736 Series I Volume X-I Serial 10 - Shiloh Part I
Page 736 | KY.,TENN.,N.MISS.,N.ALA., AND SW.VA. Chapter XXII. |
Colonel Elliott's order-detaching Major Love's battalion, consisting of Companies I, F, B, and D, to ascertain whether the enemy were well in force upon our left-Major Love moved forward about 2 miles coming upon the enemy's cavalry in force, who attacked him with spirit, killing 1 man and wounding 4; names of killed and wounded annexed.*
Captain Bishop and Lieutenant Washburn-the former of Company I, the latter Company D-behaved with great gallantry in securing the retreat of the command, Lieutenant Washburn having his horse shot.
During the absence of Major Love, proceeded with the remainder of regiment under Colonel Elliott toward railroad. When within a quarter of a mile and in sight of the track the enemy's skirmishers opened fire, wounding some of our horses, with no casualties to the men; the brigade retired and we returned to camp.
Complying with order of Colonel Elliott, commanding Second Brigade, cavalry division, to report with Second Regiment Iowa Cavalry to General Granger, did so, receiving instruction from General Pope to report to general commanding the advance at Farmington, Miss. Reported at 12 o'clock to General Palmer, who ordered me to throw out two companies on the left of the main Farmington road and hold balance of the regiment in reserve under the hill where the crossing of the swamp approaches Farmington. Our infantry who had held the field above us, being driven into brow of hill, General Paine ordered the regiment to charge the enemy's batteries. Moving column to top of hill, I ordered Major Coon,with Companies H, G, C, and part of A, of the Second Battalion, and Major Love's (Third) battalion [to charge] the battery on our right, and Major Henburn, with First Battalion, the battery on our left, en echelon of squadrons, deploying the columns to the right and left. When we had passed our infantry lines we attacked the skirmishers and supports of the enemy, driving them in, and killed and wounded some. [No effect was produced on] the battery on our left, near the Farmington road, on account of the ground being impracticable, the battery and supports [being] protected by a fence. The fire from, this was very severe, and though our men could not reach the guns, the enemy's gunners, evidently alarmed at the charge, ceased working their guns. Major Coon's battalion, led by him, gallantly attacked the battery near the building known as the cotton mill (the center battery.) Lieutenant Reily, commanding Company F, of the Third Battalion, attacked and carried two guns in battery on our extreme right. The center battery was fairly carried, the gunners driven from their guns, the enemy limbering up his guns without taking them off the field. Finding our horses badly blown from a long charge over rough ground and the infantry of the enemy in great force, I,under a heavy fire, ordered all companies on my right to retreat to the right and rear, forming on the Swamp road, and those on my left to join the regiment in this road. I ordered Major Hepburn to move to the rear, retaining Major Coon, with two companies, to pick up the wounded and scattered. My orders were carried out better that I could have expected. My chief bugler's bugle was rendered useless in the charge; four of my soldiers having had their horses killed and two being shot out of the saddle when transmitting orders.
The conduct of officers and men was in every way commendable. Captains Lundy and Henry Egbert - Lieutenant Owen wounded near the enemy's guns - Lieutenants Horton, Moore, and Schnitzer, all had
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*Nominal list omitted.
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Page 736 | KY.,TENN.,N.MISS.,N.ALA., AND SW.VA. Chapter XXII. |