Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/311

 " Battle of Shiloh." 305

fire of the gunboats, would have been able, before the darkness of night set in, to carry the ridge occupied by Webster's fifty-odd guns, supported by Ammen's brigade of Buell's army, as also by the remains of Hurlbut's, Stuart's and W. H. Wallace's brigades, and certain other fragmentary commands that had been organized at the river-side by Grant out of the best material of his broken regi- ments. Upon this point Ammen's personal diary, dated on the 7th of April, is much more specific and full than his official report, that I must be excused for quoting at length from my former West Point professor as follows:

"General Nelson went over in the first boat with the Thirty-Sixth Indiana, Colonel Grose ; General Nelson ordered me to remain and see my brigade over. * * * * On the top of the banks near some buildings I found the Thirty-Sixth Indiana partly formed in line. * * * * Here, too, were Generals Grant, Buell, and Nel- son, * * * * General Grant directed me to support the battery about sixty to one hundred yards to the left of the road, which was done as soon as the line could be formed, probably three or four minutes, Generals Buell and Nelson, assisting. The Thirty-Sixth Indiana, and part of the Sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, were placed in position behind the crest of the hill, near the battery, .the left protected by a deep ravine parallel to the river and having water in it."

General Buell himself, who had reached Pittsburg Landing ahead of Ammen, with his Chief of Staff, Colonel Fry, reports on the 15th of April, 1862:

" It (Ammen's brigade) was immediately posted to meet the attack at that point and, with a battery of artillery which happened to be on the ground and was brought into action, opened fire upon the enemy and repulsed him. The action of the gunboats also con- tributed very much to that result. The attack upon that point was not renewed, night having come on, and the fire ceased en both sides." (Ibid, C. 299).

" The right about three hundred yards from the landing. General Buell selected the position, and was with us when the Rebels reached the crest of the hill, received our fire, were shaken, fell back, ad- vanced again, etc. The assaults of the enemy were met by our troops and successfully resisted. About five minutes after we were in position, the Rebels made the first attack, and kept on a quarter to half an hour (dusk) when they withdrew. Our loss was only one man killed. We were down the slope of the hill, and, the