Today in History:

424 Series I Volume X-II Serial 11 - Shiloh Part II

Page 424 KY.,TENN.,N.MISS.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXII.


HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Corinth, Miss., April 16, 1862.

Soldiers of the Army of the Mississippi:

You have bravely fought the invaders of your soil for two days in his own position; fought your superiors in arms in all the appliances of war.

Your success has been signal. His losses have been immense, out-numbering yours in all save the personal worth of the slain. You drove him from his camps to the shelter of his iron-clad gunboats, which alone saved him from complete disaster. You captured his artillery, more than twenty-five flags and standards, and took over 3,000 prisoners. You have done your duty. Your commanding general thanks you. Your countrymen are proud of your deeds on the bloody field of Shiloh, confident in the ultimate result of your valor.

Soldiers! Untoward events saved the enemy from annihilation. His insolent presence still pollutes your soil. His hostile flag still flaunts before you. There can be no peace as long as these things are.

Trusting that God is with us, as with our farthers, let us seek to be worthy of His favor, and resolve to be independent or perish in the struggle.

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, April 16, 1862.

General R. E. LEE,

Richmond, Va.:

In the last four or five days between 4,000 and 6,000 men have left East Tennessee for Kentucky. They leave everything behind and say they will return in two weeks. There is information from Cumberland Gap that ten Federal regiments are at Salt Lick, en route for East Tennessee. Our force at Cumberland Gap is under 2,000, at Chattanooga 2,500, and elsewhere in the department 2,500.

There are two unarmed regiments at Dalton and no arms to put in their hands.

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Major-General, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS,
Richmond, Va., April 16, 1862.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Commanding, &c., Corinth, Miss.:

GENERAL: General E. Kirby Smith has telegraphed for additional troops, to enable him to make a demonstration in the direction of Nashville via Kingston, and states that such a movement meets with your approbation. Fully alive to the advantages of such a movement, I very much regret that it is impossible to send him the necessary troops. All that were available were sent him a short while since, with the hope that a favorable opportunity would be presented for the demonstration in question. A part of this force he has sent to Corinth, and when it was ascertained that the four regiments forwarded from General Pemberton's


Page 424 KY.,TENN.,N.MISS.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXII.