Detour. —­ Camp of 71st Ohio Volunteers. —­ Failure of Strategy. —­ General Johnson killed. —­ Death concealed. —­ Furious Fighting. —­ Horse killed. —­ Sad Scene. —­ Rebels gaining. —­ Struck by a Shell. —­ Another Horse killed. —­ The Wounded Cavalryman and his Horse. —­ Sleep in the Camp of the 71st Ohio. —­ Startling Reveille. —­ Result of First Day’s Battle. —­ Victory for the Rebels. —­ Arrangements for Second Day. —­ Bloody Scenes. —­ Grant’s Attack. —­ Rebels fall back. —­ Fluctuations of the Day. —­ General Hindman blown up. —­ Retreat determined on —­ Leaving the Field. —­ Horrors of the Retreat. —­ Sleep among the Dying. —­ Reach Corinth. —­ Resolve.

General Breckenridge, about the 1st of April, let me know that he would soon wish me to act on his staff as special aid-de-camp, and advised me to instruct the next officers in command what to do in my absence.

But, before proceeding further, let us return to the movements of the Federal army under General Grant, which we left at Fort Donelson in February.

During the month of March, this army was transported down the Cumberland and up the Tennessee river in boats, and landed at Pittsburg, near the foot of Muscle Shoals, beyond which large transport boats could not pass.  They camped about twenty miles from Corinth, Mississippi, and were awaiting Buell’s column, before making an advance on Corinth.

Deserters and scouts gave Beauregard early notice of Grant’s flotilla at Pittsburg Landing, about the 1st of April.  Let me here repeat that the Rebel army has an incalculable advantage over the Federal troops, because fighting on their own soil, and where every man, woman, and child is a swift witness against “the invaders.”

Beauregard and Johnson in conjoint command, resolved to attack Grant at Pittsburg Landing before Buell should join him.  And here occurred one of those accidents, or providences, as a Christian man rightly regards them, which decided the character of the contest and its result.  Grant was expecting Buell with reinforcements; Beauregard was looking for Price and Van Dorn, with 30,000 Missouri and Arkansas troops, who were coming down White River.  They were expected to come to Memphis by boat, and to Corinth by rail, and it was hoped they would reach the Rebel forces by Sunday, the 6th of April.  Hence our attack was delayed from Saturday the 5th, when we were ready to make it, in order to give time for at least the advance guard of our reinforcements to come up.  This delay prevented the complete defeat and rout of Grant’s whole force, as the Confederates since believe.  I merely give this as their opinion.  Indeed, my whole narration of events is intended to present the facts as they appeared to those with whom I was constrained to act.  To give as clear a view as possible of the Southern side of that destructive conflict, let the situation and strength of the Rebel army be especially noted.  On Thursday, the 3d