Raiding with Morgan

MP3 Audio CD. Raiding with Morgan



CHAPTER I.


AFTER SHILOH.


The great battle of Shiloh had been fought, and victory had been snatched
from the hands of the Confederates by the opportune arrival of Buell’s
army.

The Southerners had lost their beloved commander, slain; a third of their
number had fallen. Although defeated they had not been conquered. They had
set forth from Corinth in the highest hopes, fully expecting to drive
Grant’s army into the Tennessee River. This hope was almost realized, when
it suddenly perished: twenty thousand fresh troops had arrived upon the
field, and the Confederates were forced to retreat. But they had fallen
back unmolested, for the Federal army had been too severely punished to
think of pursuing. Both armies were willing to rest and have their
decimated ranks filled with fresh troops.

Of all the Southern troops engaged at Shiloh none felt their defeat more
keenly than the Kentucky brigade under the command of Colonel Trabue. They
had fought as only brave men can fight; they left one-third of their
number on the field, killed and wounded. Defeat could not demoralize them,
and it fell to their lot to cover the retreat of Beauregard. They had
stood like a wall of adamant between their fleeing army and the victorious
Federals. No charge could pierce that line of heroes. With faces to the
foe, they slowly fell back, contesting every inch of ground.