Today in History:

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

Page 270 KY. TENN. N. MISS., N. ALA. AND SW. VA. Chapter XXII.


Numbers 73. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Job R. Parker, Forty-eighth Ohio Infantry.


HDQRS. FORTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT OHIO VOL. INFANTRY.

Camp. Shiloh, Tenn. April 9, 1862.

On the morning of the 6th our regiment met the enemy about 200 yards in front of our color lines. They came upon us so suddenly that for a short time our men wavered, but soon rallied again, when we kept him back for two hours and until General Sherman ordered us to fall back to the Purdy road. With the exception of Sergeant Jones, our color-bearer, who shamefully deserted us in five minutes after the action commenced, our men fought bravely, as a visit to the ground after the battle indicated. Our regiment retreated and rallied several times through the day, and was in the last stand made by our forces late in the evening, when the enemy was forced to retire. We slept upon our arms that night. On the morning of the 7th we were called upon to support a battery upon our right wing. Here we remained until the opposing battery was silenced, when we were again brought into a hot action with rebel infantry, where our colonel was wounded in the right forearm, and Captain W. L. Warner, of Company B, was instantly killed. During two days our officers and men, wit the single exception above mentioned, fought bravely,and deserve much praise.

Respectfully submitted.

J. R. PARKER,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.


Numbers 74. Report of Colonel Joseph R. Cockerill, Seventieth Ohio Infantry.

CAMP, SHILOH, April 10, 1862

SIR; On Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, an alarm was made in the front of this brigade, and I called my regiment from breakfast and formed it in line of battle on color line. I then heard heavy firing on the left and in front of our line, and advanced my regiment about 200 paces in the woods, and formed line of battle, in pursuance of your order. I ordered my regiment to open fire, with the left thrown back, and did great execution among the enemy, who retired into the hollow. We remained in this position two hours. After this I found that the enemy was turning our left flank about one-half mile to the left of Shiloh Meeting-House, and was rapidly advancing at almost right angles with our line. Having received no order I retired to my color line, and while in this position the enemy from the hill in front opened upon us with shot and shell, some few were killed and several wounded. We then retired to the rear of the camp, having no support,and seeing the enemy the enemy near by on the left flank, I formed my regiment in line of battle in the small ravine and at right angles with the camp, and remained in that position until ordered by Captain Hammond to retire to the Purdy road and form line of battle. I formed on the road, but so many retiring troops mingled with us we became much broken and separated. I retired about 400 yards by the right flank, and finding the rebels advancing almost parallel with


Page 270 KY. TENN. N. MISS., N. ALA. AND SW. VA. Chapter XXII.