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190 Series I Volume X-I Serial 10 - Shiloh Part I

Page 190 KY., TENN., N. MISS., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXII.

subject. It is possible that i satisfy General Grant upon the points involved and thus save further trouble. Meantime I hope you will consider me ready and anxious to go to any duty.

Very respectfully,

LEW. WALLACE,

Major-General.


Numbers 35. Report of Colonel George F. McGinnis, Eleventh Indiana Infantry (of the First brigade, Third division).


HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH INDIANA, Indiana Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., April 9, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken in the battle of the 7th instant at this place by the Eleventh Indiana:

At 5.30 o'clock a. m. I received an order from you to form our regiment in line of battle and take position on the left of Thompson's Ninth Indiana Battery, for the purpose of supporting it. Your order was immediately executed, and skirmishers deployed in advance of our line. We occupied this position for about an hour, when we were ordered to advance and take a position half a mile to the front, on a hill, and within 500 yards of a rebel battery. Our position at this point was on the right of Thompson's battery. This position was occupied by us under a heavy fire from the enemy's guns for two hours, when the rebels changed the position of their battery some distance to the rear, and we were again ordered to advance a short distance in the rear of the Twenty-fourth Indiana, and there to take position on their left, thereby placing us on the extreme left of the division. During the whole of this time, and, in fact, during the whole of the whole of the engagement, we had different companies deployed as skirmishers. Our advance was slow, but steady and certain.

At about 10 o'clock we were notified that, in connection with the Twenty-fourth Indiana, we would be requires to charge and take a rebel battery some 500 yards in front of us. I ordered bayonets to be fixed, and gave some instructions as to how the charge should be confuted. Every man ready and anxious for the word, but for some reason, and much to the disappointment of our men, the order to change was not given.

At 12 m. the rebel infantry made their appearance in large numbers in front, and gave us the first change during the day of opening a steady and long-continued fire upon them. This opportunity was heartily embraced, and such a deadly and destructive fire poured upon them that their advance was stopped, and after a desperate struggle to maintain their ground, they were compelled to retreat. We were again ordered forward, and from this time until the close of the engagement a continual fire of musketry was kept up on both sides, the enemy doggedly falling back and we advancing.

At 2.30 o'clock I discovered that the Federal forces on our left were falling back and the rebels advancing, and that they were nearly in rear of our left flank. I immediately notified you of their position,


Page 190 KY., TENN., N. MISS., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. Chapter XXII.