After The Shiloh Battle

Follow Sergeant Will Newlon on Twitter: @SgtNewlon. And now, from the War Journal of Sgt. William Newlon we continue...

After the Engagement


Colonel Williams, acting-brigadier general, was disabled early in the morning of the first day, by a cannon ball cutting his horse in two under the saddle. Major Stone, who had command of the 3rd Regiment, Iowa Infantry, was taken prisoner in the afternoon of the same day. Captain A. L. Ogg was wounded in both hands. His first lieutenant, P[hilo] G.C. Merrill, was wounded and taken prisoner. Quite a number of company officers belonging to our regiment were killed and wounded.

The loss in our regiment in killed, wounded and missing is 206, and that of our company is two killed, 15 wounded, and 13 missing. The whole amounting to 30 men out of our company, which makes it at present comparatively small indeed.

WC Newlon
One of my messmates, S.F. Anderson, was killed during the engagement near our camp. He was a fine young man and a good soldier. I do not know that he missed one day’s duty during his time of service. I miss him as a messmate and as a friend.

Also O. M. Nicholas, who was seriously wounded on Sabbath evening of the engagement, had his left arm broken with a ball and one through the left side of his breast, but since has had his arm amputated, his wounds are serious and I have fears of his recovery. God’s great care may restore health.

But the one I miss the most of all is my friend and messmate B.F. Murray, who, I presume, is a prisoner with the enemy as he is among the missing. He had been very unwell for some time prior to the battle and was far from being well when he went on the field of action. But he, being one of those who knew his services were needed, but went out to battle more from a sense of duty than anything else. I do trust he may be treated well and live to return to his friends who mourn his misfortunes.

I myself was wounded about 4 o’clock P.M. of the first day, in the right leg but not serious, as I looked around and saw hundreds with legs, arms and bodies torn to pieces, I felt that I should be thankful that I had escaped with so slight a wound, however this the 16th day of April the wound is healing finally, and I hope that in a short time I will be entirely well, little if any worse off than I was before I was wounded.

May I be so fortunate as to pass through this war with no more harm done to my person than was done through this terrible battle, I owe thanks to my Creator for the preservation of life thus far through this great and bloody war, and humbly desire that same omnipotent hand may be a shield through dangers to come until the end of the war, and grant God that that time may speedily come. But I am wandering from my subject.

As evening came our forces fell back toward the river. The enemy advancing a short distance &c &c.

General Buell's Forces

As night approached, the firing ceased except the gunboats, one of which threw a shell every 15 minutes till morning into the enemy’s camp. Both armies lay upon their arms on the field during the night, notwithstanding the torrents of rain, which fell. The enemy however fell back one mile further from our lines.

General Buell's forces, part of which had arrived on the opposite side of the River from Pittsburg Landing, crossed during the night to our assistance greatly relieving us as they took the advance.

Early on Monday morning, the battle commenced at different points along the line. Our forces making the attack, one division of General Buell's divisions succeeded in flanking the enemy on our right, driving him from his position toward the center; this occurred at 10 o’clock A.M. The battle raged with fury. The firing appeared not to cease, but a continual roar louder than thunder was heard without cessation. Great bravery and gallantry was exhibited by both officers and men.

The battle continued raging with great destruction until 3 o’clock P.M., when the enemy appeared to waiver under the heavy fire of musketry and artillery from our line. They fought with the desperations of devils and as though it was their last and only hope.

Again they rallied and made a terrible dash upon our lines with a determination to break them, but our lines were not to be broken and failing in this, they began to fall back. Soon they began to retreat followed by our men firing shot and shell among them with great destruction. The retreat became general and the further the faster, hotly pursued by our cavalry until the lateness of the evening made the pursuit further impossible.

No sooner had the news of the retreat reached the landing (Where troops were still landing), than a shout of joy was making the hills echo with their voices. The cavalry at the landing started in pursuit of the fleeing enemy.

The battleground covered an area of six miles and this was covered with the killed and wounded of both armies. In some places the ground was literally covered with the dead and wounded of the enemy. The loss of the enemy I presume was 25,000 that of ours were perhaps 18,000 in killed, wounded and missing.

WC Newlon

After recording a few items connected with one of the bloodiest battles ever fought in America, I will return to the position of our army after the battle. The first week after the engagement was spent in bringing in the wounded on both sides and in burying the dead men and horses. Many of the wounded remained on the field 48 hours after they fell; numbers dying before they could get relief. All the teams and ambulances were busily engaged bringing in the wounded to the river, where their wounds were dressed and all that were in condition were sent aboard the boats for northern cities.

The amputation of limbs and the extractions of balls was the work of days. The cold, rainy weather, which commenced the evening of the 6th and continued for some time, proved to be a great benefit to our wounded, also in preserving the bodies of the dead and in washing the blood from the ground, also in purifying the air from the stench arising from the slaughter of man and beast. All returned to their former camps, some few however, had been burnt by the enemy and others’ minds torn and shattered by shot and shell.

After spending a week or more in cleaning up, things began to assume their former appearance. We remained here but a short time, the whole line advancing about 3 miles, threw our camp in an open field. At the time of our removal I was very sick and was hauled in a wagon to the ground and consequently knew but little about things for a day or two. We remained here five days, when we again struck tents and advanced 4 miles in a southwest direction, halting and pitching tents in a beautiful piece of timbered land. This threw us in front, and the consequence was that we had to stand picket guard.

In marching to our campground we passed over the campground of the enemy prior to and at the time of the battle. Everything indicated great destruction of property and a hasty and unexpected retreat. The burning of tents, camp equipage, commissary stores, ammunition, &c &c appeared to be a general thing. Artillery wagons had their spokes cut in two to keep them from being of use to us, not knowing that we had as much as we wanted.

WC Newlon, Esq