Our two companies got lost from our regiment and fell in line with a Kentucky regiment. We supported the center of our army, while it was driving the enemy back on the flanks in every charge. The center which we supported was masked with three firing lines. The fighting was awful.
The batteries were pushed up by hand and as many as two files of wounded were going back to the rear for an hour. The earth shook as if with an earthquake. It seemed as if nothing could live in the hell of fire. One could taste the sulphur and the shell and bullets could have been stirred with a stick. The atmosphere was blue with lead.
The rebels were drawing off on the flanks and were holding their center with all their strength to cover their retreat. At 3 p. m. General Bragg, seeing that he had come to stay, withdrew his army and skedaddled in the direction of Corinth. He was whipped and had left 8,000 men on the field dead and dying. Among them was Sidney Johnson, one of the South’s best generals.
Our cavalry followed up the retreat a few miles, picked up a few prisoners and was called back.
The union loss at this place was 10,000. The loss in the Twenty-fourth Indiana was thirty-two killed and wounded. We lost three officers who were as good and brave as any who ever drew saber. Lieutenant Colonel Gruber was struck in the breast with a spent cannon ball while in front of the regiment on the charge. Lieutenant Southwick of Company B, had his jaw shot off with grape shot. Captain McGuffin, of Company I, was shot through the breast.
A report From History of the Battle of Shiloh.
Grant, with his victorious army, moved up the Tennessee river to Shiloh. Here, April the 6th, 1862, he was attacked by General A. S. Johnson and driven back.
The night after the battle General Buell brought a large force of Union troops. The Union troops outnumbered the Confederates now by seventeen thousand. The next day Grant gained his second great victory.
He said in his report, “I am indebted to General Sherman for the success of the battle.”