Today in History:

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

Page 475 Chapter XXII. PITTSBURG LANDING, OR SHILOH, TENN.

At this moment the Second Brigade and the Crescent Regiment pressed forward and cut off a considerable portion of the enemy, who surrendered.

I have also to remark that a hasty glance at your manuscript report (at Richmond) disclosed no special notice of that particular period of the battle corresponding with its importance, and I therefore have the honor to request that you will amend your report so far as to do justice to those troops who participated in one of the controlling conflicts of that eventful day.

It is due to myself to state that subsequently enfeebled health, the constant pressure of official business, the sickness of my staff officers, and the haste enjoined in making my official report, even before the subordinate reports could be obtained, deprived me of the means of retracing circumstantially many of the most notable events of the day, and, as subsequent investigation discloses, did not do full justice to the occasion.

In view of this fact I now have the honor to transmit for your consideration an amended report of that portion of the battle, and to request that you will forward it and the accompanying papers, including this letter, to the Adjutant-General for the files of the War Department.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DANIEL RUGGLES,

Brigadier-General.

General BRAXTON BRAGG,

C. S. Army.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

CAPTAIN: In reply to your communication of the 8th instant, making inquiry "as to the part your (my) battery took in the bombardment of Prentiss" division, late Sunday evening, at the battle of Shiloh," and further, "by whole order the batteries were ordered up to their respective positions, and how many there were and by whom commanded," I have the honor to state, for the information of Brigadier-General Ruggles, that at about 2 p.m. of April 6 I had been compelled to fall back from a position on the extreme left of our lines, opposite a field near where Prentiss' camp was afterward discovered to be, and under orders from Major General L. Polk retired my battery about 200 yards through the woods skirting the field.

As I retired I was informed that a general attack was contemplated and then being organized by our troops on the enemy to the right of my position, and it was conjectured that the enemy had made his last stand before being driven to the banks of the river.

In a short time the musketry firing on my right opened briskly and increased in volume until it was evident that all our troops were engaged, and that the enemy was making a most determined stand with a force sufficient to hold our people in check and occasionally to stagger them.

At this juncture my battery was ordered by a staff officer to the edge of the field near Prentiss' camp, and to a position sweeping his rear approaches, and from which I had previously retired. As I went into action Captain Stanford formed on my right. I found the Washington Artillery already in position on my left and firing rapidly. Captain Robertson's 12-pounder battery formed on the right of Stanford, with Captain (now Major) Rutledge on his right and some one or two other batteries still farther to the right, but by whom commanded I am unable to state.


Page 475 Chapter XXII. PITTSBURG LANDING, OR SHILOH, TENN.