brigade on its right in the woods; and thus advanced, steadily and slowly, under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery.  Taylor had just got to me from the rear, where he had gone for ammunition, and brought up three guns, which I ordered into position, to advance by hand firing.  These guns belonged to Company A, Chicago Light Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant P. P. Wood, and did most excellent service.  Under cover of their fire, we advanced till we reached the point where the Corinth road crosses the line of McClernand’s camp, and here I saw for the first time the well-ordered and compact columns of General Buell’s Kentucky forces, whose soldierly movements at once gave confidence to our newer and less disciplined men.  Here I saw Willich’s regiment advance upon a point of water-oaks and thicket, behind which I knew the enemy was in great strength, and enter it in beautiful style.  Then arose the severest musketry-fire I ever heard, and lasted some twenty minutes, when this splendid regiment had to fall back.  This green point of timber is about five hundred yards east of Shiloh meeting-home, and it was evident here was to be the struggle.  The enemy could also be seen forming his lines to the south.  General McClernand sending to me for artillery, I detached to him the three guns of Wood’s battery, with which he speedily drove them back, and, seeing some others to the rear, I sent one of my staff to bring them forward, when, by almost providential decree, they proved to be two twenty-four pound howitzers belonging to McAlister’s battery, and served as well as guns ever could be.

This was about 2 p.m.  The enemy had one battery close by Shiloh, and another near the Hamburg road, both pouring grape and canister upon any column of troops that advanced upon the green point of water-oaks.  Willich’s regiment had been repulsed, but a whole brigade of McCook’s division advanced beautifully, deployed, and entered this dreaded wood.  I ordered my second brigade (then commanded by Colonel T. Kilby Smith, Colonel Smart being wounded) to form on its right, and my fourth brigade, Colonel Buckland, on its right; all to advance abreast with this Kentucky brigade before mentioned, which I afterward found to be Rousseau’s brigade of McCook’s division.  I gave personal direction to the twenty-four pounder guns, whose well-directed fire first silenced the enemy’s guns to the left, and afterward at the Shiloh meeting-house.

Rousseau’s brigade moved in splendid order steadily to the front, sweeping every thing before it, and at 4 p.m. we stood upon the ground of our original front line; and the enemy was in full retreat.  I directed my several brigades to resume at once their original camps.

Several times during the battle, cartridges gave out; but General Grant had thoughtfully kept a supply coming from the rear.  When I appealed to regiments to stand fast, although out of cartridges, I did so because, to retire a regiment for any cause, has a bad effect on others.  I commend the Fortieth Illinois and Thirteenth Missouri for thus holding their ground under heavy fire, although their cartridge-boxes were empty.