A beautiful, bright,
pleasant morning. The men of the Tenth Brigade are putting their guns in order
and brushing their uniforms for the parade. The officers are busy with their
commands to have all in readiness, and Jesse Crane is polishing my spurs and
preparing my horse and his rider to appear to the best advantage at the review
and inspection ordered. The sound of distant cannon in the direction of
Pittsburg Landing is heard; not an uncommon occurrence when near a large army.
The reports are more numerous and the intervals less, and soon there is almost
a continuous roar of artillery; distant, it is true, but as it continues and
increases without any cessation, all conclude that a battle has commenced and
is raging. The officers and men of the Tenth Brigade are more diligent in
preparing themselves to march, to have arms and ammunition ready for the
conflict. The preparation for parade and review is abandoned and all attention
given to what is required in battle. General Nelson comes dashing to our camp
at the head of his staff, and gives me orders to be ready to proceed to the assistance
of the Army of the Tennessee at Pittsburg Landing either by the boats or
through the swamp, if the officers and cavalry sent by General Buell and
himself found a practicable route through the swamp. He went to the landing on
the river to watch for the boats and said he would send me orders. The Tenth
Brigade was soon under arms and inspected, cartridge boxes filled, every gun examined.
The Thirty-sixth Indiana, Sixth Ohio, and Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry; also Cox's Indiana battery, six pieces, horses harnessed, regimental
teams ready to move, all prepared. If the teams and battery had to be left, a
guard was detailed to remain with them. Having my arms and ammunition in order
and the men ready to march and no orders from General Nelson, I rode to the
brick house (headquarters), on the river, and there met Generals Buell and
Nelson, both very impatient, as there was no appearance of boats coming down
the river from the battle-field. Part of those sent to the swamp had returned
and reported unfavorably. The others were anxiously looked for, and it was
hoped would find a route practicable for infantry at least. The roar of
artillery continued and rumors of our defeat were numerous. The boats appeared
to be the only means of our reaching our companions in arms. I ascertained that
my friend General C. F. Smith was upstairs, a cripple, and obtained permission
to see him. He was in fine spirits; laughed at me for thinking that a great
battle was raging; said it was only a skirmish of pickets, and that I was
accustomed to small affairs. He said it was a large and hot picket skirmish. As
there was no cessation, no diminution, and the sounds appeared to be coming
nearer and growing more distinct, he said a part of the army might be engaged.
At this point an
orderly came to the door and said General Nelson wanted to see me. I bade
General Smith adieu, and was at once with Generals Buell and Nelson. A small
steamer was approaching the landing from below and was soon to proceed up the
river. The remainder of the officers and men had returned from the swamp
without success, but a large, fine-looking Tennesseean, who professes to be a
strong Union man and a desperate hater of rebels, is with the two generals. He
says he knows every pass through the swamp; that he can conduct the infantry to
the battlefield, but that wagons and artillery cannot get through the deep mud.
It is about noon. General Buell orders General Nelson to march through the
swamp if the boats do not soon appear in sight. General Buell and staff take
passage on the steamer and start up the river for Pittsburg Landing. General
Nelson orders me to my camp, to have my command formed ready to march either by
boat or by land. About 1 p.m. an officer came with the guide and orders from General
Nelson to march through the swamp, as no boats were in sight. The column being
ready the forward is sounded; the march is commenced along a ridge. The teams,
artillery, and guard are left in camp. General Nelson goes to start the other
brigades of his division. The Tenth Brigade marches at a good rate, on a dry
road at the beginning, to the music of the cannons' roar. On we go; the battle
is evidently nearer, and we imagine the sound of small-arms can at times be
heard. Three miles of good road on the ridge and our fine-looking guide leads
down into the black-mud swamp, and consoles me by saying there are only about 5
miles more of it to the Landing. On the men march through the mud; cross a log
bridge across a ditch full of water (bridge fastened down), to get into mud
again. Our guide leads through a forest; no improvement.. If there is a road,
the subsiding waters leave but indistinct traces. The roar of cannon continues;
the volleys of musketry can be distinguished. The men appear cool, yet marched a
good rate through the mud; appear anxious to meet the foe. The Thirty-sixth
Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Col. W. Grose, is in front. This regiment has not
been under fire; has not seen much service. The Sixth Ohio, Lieut. Col. N. L.
Anderson, is next; has seen more service than the Thirty-sixth, but has not
been under fire as a regiment, although has had skirmishes, &c. The
Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Lieut. Col. F. C. Jones, brings up the
rear. This regiment has been under severe fire several times; behaved well, but
does not appear as anxious as the other regiments to get into a fight. In spite
of the mud and water we are making our way through the dense forest. General
Nelson comes dashing along, followed by his staff and escort. Says to me. “I will
take your guide; hurry on; you can follow our trail. A hundred horsemen moving
rapidly by twos over such ground left a trail that we had no difficulty in
following. Heavy as the marching is the men do their best to hurry on; no stop
at the end of the hour; no lagging behind; all the men are eager to comply with
the wish of their brave, impetuous general; rough at times, but always takes
good care of the men under his command, and they have full confidence in his
skill to direct their movements in battle, and to extricate them, if necessary,
in good order, &c. The sound of the guns is more distinct; imagination
hears the shout of the combatants; the field of strife is much nearer. Some
distance in front of the head of the column a courier at full speed meets,
halts, and says, "Colonel Ammen, the general sends his compliments, to
hurry up or all will be lost; the enemy is driving our men.”
“How far to the
river?” “A mile and a half or two miles.”
“Return, and tell the general we are coming as fast as possible.” I ordered my staff
officers to continue in front and stop couriers if any more came; not to let
such news get to the troops in column. I rode to the side and let the troops
file by, asking them if they could march faster without too much fatigue, as
they were needed. “O, yes, colonel; we are not tired. Do you think the fight will
be over before we get there?” My answer, “I hope so, if it goes right.” They
answer, “You have seen the elephant often; we want to see him once, anyhow.”
The Thirty-sixth Indiana and Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry were eager for the
fight. The Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry had seen the elephant several
rimes, and did not care about seeing him again unless necessary. All three
regiments were cheerful; considerably excited, yet cool.
Our pace was
accelerated, and I was again at the head of the column, when another courier
came with a message of the same import as the first, and soon another. Both
were sent back, and the head of the column emerged from the dense forest into a
field that bordered on the Tennessee River. Now at intervals the shouts of men
could be heard, the steam-whistle, discharge of all kinds of arms—a confused
noise. In we went to a point opposite the landing at Pittsburg. The pioneers
were put to work to cut a road down the bank to enable men and horses to get on
the boats. The northeast bank is low, the opposite bank is high—100 feet or
more. The space between the top of the bank and the river, up and down a half a
mile or more, was crowded with men; the river was full of boats with steam up,
and these boats had many soldiers on them; men in uniform on the boats and
under the river bank (10,000 to 15,000) demoralized. Signals urging us to hurry
over, which could not understand, as there were so many on the boats and under
the bank not engaged of the reserve, as I supposed then. General Nelson went
over on the first boat with a part of the Thirty-sixth Indiana, Colonel Grose.
General Nelson ordered me to remain and see my brigade over and give orders to
the commanders of the other brigades (Colonels Hazen and Bruce) to bring their
brigades after the Tenth. I instructed Colonel Grose to be certain to keep
guides at the river to conduct all our command to the same point on their
arrival by boat. Part of the Tenth had been sent over; orders had been given to
Colonels Hazen and Bruce, and I crossed half of the Tenth. On each side the
boats were crowded with demoralized soldiers, so that only three or four
companies could cross on a boat. On our passage over they said their regiments
were cut to pieces, &c., and that we would meet the same fate, &c. The
vagabonds under the bank told the same story, and yet my new troops pressed
through the crowd without showing any signs of fear. In crossing the river some
of my men called my attention to men with uniforms, even shoulder-straps,
making their way across the stream on logs, and wished to shoot the cowards.
Such looks of terror, such confusion, I never saw before, and do not wish to
see again.
On top of the banks,
near some buildings, I found the Thirty-sixth Indiana partly formed in line,
persons running from the front passing through the line and breaking it. Here,
too, were Generals Grant, Buell, and Nelson, all of them cool and calm. General
Grant directed me to support a battery about 60 to 100 yards to the left of the
road, which was done as soon as the line could be formed—probably in three or
four minutes—Generals Buell and Nelson assisting. The Thirty-sixth Indiana and
part of the Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry were placed in position behind the
crest of the hill, near the battery, the left protected by a deep ravine
parallel to the river and having water in it; the right about 300 yards from
the landing. General Buell, that cool and clear-headed soldier, selected the
position, and was with us when the rebels reached the crest of the hill,
received our fire, were shaken, fell back, advanced again, &c. The assaults
of the enemy were met by our troops and successfully resisted. About five
minutes after we were in position the rebels made the first attack, and kept on
a quarter to haft hour (dusk), when they withdrew. Our loss was only 1 man
killed. We were down the slope of the hill, and the enemy firing before they
depressed their pieces, the balls went over our heads. Our men, in the hurry,
fired in the same way. The balls followed the slope of the ground and were
destructive. [?] The extreme left of the line of battle, which we occupied and
where we repelled the attacks of the enemy, had not one soldier on it when we
took position---open for the advance of the enemy. Lieut. R. F. Wheeler, of my
staff, and some men of my escort were detailed to watch the boats and bring the
troops of the Tenth Brigade to us as they arrived. The remainder of the Sixth
was formed in rear of our line of battle, but the Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry was ordered about half a mile to our right, where the enemy was making
a desperate attack. Their position was watched and reported to me by some men
of my escort. The night was soon very dark, and slight rain at first, then
heavy at times. The other brigades of the Fourth Division were over or
crossing. Ammunition was brought to a large tree close to our lines, the
cartridge boxes were filled and 20 additional rounds given to every man to
carry on his person. This done, General Buell directed me to send scouts to the
front and ascertain if the enemy was near our front, and, if possible, advance
our line of battle several hundreds yards and as near the deep bayou that was
reported in our front as practicable. One company of the Thirty-sixth Indiana
and one company of the Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry were deployed as
skirmishers on our front and ordered to advance cautiously and in order, but
not to bring on an engagement—to advance to the opposite bank of the bayou and
halt, sending back couriers to report from time to time. These companies moved
cautiously and promptly, taking into account the darkness of the night and the
difficulties of the ground, found no force between us and the bayou, and
remained as our picket line until morning.
About 10 o'clock at
night we commenced forming our new line of battle beyond the crest of the hill,
in advance of our old line about 300 yards. Too dark to see, we prolonged our
line by touch. The line was formed in a short time, although, if the ground
could have been seen, it would have been a very long line—front line,
Thirty-sixth Indiana and Sixth Ohio. About 10.30 o'clock at night Generals Buell
and Nelson returned and asked if I was almost ready to commence forming my
advance line. The answer was, “It is about formed,” which gratified them. The
Nineteenth was formed on the right of the Tenth and the Twenty-second on the
right of the Nineteenth Brigade. The Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry was
brought back about midnight and formed my second line and reserve. The troops
had orders to lie down in line with their arms and get such rest as they could
in the rain, the pickets in front keeping watch. The Tenth Brigade is together
again, formed in battle order; has had supper, and is supplied (every man) with
60 rounds of ammunition, to commence the battle to-morrow. The men are as
comfortable as the enemy in front and the falling rain and want of shelter will
permit, and certainly much more cheerful and prompt and obedient than I could
expect. My staff officers, my escort, and myself are between the two lines of
the Tenth Brigade. The guns fired at intervals from the gunboats break the
stillness of the night, but do not prevent sleep. It is after midnight, rain
falling, and I am sitting at the root of a large tree, holding my horse, ready
to mount if necessary. Sleep, sweet, refreshing sleep, removes all my anxieties
and troubles for two hours. During the night Crittenden's and McCook's
divisions crossed the river.
SOURCE: The
War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and
Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 10, Part 1 (Serial No. 10), p. 331-5
