Civil War Letters, Macoupin County IL
(copyright 1998 Rindy Fuchs)
both transcribed newspaper articles contributed by Rindy Fuchs
Thank you, Carolynn Bettis for xeroxing.
MACOUPIN MEN AT SHILOH
Letter #1
Pittsburgh Tennessee April 10th 1862
My Dear Wife,
Our regiment is cut all to pieces. We went into the fight with 546 men
rank and file and lost 224 killed wounded and missing very near half we
had that went into the fight. Col. Logan is slightly wounded in the
shoulder.
Col.Rossis mortally wounded having received seven wounds. The Maj. was
thrown from his horse at the first fire disabling him so much that he
didn't
get back during the fight. Which lasted two days and nights I was the
only
mounted officer that escaped being wounded and I made a very narrow
escape
for I received five balls in; the breast of my coat. I don't know how
it
happened that none of them wounded me....
James Drish, Adj., 32nd IL
Letter #2
I am not, like many, disposed to pick flaws in the bearing of any
one,
no matter who, who stood before the fire of Sunday and Monday;
personally
modesty forbids saying much, but I assure you I took every advantage of
trees and stumps that had not a preemption right already settled on it
that came my way...I suppose you would like me to tell how I felt; and
though I am not prepared to say I was 'skeered,' I was not altogether
as
steadyhanded as I am just know...I feel no curiosity to witness such
another
scene...
Hal (14th IL) to Kimball, April 27,1862 in the Carlinville "Free
Democrat" May 8th, 1862
Letter #3
Just before 4 o'clock we...were fully engaged when the whole left
of
our lines gaveway, and came running in wild confusion towards the
landing.
Directly we were assailed on the left flank and rear and such a
stampede
was never seen since the memorable Bull Run affair, which was brought
to
my mind by hearing the enemy call out at the top of their voices,
"Bull's
Run! Bull's Run! Many threw away their arms and fled; some stuck to
their
arms but could not be rallied. And some brave fellows rallied at the
first
call. I never had any conception of what an army in a stampede looked
like
until then. Two or three regiments from our left came dashing in
pellmell.
Artillery teams came crashing through. I stopped for a moment to call
to
the boys around me, and the halt came near costing me dearly, for it
was
with the greatest exertion that I could keep a team of artillery horses
from dashing over me. One of our Co. was knocked down and run over, but
not much hurt. I got together some 18 or 20 of my Co. and with Lieut.
Eastham
rallied nearly as many more. Col Hall came up with the balance of the
Companies
with one or two exceptions, and ordered a halt. Then the 14th again
fell
in and was the first to form in the line spoken of as forming half a
mile
from the landing. And now the first day's fight was over...
Capt. A. C. Cornman, Co.C14th IL, April 22nd, 1862. Carlinville
"Free
Democrat" May 1 1862.
(© 1998 Rindy Fuchs)
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