NOTES OF A CONFEDERATE STAFF-OFFICER AT SHILOH.

601

while I, accompanied by Colonel Preston, rode to the right wing in thedirection of sharp battle. Soon we came in near view of a deserted Federalencampment in an open field, with a Federal battery of four or six gunsunlimbered and horseless, while in advance of it were to be seen a brigade ofConfederate troops at a halt. Urquhart now galloped up and informed methat General Bragg had sent him to me with the request that I shouldfind and order forward some troops to turn and capture some batteriesjust in his front which obstructed his advance. I at once pushed across adeep ravine with Urquhart and Preston to the troops in view, which provedto be Statham’s brigade of the reserve under General Breckinridge; butbecause it belonged to the reserve, I hesitated to take the responsibility toemploy it, and said so; however, asking Colonel Preston — the brother-in-law as well as aide-de-camp of General Johnston — the hour, he replied, fromhis watch, twenty minutes after 2 o’clock. I then said that the battle oughtto be won by that time, and “ I think the reserve should be used.” ColonelPreston expressed his agreement with me, and I rode at once to GeneralBreckinridge, who was not far to the rear of his troops, surrounded by anumber of officers.

Accosting him, I said, “ General Breckinridge, it is General Johnston’sorder that you advance and turn and take those batteries,” pointing in thedirection indicated by Urquhart, and where was to be heard the din of theirdischarges. As the order was given, General Breckinridge, clad in a well-fitting blouse of dark-colored Kentucky jeans, straightened himself in hisstirrups. His dark eyes seemed to illuminate his swarthy, regular features,and as he sat in his saddle he seemed to me altogether the most impressive-looking man I ever had seen.

I then turned, accompanied both by Urquhart and Preston, with thepurpose of going to the camp and battery previously mentioned, and fromthat point to observe the movement. On reaching the ravine, which wehad crossed, Colonel Preston, who possibly had just heard from some ofthe officers of the command just set in motion of General Johnston’srecent presence with them, said to me, “I believe I will make anotherattempt to find General Johnston,” and rode down the ravine toward theleft, and as it so happened, did find General Johnston, but already uncon-scious, if not dead.

General Johnston had received his death-wound near the very troops I hadfound standing at ordered arms, but who were unaware of the fact, and there-fore were not, as has been written, brought to a stand-still by reason of thatcatastrophe, and who undeniably were put in effective forward movement byme within twenty minutes after his wounding.

A striking incident of the first day’s battle may be here mentioned forits novelty on battle-fields. A completely equipped Federal battery wasso suddenly turned and environed by the Confederates, that it was cap-tured with all the guns limbered up en regie for movement as upon drill,before its officers could possibly unlimber and use its guns in self-defense.The drivers were in their saddles, the gunners seated side by side in their