Wood, Sterling Alexander Martin (1823-1891) [Report on Battle of Shiloh]

Head Quarters 3 Brigade
3d Corps A. M.
June 20" 1862
Mr. President -
The undersigned makes the following statement as to his Brigade, in the battle of Shiloh, on Monday the 7th of April. It consisted of the remnant of three Regiments and a battalion of infantry. The 16" Ala. & 55" Tenn. Regts. and the 3d Miss. Battalion, of seven Companies, were sent by order to the rear on Sunday, with about two thousand prisoners, and although in the fight of Monday, never reached that part of the field, where the undersigned was, or his Brigade. The 44" Tenn. Regt. on that day had about 140 men - the 27" Tenn. about 160, and the 8" Ark. about 160 - Major Kelly's battalion about 60 men - In all less than 600 men. The line was formed about Six o/c near Gen'l Cleburne's Brigade of Hardee's Corps, when an order was received from Gen. Beauregard to form on the right of a line some two or three hundred yards to my left & rear, and Conform to its movements. That line moved forward into an open field, so as to throw my Brigade nearly across the field, by the time the left of the line was fairly in it, suddenly a battery within two or three hundred yards of the left of the line opened on it an enfilade fire, and the whole left fell back to the cover of the woods! Seeing this and supposing that the object was to form so as to charge, and my Brigade being exposed to a fire on the flank, I returned to the same cover, and remained [text loss] the same line. The Battery was soon [2] driven away [by a] battery of Genl. Cleburne's Brigade, to whom these facts were told by major Kelly of my Command. An order was then received by me from Genl. Beauregard, to march towards the left. I did so, and was halted in line of battle near Shiloh Church, in rear of an encampment of the enemy - the tents all standing, which I was ordered to have thrown down. This was executed. Several other bodies of troops were on my right and left. I received an order to follow a staff officer, who would place me in position, between nine & ten o/c, but before reaching the position the order was Countermanded, and I was again ordered in reserve. I now saw a line of two Regiments of troops, making as large a command as mine, to my left, and one to my right. The last nearly reaching in line to the church. At this time one Order came, for me to move almost directly to the front, from Shiloh Church. I did so: first marching by the left flank and at a double quick, until the staff officer conducting, told me we would go too far too the left. I then halted, dressed my line, and went forward in line of battle, obliquing to the right. The enemy was soon engaged. An order was then received from Genl. Bragg to charge. The charge was made across a swampy ground in part, at the right was a pond of water & mud. Across this the Brigade moved into an open field, driving the Enemy. The men were not able to advance far into the field. The fire was very hot, and the men arranged along the line of the field and pond, remained [3] at this point for more than three hours. All the time under a continuous fire. After an hour or two of fighting, it would have been driven back but for the presence of Rutledge's Battery, placed on our right by Capt. Cook of Gen'l Bragg's staff, which by rapid firing checked the advance of the enemy, and gave time for my men to rally to its support, which they did. We were about one o/c. driven back from our position. The Brigade in falling back, thinned & reduced, was shattered & broken, yet a contest was maintained, all the way by the broken ranks. No troops came to fill our place, or support us. Major Genl. Cheatham, during this time passed with his brigade, marching by the left flank immediately in my rear. I rode out to him and asked for assistance, but he replied that his whole Brigade was marching to our help and when faced in line of battle would probably cover that ground. At that time but three Regiments were in sight. His whole Brigade however went beyond us to the left. Before this I had rode to the left of my line and saw other troops retiring from the open ground in front to the cover of the woods. I saw Gen'l. Bragg, his Adjutant, Major Garner with whom I conversed. They were all to my left. From this time out, no body of troops in line of battle, directly in front of Shiloh Church, was seen by me, except one Regiment, which was marched to the left and went into action through thick bushes, beyond us. It was after one o/c., when an Artillery officer came [text loss] asked me to give him some troops [4] as a support to his Battery, ordered, and then taking position about 150 or 200 yards in rear of Shiloh Church, on the crest of a ridge and over looking it. I was then collecting what I could of my men, assisted by all my aids. Around were hundreds of stragglers, from all commands, as it seemed. I told him I had not even a company, but would endeavor to gather some men for him. I immediately ordered some infantry officers to halt, and take command of the men I was collecting. This order was complied with, and in a short time a captain marched a company, from the ridge across the ravine, up to the crest of the ridge, near where the guns were then unlimbered. These men, were placed in the road, with orders to halt every man not wounded and make him take place in line. By the assistance of my Aids, I now had two hundred men. Gen'l. Beauregard with part of his staff came up to that point and himself indicated the direction the line should take on the right & left of the road facing the enemy. And instructed the officer of one of the guns where to put it. A company of Louisiana troops, occupied the right of the road, of about forty men. All the others in this line were stragglers, continually changing places, as they recognized some member of their own Regt. or Comp'y. I ordered any man to lie down and rest, who complained of fatigue.
In rear of this line, about thirty yards, I formed what remained, of my own Brigade. Col. Patterson [5] of the 8" Ark. had 30 men and some stragglers. Major Kelly about ten men and some stragglers The Col. of the 44" was wounded & had retired. The Major of the 27th was wounded, and left on the field - believed to be dead. Their two commands united here made about 70 men. Some Cavalry, from Alabama, was in rear of the left of this line about 50 or 60 yards. The road was filled with many Officers, wounded and straggling men. Whilst engaged in this work I received an order from Genl. Beauregard, through Capt. Otey, to send an Aid to Genls Bragg, Polk and Hardee, "to fall back fighting, a retrograde movement had already commenced". With one exception my staff officers were employed along the line keeping the men in position, and not desiring to be separated from him, I rode to the Colonel Comd'g. the cavalry and asked for an intelligent Lieut., to convey an order.
He ordered Lt. McKelog, of Capt. Bories Company, from Talladega Ala. to carry the order. I sent him with the message to Genl. Bragg. Meeting with Mr Bridewell, who knew Genl. Hardee, I sent him with the same message to him. Not knowing Gen'l Polk's position on the field, I sent no one to him. Lt. McKelog returned in a few moments, and reported that Genl. Bragg had asked him, if he saw Genl. Beauregard in person, to which he replied, no.
Fearing that some inaccuracy might have occurred [6] in the matter, I immediately rode back two or three hundred yards where I heard Genl. Beauregard was, to see him. I found Genl, then Col. Jordan his A. A. Genl. who, upon my inquiring, told me the order was correct. I returned immediately to the line I had left, but saw and met the whole body moving to the rear along the road, marching by the flank. I questioned the officers as to who had ordered them to fall back and, some one replied, Genl. Cheatham. I did not see Genl. Cheatham at that time. I rode on towards where the line had been formed, and saw Judge Walters. He was asking the men in a very excited manner to halt, and asked me if I could not halt them. I replied they were not of my command, and were moving, as I understood, by order of Genl. Cheatham: - that a retrograde movement had been ordered. He then rode towards Shiloh Church. I met the remnant of my Brigade following this line. They had been ordered to march by Col. Patterson, my second in command, who told me that hearing a General Officer had ordered the line to move, he concluded to follow it.
The ground over which my Brigade fought on Monday had no ravines, or ridges in it. It was a gradual descent from the Church to nearly level ground - then a swamp with water, and an open and tolerably level field with woods beyond. In these woods the enemy was posted. To my left there was [7] thick undergrowth, broken ground, ridges & ravines. To my left some Regiments, which had been near me in reserve, were put in action. The commander of these Regts, when they were driven back, came up in rear of me and my Brigade. They were rallied several times and pushed forward. I rode towards them more than once, because whenever they fell back it subjected my whole line to a severe crossfire. There is [inserted: no] explanation that I can give to Judge Walters testimony, except that if he did not entirely mistake my person, it must have been other troops which he saw. These were two Regiments. I saw their commanders, but no one having command over the whole. Of one thing I am certain and to the same my whole command of that day bear testimony - that no officer ever made an Appeal to them to go forward, except their own commanders, and I say that if had been made, they would promptly have obeyed it. On that day, of the five mounted field officers present, four were hit with the enemy's balls - one left as dead on the field. Four flag bearers in one Regiment died, one in another and the battle flags, now preserved, are but tatters and shreds. It was at the beginning of the day but the remnant of a Brigade - just about equal to a large Regiment. It went into action at 10 o/c. and when it came out had been decimated by death and scattered by the overwhelming force of fresh troops against which it held a position, aided by the gallantly [8] and ably served Battery of Capt. Rutledge, for over three hours. In the hurry and excitement of that day it was easy to make a mistake as to time and place. But the united remembrance of so small a Brigade as mine, will go far to convince that it never turned its back on the Enemy to fly at a double quick. The Brigade on Sunday, was the left center of the front line, and passed through that day going always forward until ordered at dark to retire. During the two days it received but one order from its Corps Commander: But on Monday the 7th was near the Chief of this Army & the Commander of the Army of the Miss., from whom all its orders came. They were all faithfully, promptly and with energy executed.
S. A. M. Wood
Bgdr. Genl