Beauregard's Order at Shiloh

Confederate Veteran
Volume, Number 3, Page 107
March 1902

H. W. Graber, Brig. Gen. U. C. V., Dallas, writes:
During the year 1874 Gen. Braxton Bragg came to Texas with a corps of civil engineers to engage in railroad building, and I, as the President of the Waxahachie Tap Railroad Co., had the honor of giving him his first contract of surveying this road. Whilst so engaged he was a guest of our home in Waxahachie.

During his leisure moments we talked freely about the operations of his army in Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Georgia, which was of special interest to us both, as our regiment, Terry's Texas Rangers, was a part of that army from first to last, and highly regarded by the General. Discussing the battle of Shiloh, I remember well his words about the incident now under discussion and which seems to be so little understood.

His statement was: "I was about completing the formation of my line of battle, and ready to sweep the enemy into the river, when a staff officer of Gen. Beauregard's rode up and delivered his order to retire to a suitable position and camp for the night. I asked: 'Has this order been promulgated to the other part of the army?' He replied that it had, and was then being executed. I instructed him to present my compliments to Gen. Beauregard and say to him if it had not, I would not obey it, but move on the enemy at once."

These were the General's exact words, I remember them well, as they made a deep impression on me at the time. He felt deeply grieved on account of this great blunder, and expressed his firm conviction that another charge would surely have given us a glorious victory.

I remember a report current during the battle and soon thereafter that Gen. Beauregard was sick in his ambulance and issued his orders on the report of the progress of the battle by Gen, Jordan, his Chief of Staff. I do not recall asking Gen. Bragg about this, or his statement in regard to it, if he made any.