78 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War

ure to realize the need for it, was simply a markof inexperience. It is truly remarkable that anarmy of 40,000 Confederates should have ap-proached on Saturday afternoon within a distanceof two or three miles, and not have sharply arousedthe attention of the Federal camps. The point isone on which General Sherman in later years wasunduly sensitive. I have often heard him repu-diate with scorn the charge of having been takenby surprise at Shiloh, and there can of course beno doubt as to his perfect sincerity of conviction.The Federate Nevertheless, the undeniable fact thatwere sur- when the Confederates attacked in fullpnsed. force on Sunday morning, the Federals

were in camp and not in line of battle, would seemto furnish absolute demonstration that the attackwas not expected.

The first Union officer to take the alarm was theWest Virginian brigadier , Benjamin Prentiss , whoon Saturday descried indications of the presenceof cavalry in the neighbourhood and strengthenedhis pickets. Soon after five o’clock on Sunday

morning: the battle was begun by the

The opening . . °. . J

attack upon skirmishing of the rebel pickets with

Prentiss s those of Prentiss; and scarcely had that

division.

general formed his division and thrownit a quarter of a mile forward, when it was struckby the mighty rush of the Confederates . On they