resistance to the onset. A pursuit was ordered under Sherman; but the storm of Sunday night had rendered the roads impracticable for cavalry, and the pursuit was not pressed. Beauregard, who, according to contemporary accounts, had made his boast that he "would water his horses that night in the Tennessee or in h-1," was in full retreat away from the Tennessee, and presumably in the direction of the other place named.

During the terrible engagement of Sunday-one of the most severe of modern times-General Grant had been always noticeable for his activity and energy, though always cool and seemingly oblivious to danger. He seemed ubiquitous, and more than once averted disaster by his presence and timely directions. Prodigies of valor were displayed by officers and prodigies of endurance by the men. General Sherman had three horses shot under him and received two wounds, but kept his saddle in spite of them. At night, after giving directions for the morrow, Grant (who, by the way, had been suffering for two days with a sprained ankle, which disabled him either from walking or mounting without help), lay down on the field and slept, with a log for his pillow, and the sleety rain falling upon him. But this was no worse for the General commanding than for his noble troops -not so bad as for the thousands of them who lay wounded upon the field, the most of them in hostile hands, as they believed. The losses of the Union army in this bloody engagement amounted to 1,700

killed, 7,495 wounded and 3,022 missing; while those of the Rebels were still greater in killed and wounded, but aggregating about 1,500 less than

ours.

GRANT'S GENERALSHIP CRITICISED.

General Grant's management of this affair has been a subject of much acrimonious discussion. The friends of Halleck and Buell, jealous of the fame which Grant was already winning, made a persistent exhibition of all the unfavorable features. of the engagement-such as the severe mortality among our troops (the rebels lost still more), the surprise of Prentiss and Stuart, and especially the absence of General Grant during the first three hours of the engagement. The only criticism which seems to stand the test of subsequent investigation and very free discussion by men of military science is that, in view of the proximity and supposed force of the enemy, Grant should not have entrenched himself in front. This mistake, however, was shared by Sherman and by other officers of now acknowledged genius; and it was counterbalanced by such qualities and feats on the part of the Commander-in-chief, during the progress of the fight, as were unquestionably the means of winning it in more than one crisis when another commander would have lost. The charge was made that the army was not efficiently directed during the first day of the battle; and Don Carlos Buell, who arrived quite at his leisure, at four o'clock that afternoon,

caused it to be understood that he then found the army practically without a head. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Grant's orders, from the time of leaving Savanna at five o'clock in the morning and ordering up Nelson's division (the advance of Buell's army) to the time of directing the triumphant advance on Monday morning, were those of a clearheaded and far-seeing general, as well as an active and courageous soldier. At ten o'clock on Sunday forenoon, when Sherman was so hotly pressed, Grant was with him, sustaining him with his counsel, at other critical junctures and places during the day, he was always to be found, reforming the line and giving directions; at four o'clock in the afternoon he met Buell at the Landing; at five o'clock he placed in position a brigade just arrived from Nelson's Division across the river; in the evening he met Buell and Sherman for consultation, and gave orders for the attack on the following morning. When Buell arrived, his question to Grant was. "Well, General, what preparations have you made for retreating?" And Grant's answer, "I haven't despaired of whipping them yet," and his order to hurry up the troops from Savanna showed, when coupled with the result of the next day's advance, that Grant understood the situation much better than his critic.

It should be borne in mind that this battle of Shiloh was the first general engagement since the disastrous battle of Bull Run, in which a large, well organized and well commanded force of the

rebels had been met by our boys, and that the result was, at all events, such as to completely erase the painful impression produced by the panic into which the Northern army had been thrown. General Wm. Tecumseh Sherman, now General-inChief of the army, (and who warmly defends the course of Grant at Shiloh), is of opinion that just such a deadly engagement as this was necessary, to demonstrate the perfect morale of our men when on the field and without entrenchments a very important element in the conduct, plan and management of all military operations.

CHAPTER IX.

GRANT'S MILITARY CAREER.

(CONTINUED.)

Halleck in Command-Corinth Captured-Battle of Iuka-Desperate Fighting at Corinth-The Rebels Out-Generaled-Grant as an Administrator— Vicksburg Striven After-Two Unsuccessful Attempts to Reach it—Grant "Takes the Responsibility," and Wins the Most Decisive Victory of the War.

On the 8th of April, 1862, General Halleck, in charge of the department, took the chief command of the combined armies of Grant and Buell. Sherman, with a large cavalry and infantry force, made a reconnoisance on the line toward Corinth, and, after a brief, but brilliant skirmish, compelled an outlying force of the enemy to retire, and destroyed their camp. Several movements of a similar character were made by our forces during the month of April. On the 30th, the town of Purdy was occupied, two important bridges were blown up, and the siege of Corinth began to assume definite shape. Beauregard made good use of his time in concentrating his forces and strengthening his fortifications.

The Grand Army of the Tennessee was organized early in May, under the supreme command of General Halleck, as follows: The Army of the Tennessee, under Grant, was on the right; Buell,