DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Narrative of the western theatre in the American Civil War, 1880s

Transcribe
Translate

Narrative of the western theatre in the American Civil War, 1880s

21_Narrative Page 21

Whitelaw Reid, in a letter written on the battlefield April 6" says 
{newspaper clipping}
"We have reached the last act in the tragedy of Sunday. It is half-past 4 o'clock.  Our front line of divisions has been lost since half-past 10.  Our reserve line is now gone, too.  The rebels occupy the camps of every division save that of W.H.L. Wallace.  Our whole army is crowded in the region of Wallace's camps, and to a circuit of one-half to two-thirds of a mile around the Landing.  We have been falling back all day.  We can do no more.  The next repulse puts us into the river, and there are not transports enough to cross a single division till the enemy would be upon us. 
"Lew Wallace's division might turn the tide for us - it is made of fighting men - but where is it?  Why has it not been thundering on the right for three hours past?  We do not know yet that it was not ordered up till noon. Buell is coming, but he has been doing it all day, and all last week.  His advance-guard is across the river now, waiting ferriage; but what is an advance-guard, with 60,000 victorious foes in front of us? 
"Meanwhile there is a lull in the firing.  For the first time since sunrise you fail to catch the angry rattle of musketry or the heavy booming of the field-guns.  Either the enemy must be preparing for the grand, final rush that is to crown the day's success and save the Southern Confederacy, or they are puzzled by our last retreat, and are moving cautiously lest we spring some trap upon them.

Colonel Webster Cheif of artillery on Gen Grants staff makes good use of the time and plants a line of artillery of 30 peices above the landing and Gen. Hulbert assumes command of its support.  
The gunboats Tyler and Lexington had been chafing all day for an opportunity  
Shermans forces on the right covering the Snake Creek bridge giving him an enfilading fire down the hollow through which they must pass.

Saving...

Whitelaw Reid, in a letter written on the battlefield April 6" says {newspaper clipping} "We have reached the last act in the tragedy of Sunday. It is half-past 4 o'clock. Our front line of divisions has been lost since half-past 10. Our reserve line is now gone, too. The rebels occupy the camps of every division save that of W.H.L. Wallace. Our whole army is crowded in the region of Wallace's camps, and to a circuit of one-half to two-thirds of a mile around the Landing. We have been falling back all day. We can do no more. The next repulse puts us into the river, and there are not transports enough to cross a single division till the enemy would be upon us. "Lew Wallace's division might turn the tide for us - it is made of fighting men - but where is it? Why has it not been thundering on the right for three hours past? We do not know yet that it was not ordered up till noon. Buell is coming, but he has been doing it all day, and all last week. His advance-guard is across the river now, waiting ferriage; but what is an advance-guard, with 60,000 victorious foes in front of us? "Meanwhile there is a lull in the firing. For the first time since sunrise you fail to catch the angry rattle of musketry or the heavy booming of the field-guns. Either the enemy must be preparing for the grand, final rush that is to crown the day's success and save the Southern Confederacy, or they are puzzled by our last retreat, and are moving cautiously lest we spring some trap upon them. Colonel Webster Cheif of artillery on Gen Grants staff makes good use of the time and plants a line of artillery of 30 peices above the landing and Gen. Hulbert assumes command of its support. The gunboats Tyler and Lexington had been chafing all day for an opportunity Shermans forces on the right covering the Snake Creek bridge giving him an enfilading fire down the hollow through which they must pass.