Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/141

 The Battle of Shiloh. 129

Some skirmishes on Friday had aroused the vigilance of the Fed- eral commanders. Yet, General Grant had telegraphed General Halleck Saturday night: " The main force of the enemy is at Cor- inth; one division of Buell's column arrived yesterday. I have scarcely the faintest idea of an attack (general one) being made upon us."

General Prentiss had, however, thrown forward Colonel Moore with the 2ist Missouri regiment on the Corinth road, who had en- countered Hardee's skirmish line under Major Hardcastle, and taking it for an outpost attacked it vigorously. Thus in reality the Federals opened the fight. The struggle was brief. The 8th and 9th Arkansas regiments came up, and Colonel Moore was wounded, and his troops gave way.

THE BATTLE.

Briefly, on the first attack by the Confederates the front line of Grant's army was driven from its position, excepting two of Sher- man's brigades, whose position intrenched the first line of battle. These brigades resisted stubbornly, but their flanks becoming ex- posed, they were compelled to give way and take position on McClernand's right, which was held until the afternoon, when both divisions were driven back. General Grant arrived on the field at 8 A. M., and ordered Lewis Wallace up with his division, while he set to work to reorganize his scattered lines. Hurlbut and W. H. L. Wallace were now attacked, but repulsed the Confederates, who, however, continued the assault until 4:30 P. M., when Hurlbut fell back, and Wallace, being left to meet the assaults alone, fell back a half hour la'er. General Lew Wallace, who, as before stated, was at Crump's landing, six miles distant, did not reach the field until near night. The Federal army was then crowded back to the river, leaving all of its encampments and some 3,000 prisoners in posses- sion of the Confederates; it halted after the falling back of W. H. L. Wallace, the remaining Federal artillery was hastily assembled by General Webster, of General Grant's staff, posted on a ridge covering Pittsburg landing, and a renewal of the attack by the Confederates was successfully resisted, two gun- boats adding their fire. Buell's advance had reached Savannah on the evening of the 5th, and at 6 P. M. on the 6th, Ainmen's brigade crossed just at the close of the day's battle.

Next morning all of Nelson's, Crittenden's and McCook's divis- ions had crossed, and with Lew Wallace's command, some 25,000