The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 10, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports. Page: 483
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CHAP. XXII.1 PITTSBURG LANDING, OR SHILOH, TENN. 483
unjust to myself and the commanding officers of regiments and as
erroneous in certain matters of fact, I have the honor earnestly to
solicit that a court of inquiry be appointed, and that Colonels Allen,
Hodge, and Fagan, with Mr. Robert Pugh, of Assumption, La., acting
as my aide-de-camp, and Lieut. H. H. Bein, be brought before it, in
order that a full and fair investigation may be had.
Until such a court can be convened I trust I shall be pardoned a
brief and respectful reference in the way of explanation, and protest
to the points of censure embraced by the general then commanding
our corps.
It is remarked by him at the outset that the brigade was in rear of
its proper position. I have the honor to state that a short time before
the occasion referred to by the general I had received instructions
from him to move more slowly and to keep at a greater distance from
the front line. Although this order was delivered to me by a. staff
officer when in the camp of the enemy, and from which he had just
been driven; and while all preparations had been made to charge a
battery from which we were sustaining frequent casualties, I imme-
diately observed it, and at once halted the command. Owing to the
thickly-wooded character of the country through which we were march-
ing I was obliged frequently to halt, and once even to move back a
short distance, when I found I was reaching the first line and then
move forward. I was endeavoring, notwithstanding the desire of us
all to press forward, to obey the order rigidly, presuming, of course,
that should he wish me to move faster, as above, or even more slowly,
I would be directed accordingly.
In the next place the general speaks of the brigade as having, after
a brief attack on the enemy in a particular position which I was
ordered to advance against, given way in disorder, and having been
rallied by his staff officers, and as having been held in check by skir-
mishers. The position alluded to was a densely-wooded hill, surrounded
by a ravine, and extending farther than the limits of our line to the
right and left. In the first and second charges on this position I was
near the left center of the brigade, and, together with Colonel Allen
and Major Avegno, twice rallied, their regiments recoiling not so much
from the infantry fire, heavy as that was, but from the severe fire of a
battery on a commanding point, and sweeping our line whenever we
advanced.
Having just at this time received intelligence from Colonel Pagan
that he likewise had been cut up and forced back, I relinquished the
left to Colonel Allen, under orders to press forward, and having sent
the same orders to Colonel Hodge on the extreme right, Colonel Pagan
and myself repeatedly led his very large regiment to the attack. The
movement forward was always made simultaneously by all the regi-
ments. We succeeded at one time in driving the enemy back a con-
siderable distance, but the concentration of fire, especially on our flanks,
was so great that the command, unaided by artillery, could not carry
the position. I had sent Mr. Robert Pugh to the general after the first
assault for artillery; but the request wasnot granted, and in place of
it he brought me orders to advance again on the enemy. In the ex-
ecution of this order we charged repeatedly, as described, and were
repulsed on account of his severe artillery fire, advantageous position,
superior numbers, and the almost impenetrable thicket through which
we had to advance. The loss of officers and men, exceeding that of
nearly any brigade at Shiloh, shows with what steadiness and courage
the attacks were made. Nor were they brief. They were repeated
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 10, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., book, 1884; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154613/m1/491/?q=Trigg: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.