From Fort Henry to CorinthForce, M. F. (Manning Ferguson)
History
From Fort Henry to Corinth
Force, M. F. (Manning Ferguson)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns
Prentiss was driven back through his camp about nine o'clock; Sherman
was forced from his about ten o'clock; at the same time, Stuart took
position in rear of his. McClernand was compelled finally to abandon his
camp about half-past two, and at half-past four Hurlbut fell back
through his. When night came, the National troops held W.H.L. Wallace's
camp and an adjoining portion of Hurlbut's, while Beauregard's army
occupied Sherman's, McClernand's, and Prentiss'.
When Prentiss and Sherman were attacked, there was a wide gap between
their lines. A little after ten o'clock the National line was connected,
Sherman on the right, McClernand next, then W.H.L. Wallace, and next, on
his left, Prentiss, and Hurlbut and McArthur filling the space between
Prentiss and Stuart. The right was gradually forced back on a curve
till, at half-past four o'clock, there was a gap between McClernand and
Wallace. Hurlbut held his ground till four o'clock, but by half-past
four he retreated, leaving Prentiss' left in air. Through the two gaps
thus made the Confederate left and right poured in and encircled
Prentiss and Wallace. After their surrender there was no fighting,
except Chalmers' bold, but idle assault.
In this day's battle the National loss was nearly ten thousand killed,
wounded, and captured. The Confederate loss was as great in killed and
wounded, but the loss in prisoners was small.
CHAPTER VII.
SHILOH--NIGHT, AND MONDAY.
The vice of the formation of Johnston's army into three long, thin,
parallel lines, together with the broken character of the ground and the
variable obstinacy of resistance encountered, produced a complete and
inextricable commingling of commands. General Beauregard left it to the
discretion of the different commanders to select the place for bivouac
for the night.
Colonel Pond, retiring from his disastrous repulse toward the close of
the afternoon, found himself wholly separated by an interval of more
than a quarter of a mile from the nearest support, the whole of the
Confederate left having drifted from him toward the southeast.
Assembling all his brigade, except the Crescent Regiment, which had
become detached, and recalling his battery--Ketchum's--he remembered
that the special duty had been assigned to him, by General Bragg, of
guarding the flank along Owl Creek. When night fell, he moved to his
rear and then to his left, and bivouacked in line facing to the east, on
the high land west of Brier Creek. Ketchum's battery was placed in a
field a little back from the ravine. He posted pickets to his rear as
well as to his front. The other two brigades of Ruggles' division spent
the night to the east of Shiloh Church.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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