Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/142

 130 Southern Historical Society Papers.

fresh troops were available. General Johnston had fallen about 2:30 P. M. on the 6th, and the command developed upon General Beauregard.

At daylight on Monday General Grant attacked along the whole line, but was stubbornly resisted, the battle continuing until about 4 P. M. The Union line of the previous day and thirty captured guns were regained.

The arrival of Buell's army with its iresh troops made the contest unequal, and though stubbonly contested for a time, at about 2 o'clock General Beauregard ordered the withdrawal of his army. To secure this he placed Colonel Robert F. Looney, 38th Tennessee regiment, augmented by detachments from other regiments at Shiloh Church, and directed him to charge the centre of the Union lines. In this charge Colonel Looney passed Sherman's headquar- ters and pressed the Union line back to Purdy road. At the same time General Beauregard sent artillery across Shiloh Branch, and placed the guns in battery on the high ground beyond. With these arrangements Beauregard, at 4 o'clock, safely crossed Shiloh Branch with his army, and placed his rear guard under General Brecken- ridge in line upon the ground occupied by him Saturday night. The Confederate army returned leisurely to Corinth, while the Union army returned to the camps it had occupied before the battle.

No general pursuit of the Confederates was made, General Hal- leek having issued orders forbidding it, and the Confederates were allowed to retire to Corinth while the Union army occupied itself in burying the dead and caring for the wounded.

Soon after General Halleck's arrival and assumption of command was inaugurated the "advance on Corinth," in which the most con- spicuous and leading part was played by the spade.

General Beauregard reported a loss of 1,728 killed, 8,012 wounded, and 959 missing. The Union's loss was reported at 1,754 killed, 8,408 wounded, and some 2,855 prisoners. Revised statements make the total loss in both armies killed, 3,482; wounded, 16,420; missing, 3,844; total, 23,746.

THE SHILOH NATIONAL MILITARY PARK.

I have stated that the battle of Shiloh is less known or understood than any of the great battles of the war, and gave, what I think, are the reasons.

So, also, the Shiloh National Military Park is much less known