October 23, 1861; appointed second lieutenant December 2, 1861, commission dated January ir, 1862; promoted to first lieutenant May 23, 1862, date of commision June 20, 1862; resignation accepted July 27, 1863; Special order No.

Captain Samuel A. J. Snyder was mustered into service as second lieutenant October 16, 1861; appointed captain December 8, 1861, commission dated January 11, 1862; appointed major April 9, 1864; mustered as major July 27, 1864.

First Lieutenant Milton T. Williamson was mustered into service as second* lieutenant October 29, 1861; appointed first lieutenant February 13, 1862, commission dated April 24, 1861; aid-de-camp to General Denver, General Orders No. 4, Headquarters, Third brigade, Fifth division, Camp No. 8, June 2, 1862; mustered out by reason of expiration of term, Memphis, Tennessee, November 4, 1864.

Second Lieutenant Daniel W.|Hoffman was mustered into service as private November 19, 1861; appointed second lieutenant December 8, 1861, commission dated January n, 1862; appointed first lieutenant February 18, 1864; mustered March 1, 1864; wounded severely at the battle of Tupelo, Mississippi, July 13, 1864; left at Tupelo, Mississippi, in hospital, prisoner of war.

Captain Andrew Nuhfer was mustered into service as second lieutenant; appointed captain December 12, 1861, commission dated January 11, 1862; wounded severely at Shiloh, Tennessee, April 6, 1862; taken- prisoner at the battle of Brice's Cross Roads, Mississippi, July n, 1864.

First Lieutenant Manning A. Fowler was mustered into service as private October 18, 1861; appointed first lieutenant December 12, i86r, commission dated January n, 1862; appointed captain January 15, 1863; mustered into sendee as captain March 8, 1863; resigned July 23, 1863, Special Order No. 199, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, Vicksburg, Mississippi, July 23, 1863.

Second Lieutenant Jesse J. Cook was mustered into service as private; appointed second lieutenant December 12, 1861, commission dated January 11, 1862; resigned June 6, 1862, Special Field Orders No. 90, Headquarters Department of the Mississippi, Corinth, Mississippi, June 6, 1862.

Captain John H. Blinn was mustered into service as second lieutenant; appointed captain December 28, 1861, commission dated January n, 1862; resignation accepted January 15, 1863, Special Orders No. 15, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, Mississippi, General U. S. Grant.

First Lieutenant Charles D. Dennis was mustered into service as private October 12, 1861; appointed first lieutenant December 28, 1861, commission dated January 10, 1862; appointed captain January 15, 1863; mustered into service as cap t Sin March i, 1863,

Second Lieutenant William A. Strong was mustered into service as private November 10, 1861; appointed second lieutenant December 28, 1861, commission dated January n, 1862; appointed first lieutenant January 15, 1863; mustered into service

March 1, 1863; resigned, on account of disability, August 1, 1864, Special Orders No. 172, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, August 1, 1864.

Captain Leroy Moore was mustered into service as second lieutenant October 8, 1861; appointed captain January 4, 1862, commission dated January 11, 1862; taken prisoner at the battle of Brice's Cross Roads, Mississippi, June n, 1864; mustered out of service, by reason of expiration of term, March 12, 1865, Washington, District of Columbia.

First Lieutenant Alfred H. Rice was mustered into service as private November 2, 1861; appointed first lieutenant January 4, 1862, date of commission January 11, 1862; discharged at Washington August 18, 1863, by order of Secretary of War, for disability.

Second Lieutenant John B. Gillmore was mustered into service as private October 9, 1861 ; appointed second lieutenant January 4, 1862, commission dated January 11, 1862; appointed first lieutenant February 18, 1864; mustered as first lieutenant April 24, 1864; taken prisoner at the battle of Brice's Cross Roads, Mississippi, June n, 1864; died in prison, October 9, 1864, at Charleston, South Carolina.

Captain James Fernald was mustered into service as second lieutenant October 9, 1861; appointed first lieutenant January 10, 1862; appointed captain February 13, 1862, commission dated February 13, 1862; re-enlisted 1865.

First Lieutenant William C. Bidle was mustered into service as second lieutenant November 12, 1861; appointed first lieutenant January 10, 1862, commission dated January 11, 1862; appointed captain April 9, 1864; mustered as captain April 23, 1864; mustered out, by reason of expiration of term, at Vicksburg, Mississippi, February 15, 1865.

Second Lieutenant John H. Poyer was mustered into service as second lieutenant October 19, 1861, commission dated January 11, 1862; resigned December 10, 1862, Special Orders No. 43, Headquarters Thirteenth Army Corps, Department of the Tennessee.

Captain Michael Wegstein was mustered into service as private October 14, 1861; appointed captain January 10, 1862, commission dated January 11, 1862; killed at Shiloh April 6, 1862.

First Lieutenant Anthony Young was mustered into service as second lieutenant October 12, 1861; appointed first lieutenant January 10, 1862, commission dated January 11, 1862; promoted to captain April 6, 1862, date of commission June 20, 1862; resignation accepted July 23, 1863, Special Order No. 199, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Second Lieutenant Andrew Kline was mustered j into service as private; appointed second lieutenant January 10, 1862, commission dated January 11, 1862; discharged at Washington, September 11, 1862, by order of Secretary of War, for disability, Special Orders No. 234.

Captain Jacob Fikes was mustered into service as second lieutenant October 12, 1861; appointed captain January 10, 1862, commission dated January 11, 1862; resignation accepted February 4, 1863, Special Orders No. 35, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, Young's Point, Louisiana.

First Lieutenant Albert Bates was mustered into service as private, October 11, 1861; appointed first lieutenant January 10, 1862, commission dated January 11, 1862; resignation accepted August 7, 1863, Special Orders No. 215, Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, Vicksburgh, Mississippi.

Second Lieutenant James Donnell was mustered into service as private; appointed second lieutenant January 10, 1862; commission dated January 11, 1862; resigned September 3, 1862, at Memphis, Tennessee, Special Orders No. 316, Headquarters Department of the Mississippi.