按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ipt map made by myself； I pointed out to him our positions as they had been in the morning； and our then positions； I also explained that my right then covered the bridge over Snake Creek by which we had all day been expecting Lew Wallace； that McClernand was on my left； Hurlbut on his left； and so on。 But Buell said he had come up from the landing； and had not seen our men； of whose existence in fact he seemed to doubt。 I insisted that I had five thousand good men still left in line； and thought that MeClernand had as many more； and that with what was left of Hurlbut's； W。 H。 L。 Wallace's； and Prentiss's divisions； we ought to have eighteen thousand men fit for battle。 I reckoned that ten thousand of our men were dead； wounded； or prisoners； and that the enemy's loss could not be mach less。 Buell said that Nelson's； MeCook's； and Crittendens divisions of his army； containing eighteen thousand men； had arrived and could cross over in the night； and be ready for the next day's battle。 I argued that with these reenforcements we could sweep the field。 Buell seemed to mistrust us； and repeatedly said that he did not like the looks of things； especially about the boat…landing；and I really feared he would not cross over his army that night； lest he should become involved in our general disaster。 He did not； of course； understand the shape of the ground； and asked me for the use of my map； which I lent him on the promise that he would return it。 He handed it to Major Michler to have it copied； and the original returned to me； which Michler did two or three days after the battle。 Buell did cross over that night； and the next day we assumed the offensive and swept the field； thus gaining the battle decisively。 Nevertheless； the controversy was started and kept up； mostly to the personal prejudice of General Grant； who as usual maintained an imperturbable silence。
After the battle； a constant stream of civilian surgeons； and sanitary commission agents； men and women； came up the Tennessee to bring relief to the thousands of maimed and wounded soldiers for whom we had imperfect means of shelter and care。 These people caught up the camp…stories； which on their return home they retailed through their local papers； usually elevating their own neighbors into heroes； but decrying all others： Among them was Lieutenant…Governor Stanton； of Ohio； who published in Belfontaine； Ohio； a most abusive article about General Grant and his subordinate generals。 As General Grant did not and would not take up the cudgels； I did so。 My letter in reply to Stanton； dated June 10； 1862； was published in the Cincinnati Commercial soon after its date。 To this Lieutenant…Governor Stanton replied； and I further rejoined in a letter dated July 12； 1862。 These letters are too personal to be revived。 By this time the good people of the North had begun to have their eyes opened； and to give us in the field more faith and support。 Stanton was never again elected to any public office； and was commonly spoken of as 〃the late Mr。 Stanton。〃 He is now dead； and I doubt not in life he often regretted his mistake in attempting to gain popular fame by abusing the army…leaders； then as now an easy and favorite mode of gaining notoriety； if not popularity。 Of course； subsequent events gave General Grant and most of the other actors in that battle their appropriate place in history； but the danger of sudden popular clamors is well illustrated by this case。
Tho battle of Shiloh； or Pittsburg Landing； was one of the most fiercely contested of the war。 On the morning of April 6； 1862； the five divisions of McClernand； Prentiss； Hurlbut； W。 H。 L。 Wallace； and Sherman； aggregated about thirty…two thousand men。 We had no intrenchments of any sort； on the theory that as soon as Buell arrived we would march to Corinth to attack the enemy。 The rebel army； commanded by General Albert Sidney Johnston； was； according to their own reports and admissions； forty…five thousand strong； had the momentum of attack； and beyond all question fought skillfully from early morning till about 2 a。m。； when their commander…in…chief was killed by a Mini…ball in the calf of his leg； which penetrated the boot and severed the main artery。 There was then a perceptible lull for a couple of hours； when the attack was renewed； but with much less vehemence； and continued up to dark。 Early at night the division of Lew Wallace arrived from the other side of Snake Creek； not having fired a shot。 A very small part of General Buell's army was on our side of the Tennessee River that evening； and their loss was trivial。
During that night； the three divisions of McCook； Nelson； and Crittenden； were ferried across the Tennessee； and fought with us the next day （7th）。 During that night； also； the two wooden gunboats； Tyler； commanded by Lieutenant Groin； and Lexington； Lieutenant Shirk； both of the regular navy； caused shells to be thrown toward that part of the field of battle known to be occupied by the enemy。 Beauregard afterward reported his entire loss as ten thousand six hundred and ninety…nine。 Our aggregate loss； made up from official statements； shows seventeen hundred killed； seven thousand four hundred and ninety…five wounded； and three thousand and twenty…two prisoners； aggregate； twelve thousand two hundred and seventeen； of which twenty…one hundred and sixty…seven were in Buell's army； leaving for that of Grant ten thousand and fifty。 This result is a fair measure of the amount of fighting done by each army。
CHAPTER XI。
SHILOH TO MEMPHIS。
APIRIL TO JULY； 1862。
While； the 〃Army of the Tennessee；〃 under Generals Grant and C。 F。 Smith； was operating up the Tennessee River； another force； styled the 〃Army of the Mississippi；〃 commanded by Major…General John Pope； was moving directly down the Mississippi River； against that portion of the rebel line which； under Generals Polk and Pillow； had fallen back from Columbus； Kentucky； to Island Number Ten and New Madrid。 This army had the full cooperation of the gunboat fleet； commanded by Admiral Foote； and was assisted by the high flood of that season； which enabled General Pope； by great skill and industry； to open a canal from a point above Island Number Ten to New Madrid below； by which he interposed between the rebel army and its available line of supply and retreat。 At the very time that we were fighting the bloody battle on the Tennessee River； General Pope and Admiral Foote were bombarding the batteries on Island Number Ten； and the Kentucky shore abreast of it； and General Pope having crossed over by steamers a part of his army to the east bank； captured a large part of this rebel army； at and near Tiptonville。
General Halleck still remained at St。 Louis； whence he gave general directions to the armies of General Curtis； Generals Grant； Buell； and Pope； and instead of following up his most important and brilliant successes directly down the Mississippi； he concluded to bring General Pope's army around to the Tennessee； and to come in person to command there。 The gunboat fleet pushed on down the Mississippi； but was brought up again all standing by the heavy batteries at Fort Pillow； about fifty miles abov