“Ah,” said the General; “how did that happen?”
“Veil, you see, Sheneral, de secesh come up in front of us and dey flank us and so Schwartz’s battery was took.”
“Well, sir,” said the General; “you spiked the guns, of course?”
“Vat!” exclaimed the officer; “schpike dem new guns. It would spoil dem.”
The regiment that supported this battery failed to stand up to the rack, and when the charge was made beat a retreat too soon. Our right flank was now about to be turned by the enemy, and the order was given to fall back a short distance. We fell back about two hundred yards and the lines were again formed. At this first engagement of the day we left a large number of our boys to sleep their last sleep. Again the battle was on, and the terrible work of destruction went on all along the line. The screaming shells and whizzing bullets carried death and wounds wherever they went. The line of battle stretched for a distance of two miles and raged with fury the entire length, the enemy massing their forces at certain points and pushing the Union troops back, then attempting to flank the regiment to the right or left. Such were the tactics used by Generals Johnson and Beauregard, and they were well managed, indeed.
CHAPTER V.
One position after another was taken, and from each we were driven, or had to fall back for fear of being flanked.
The third position our brigade took was on the brow of a small hill, where we held the enemy at bay for two hours, at one time charging and driving them for a quarter of a mile, then falling back for lack of support on our right.
A Confederate officer has said of Shiloh: “The Confederate assaults were made by rapid charges along the line. They were repeatedly checked and often repulsed. Sometimes counter charges drove them back, but whether in assault or recoil, both sides saw their bravest soldiers fall in frightful numbers.” This officer’s statement is true to the letter.
We then took a new position on the edge of an open field. For an hour we listened to and were in the midst of an artillery duel. At times the battle seemed to die out, and all was still in our immediate vicinity; but this stillness only portended the fiercer the fight when again commenced.