NOTES OF A CONFEDERATE STAFF-OFFICER AT SHILOH.
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ward of Corinth , could be quickly concentrated at Burnsville, and be movedthence direct to Monterey , and there effect a junction with our main force.General Johnston at last assented to the undertaking. Thereupon I turnedto a table in General Bragg’s chamber, and wrote a circular order to the threecorps commanders, Major-Generals Polk, Bragg, and Hardee, directing thateach should hold his corps under arms by 6 a. m., on the 3d of April, readyto march, with one hundred rounds of ammunition; three days’ cooked pro-visions per man in their haversacks, with two more to be transported inwagons. This circular also prescribed the ammunition for the artillery, andthe number of tents each company should be provided with; all of whichwas approved by General Johnston when I read the rough draught of it.Afterward the copies were made by an aide-de-camp on the staff of GeneralBragg.
These orders were delivered to Generals Polk and Hardee by 1:40 a. m., asshown by their receipts, which I required to be taken. The orders to Gen-eral Breckinridge were given by telegraph, he having been called by me tothe military telegraph office nearest his headquarters to receive them and toanswer queries regarding his command. J Thus did it happen that the Con-federate army was brought to undertake the offensive at Pittsburg Landing.
ii.
Upon quitting General Bragg’s quarters I proceeded immediately to thetent of Colonel A. R. Chisolm, aide-de-camp to General Beauregard, sepa-rated from my office by some thirty or forty yards, roused him from sleep,and asked him to inform the general at daylight that the order to advanceat midday had been issued.
Soon after sunrise I was called to the quarters of General Beauregard,whom I found with the notes of the plan of operations and orders of engage-ment. These, I may add, had just been copied by Colonel Chisolm fromthe backs of telegrams and envelopes upon which the general had made themduring the night while in bed. Taking these notes and the general’s sketch-map of the roads leading from all surrounding quarters to Monterey andthence to Pittsburg Landing, I returned to my office and began to draw upthe order for the battle (Special Orders, No. 8), which will be found in the“ Official Records,” X., 392-395. &
Called to my breakfast before the order could be framed, I met GeneralJohnston en route for General Beauregard’s quarters, where I said I wouldmeet him as quickly as possible, and where I soon joined him. GeneralBeauregard was explaining the details as to the roads by which the severalcorps would have to move through the somewhat difficult, heavily woodedcountry, both before and after leaving Monterey ; and to make this clear, as
J As I find from a paper officially signed by meApril 21st, 1862, tbis reserve consisted of 6436rank and file effectives. (“Official Records,” SeriesI., Vol. X., p. 396.)—T. J.