HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF WEST TENNESSEE,
Pittsburg, April 9,
1862
CAPTAIN: It becomes my duty again to report
another battle fought between two great armies, one contending for the
maintenance of the <ar10_109> best government ever devised, the
other for its destruction. It is pleasant to record the success of the
army contending for the former principle.
On Sunday morning our pickets were attacked
and driven in by the enemy. Immediately the five divisions stationed at
this place were drawn up in line of battle, ready to meet them. The
battle soon waxed warm on the left and center, varying at times to all
parts of the line. The most continuous firing of musketry and artillery
ever heard on this continent was kept up until night-fall, the enemy
having forced the entire line to fall back nearly half way from their
camps to the Landing.
At a late hour in the afternoon a desperate
effort was made by the enemy to turn our left and get possession of the
Landing, transports, &c. This point was guarded by the gunboats
Tyler and Lexington, Captains Gwin and Shirk, U.S. Navy, commanding,
four 20-pounder Parrott guns and a battery of rifled guns. As there is
a deep and impassable ravine for artillery or cavalry, and very
difficult for infantry, at this point, no troops were stationed here,
except the necessary artillerists and a small infantry force for their
support. Just at this moment the advance of Major-General Buell's
column (a part of the division under General Nelson) arrived, the two
generals named both being present. An advance was immediately made upon
the point of attack and the enemy soon driven back. In this repulse
much is due to the presence of the gunboats Tyler and Lexington, and
their able commanders, Captains Gwin and Shirk.
During the night the divisions under Generals
Crittenden and McCook arrived. General Lewis Wallace, at Crump's
Landing, 6 miles below, was ordered at an early hour in the morning to
hold his division in readiness to be moved in any direction to which it
might be ordered. At about 11 o'clock the order was delivered to move
it up to Pittsburg, but owing to its being led by a circuitous route
did not arrive in time to take part in Sunday's action.
During the night all was quiet, and feeling
that a great moral advantage would be gained by becoming the attacking
party, an advance was ordered as soon as day dawned. The result was a
gradual repulse of the enemy at all parts of the line from morning
until probably 5 o'clock in the afternoon, when it became evident the
enemy was retreating. Before the close of the action the advance of
General T. J. Wood's division arrived in time to take part in the
action.
My force was too much fatigued from two
days' hard fighting and exposure in the open air to a drenching rain
during the intervening night to pursue immediately.
Night closed in cloudy and with heavy rain,
making the roads impracticable for artillery by the next morning.
General Sherman, however, followed the enemy, finding that the main
part of the army had retreated in good order.
Hospitals of the enemy's wounded were found
all along the road as far as pursuit was made. Dead bodies of the enemy
and many graves were also found.
I inclose herewith report of General Sherman,
which will explain more fully the result of this pursuit.
Of the part taken by each separate command I
cannot take special notice in this report, but will do so more fully
when reports of division commanders are handed in. General Buell,
coming on the field with a distinct army long under his command, and
which did such efficient service, commanded by himself in person on the
field, will be much better able to notice those of his command who
particularly distinguished themselves than I possibly can.
I feel it a duty, however, to a gallant and
able officer, Brig. Gen. W. T. Sherman, to make a special mention. He
not only was with his command during the entire two days' action, but
displayed great judgment and skill in the management of his men.
Although severely wounded in the hand the first day his place was never
vacant. He was again wounded, and had three horses killed under him.
In making this mention of a gallant officer no
disparagement is intended to the other division commanders, Maj. Gens.
John A. McClernand and Lewis Wallace, and Brig. Gens. S. A. Hurlbut, B.
M. Prentiss, and W. H. L. Wallace, all of whom maintained their
places with credit to themselves and the cause.
General Prentiss was taken prisoner in the
first day's action, and General W. H. L. Wallace severely, probably
mortally, wounded. His assistant adjutant-general, Capt. William
McMichael, is missing; probably taken prisoner.
My personal staff are all deserving of
particular mention, they having been engaged during the entire two days
in conveying orders to every part of the field. It consists of Col. J.
D. Webster, chief of staff; Lieut. Col. J. B. McPherson, chief
engineer, assisted by Lieuts. W. L. B. Jenney and William Kossak; Capt.
J. A. Rawlins, assistant adjutant- general; Capts. W. S. Hillyer, W. R.
Rowley, and C. B. Lagow, aides-de-camp; Col G. G. Pride, volunteer
aide, and Capt. J.P. Hawkins, chief commissary, who accompanied
me upon the field.
The medical department, under the direction of
Surgeon Hewitt, medical director, showed great energy in providing for
the wounded and in getting them from the field regardless of
danger.
Colonel Webster was placed in special charge
of all the artillery and was constantly upon the field. He displayed,
as always heretofore, both skill and bravery. At least in one instance
he was the means of placing an entire regiment in a position of doing
most valuable service, and where it would not have been but for his
exertions.
Lieutenant-Colonel McPherson, attached to my
staff as chief engineer, deserves more than a passing notice for his
activity and courage. All the grounds beyond our camps for miles have
been reconnoitered by him, and plats carefully prepared under his
supervision give accurate information of the nature of approaches to
our lines. During the two days' battle he was constantly in the saddle,
leading troops as they arrived to points where their services were
required. During the engagement he had one horse shot under him.
The country will have to mourn the loss of
many brave men who fell at the battle of Pittsburg, or Shiloh, more
properly. The exact loss in killed and wounded will be known in a day
or two. At present I can only give it approximately at 1,500 killed and
3,500 wounded.(*)
The loss of artillery was great, many pieces
being disabled by the enemy's shots and some losing all their horses
and many men. There were probably not less than 200 homes killed.
The loss of the enemy in killed and left upon
the field was greater than ours. In wounded the estimate cannot be
made, as many of them must have been sent back to Corinth and other
points.
The enemy suffered terribly from
demoralization and desertion.
A flag of truce was sent in to-day from
General Beauregard. I inclose herewith a copy of the correspondence.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant
U. S.
GRANT,
Major-General, Commanding.
Capt. N.H. McLEAN,
A. A. G., Dept. of the Miss., Saint Louis, Mo.
[Inclosures.]
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE
MISSISSIPPI,
Monterey, April 8, 1862.
SIR: At the close of the conflict of
yesterday, my forces being exhausted by the extraordinary length
of time during which they were engaged with yours on that and
the preceding day, and it being apparent that you had
received and were still receiving re- enforcements, I felt it my
duty to withdraw my troops from the immediate scene of
conflict.
Under these circumstances, in accordance with
usages of war, I shall transmit this under a flag of truce, to ask
permission to send a mounted party to the battle-field of Shiloh for
the purpose of giving decent interment to my dead.
Certain gentlemen wishing to avail themselves
of this opportunity to remove the remains of their sons and
friends, I must request for them the privilege of
accompanying the burial party, and in this connection I
deem it proper to say I am asking only what I have extended
to your own countrymen under similar circumstances.
Respectfully, general, your obedient servant,
G. T.
BEAUREGARD,
General,
Commanding.
Maj. Gen. U.S. GRANT. U.S.A.,
Commanding U. S. Forces near Pittsburg, Tenn.
-----
HEADQUARTERS ARMY IN THE FIELD,
Pittsburg, April 9, 1862.
Your dispatch of yesterday is just received.
Owing to the warmth of the weather I deemed it advisable to
have all the dead of both parties buried immediately. Heavy details
were made for this purpose, and now it is accomplished. There cannot,
therefore, be any necessity of admitting within our lines the parties
you desire to send on the grounds asked.
I shall always be glad to extend any courtesy
consistent with duty, and especially so when dictated by
humanity.
I am, general, very respectfully, your
obedient servant,
U.S.
GRANT,
Major-General, Commanding.
General G. T. BEAUREGARD,
Comdg. Confederate Army of the Mississippi,
Monterey, Tenn.
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME X/1 [S# 10]
Source for Official Reports of the Month: The Civil War CD-ROM,
by Guild Press of Indiana, 435 Gradle Drive, Carmel, IN, 46032,
317-848-6421.
---------------------------------------------------
If you have and comments or suggestions for this section of this Home
Page (such as specific events you feel should be mentioned in months to
come, or about which you think there will be an Official Record, or if
you have comments about this Home Page in general, you may mail them to
1227 Lincoln Mall, Lincoln, NE 68508, or you may E-Mail them to
sguenze@civilwarneb.net. Thank you for any contribution.