Today in History:

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

Page 211 Chapter XXII. PITTSBURG LANDING, OR SHILOH, TENN.,

conceited Har and willing slanderer B. Stanton who degrades the gallant State of Ohio by being her lieutenant-governor. Does not this wretched substitute know that his time does not come until his superior officer is out of the way? It is for the Governor, not his deputy, to vindicate the wrongs of the Ohio troops. This fifth wheel has nothing to do with it. I have stood within sight and within hearing of Ohio troops during two days of that eventful battle. I saw them fight as well as others, but when I find men under my command who disgrace their uniform and peril the rest of my command by open and notorious cowardice, shall I allow this black spot to stand unremarked because the cowards hailed from Ohio, and thus bring cowardice and courage on the same level? It was my duty as an officer to mark them with distinct condemnation. I did it. If I reported falsely, I am answerable. It was the duty of the major-general to punish, and he did it mercifully and I do know that if Captain Myers should demand a court-martial he would be shot, and he knows it, and knew it when he penned the letter referred to me.

With great respect, major, I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

S. A. HURLBUT,

Brigadier-General, Comdg. Fourth Division, Dist. of West Tenn.,


Numbers 44. Report of Colonel Isaac C. Pugh, Forty-first Illinois Infantry, commanding First Brigade, Fourth Division.


HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, FOURTH DIVISION,
Camp near Pittsburg, Tenn,, April 10, 1862.

SIR: I herewith send you a statement of the operations of the brigade under my command on the 6th and 7th days of April, 1862, in the battle of Pittsburg, Tenn.,

Early on the morning of the 6th of April,while I was at breakfast, I heard heavy firing in front. I immediately ordered out the Forty-first Illinois Regiment of Volunteers, who were in line inn ten minutes. At the same time I ordered my horse, and by the time I was mounted I received orders from Colonel Williams, Third Iowa, commanding First Brigade, Fourth Division, to take my position on the left of the brigade, which I did, and marched to the scene of

action, forming my regiment in line of battle on the left of the brigade, and at about 9 a.m. received the first fire of the enemy, which was returned by my regiment with great spirit. I then, in connection with the brigade, fell back about 100 yards and formed in line of battle, and awaited the renewal of the attack by the enemy, at which time I received a message from General Hurlbut to assume the command of the brigade. I then placed the command of the Forty-first Illinois Volunteers in the hands of Lieutenant-Colonel Tupper, and went to the right of the brigade, when I found that Colonel Williams, Third Iowa, had been wounded by a cannon-shot, I believe the first fired, and had to leave the field. I then discovered the enemy in large force across an old field when I ordered a battery to be placed in position and the enemy shelled, which they effected in thirty minutes. I then ordered a detachment of cavalry to spike three of our guns, which had been left on the opposite side of the field when Colonel Williams was wounded, which duty they performed.

About 11 o'clock a.m. I ordered Colonel Johnson, Twenty-eighth Illi-


Page 211 Chapter XXII. PITTSBURG LANDING, OR SHILOH, TENN.,