Letter from the Rangers

Houston Tri-Weekly Telegraph
May 19, 1862
p. 3, c. 2

Camp Beauregard, near Corinth, MS
April 19th, 1862.

E. H. Cushing, Esq.,

Dear Sir.
Whatever pertains to the great battle of Shiloh, must be intensely interesting, at this critical period to the people of these Confederate States. Especially will the citizens of Texas cherish the heroic acts and deeds of noble patriotism, which her own sons so gallantly performed on that ensanquined field.

It is now my object to give a brief outline of the part which the "Texas Rangers" performed during those memorable days. They added fresh laurels to those previously won in this campaign. Scarcely had they pitched tent near Corinth, after that long and eventful retreat from Green River, ere they were ordered to prepare for a two days' scout to reconnoiter the enemy in the direction of Pittsburg. This being successfully done, and some prisoners brought in, they were at once ordered to "Iuka"—some 25 miles distant—where our forces were expecting an attack. After spending fruitlessly two days and nights of exposure and fatigue they returned. Scarcely had they unsaddled, before an order comes for four days rations to be prepared and the command to proceed at once to Monterey. With men and horses completely broken down, this was not the most agreeable news. However, a soldier knows nothing but to obey, and at once preparation begins. Fortunately they were detained until Friday morning. Early the command—some 450 strong—was in the saddle, and they proceeded to the Purdy and Pittsburg road to defend the left wing of our army, which rested on Owl Creek. During the night, 100 men were on picket through a heavy rain, whilst the rest in supporting distance, awaited the morning's dawn. On Saturday they scouted about all day, reconnoitering enemy's position, and encamping at night this side of Owl Creek.

On Sunday morning, about 5 o'clock, the battle opened between Owl and Licking Creeks, by our attacking the enemy.—The right of our army resting on Licking and the left on Owl creek. The line of battle thus extending 6 miles. Col. Wharton proceeded with the command to Owl creek, when he halted and sent Maj. Terry and Dr. Weston to Gen. Beauregard to ask for further orders. He ordered us to cross Owl creek bridge and co-operate with the left wing of the army, which was immediately done. Shortly after our arrival 10 men were detailed to take a gun in an adjoining field, but on reaching it, the enemy had fled after disabling the remaining living horses. About noon, Gen. Hardee ordered us to dismount and protect a battery that was without infantry protection, and this was immediately done. After obeying this order, the Rangers were again reformed in an adjoining field, awaiting further direction. About this time the enemy being driven back, Gen. Beauregard ordered us to pursue them along the road which led to the river, saying that the whole right of the enemy was in full retreat, and being an open country for pursuit, we must intercept them, as he depended upon the Rangers for the final victory of the day. This was all our boys needed, and in a gallop they set out for the work. They had not gone over 300 yards before the head of the column received a heavy fire from a large body of the enemy. He had left the road and ambushed at the head of a big hollow, the most being concealed by lying down. In order to reach his position, it was necessary to cross an intervening ravine by single file, and rising the hill—on the opposite side of which he was in position—where the head of our column was 300 yards from the rear, then he commenced firing from his concealment at the head of the ravine.

It was during this time that our loss was so severe, for we were able to exchange but three or four rounds and then retire. The nature of the ground being such that not more than 20 or 30 of the Rangers could be brought into action at once. With the enemy so completely in ambush and the nature of the ground forbidding our dismounting to fight as skirmishers, a proper regard for the valuable lives of our daring men, rendered it necessary for the Colonel to withdraw to the distance of 200 yards and reform. Whilst gallantly leading this advance column he received a ball in the leg and had his horse shot three times, so disabling him that it was necessary to get another. Here, too, the cool and daring brother of our lamented Col. Terry, burning to avenge his untimely fall on the field of Woodsonville, received a mortal wound, from which he has since died. Our casualties were further viz: Killed—

Co. A—Dan. Neil and Richard Holdsworth.

Co. D—John F. Crain.

Co. I—Ben. F. Burr.

Co. H.—David Cook.

Whilst bravely leading men, the gallant Capt. King of Co. A. was seriously wounded, as were also his Orderly Sergeant T. Major Freeman and private R. N. Beaver; also slightly, A. A. Stovall.

Co. C.—John Holloway and Walter Wood, slightly.

Co. D.—George Miller and Reuben Slaughter, slightly.

Co. E.—J. M. Sample, slightly.

Co. F.—A. G. Ledbetter, badly.

Co. H.—W. B. Spencer, (since dead). M. A. Page, Thomas Barrington; H. C. Thompson, J. G. Ward, A. D. McArthur, badly; J. L. Core, R. W. Lawson, J. T. Walker, slightly.

Co. I.—Robert Taylor, Joseph McClure, T. L. Witter, T. E. Bolling, Peter McKellar, badly; Wm. Evans and Charles Mason, slightly.

In this most disastrous charge our brave men fought under every disadvantage [illegible] from a concealed enemy and unfavorable ground; yet this did not for a moment check their advance. There, if necessary, the last man would have fallen, but the order would have been obeyed. The first squadron, composed of A and I, with H, suffered the most seriously from being in advance.

After withdrawing and re-forming the regiment, the infantry which had been in the rear passed out and attacked the enemy with whom we had been lately engaged and there being no opportunity to bring us into action, Col. W. proceeded to the extreme left, where he found a battery without infantry protection and annoyed by the fire of the enemy. Dismounting Cos. B, C, E, F and H, they were thrown forward as skirmishers.

Charging down a steep hill, across a terrible bog and up another hill, on which the enemy—perhaps a regiment strong—was posted. Dashing forward, they drove him before them and through the encampment which he was defending.

In this charge, Capt. Rayburn was badly wounded whilst gallantly leading his company, also private Nicholas Contreras.

Co. F.—J. T. J. Culpepper and Samuel Drake, slightly.

Co. H.—R. Robison and Hubbard Duke, badly, and A. G. Autery, missing.

Rallying after this brilliant charge, they mounted and the command proceeded up into the field on our left, where the enemy shelled us with some effect. John M. Brownson, of Co. E, was wounded with a shell.

Several horses were killed, Capt. Jarmon's falling from the effect of a bomb, but rising again. This position being unprotected and perilous, we retreated and followed some distance up a branch for covering. Dismounting, we stood sometime behind a battery, but no enemy appearing, we mounted again and pursued him to his next encampment, but shelling us from this position, which was in the range of his gunboats, we returned to the field. Night coming on, we bivouacked in a wood skirting this field on the extreme left, providing ourselves with forage for man and horse from the richly supplied camp of the enemy, which was the second we had taken. It rained heavily during the night, and the enemy kept up a continued firing from his gunboats. This annoyed greatly our weary men, for at random distance our sullen foe was sullenly firing his messengers of destruction. At length, day comes and we are again in the saddle, awaiting a renewal of the fight by the enemy. Soon the ball opened, and our army fell back a mile, (we had driven the enemy about 3 on the right and 4 on the left Sunday) where the battle raged for several hours with terrific violence and alternating success. The regiment being drawn up in the rear of the infantry, Col. W. received an order from Gen. Beauregard to charge the right wing of the enemy, which was in a thick woods. He proceeded at once with the command to obey the order. It being impossible, from the thickness of the undergrowth, to charge them upon the flank, he attempted to pass to an open field somewhat in his rear and form for a charge. To reach this point, we were compelled to march by single file through the woods. Upon rising an eminence that led to, or rather commanded the field in which we were to form, we found it occupied by at least two regiments of infantry, drawn up in line of battle, which constituted the reserve of the enemy. As the head of our advance came in sight, the whole line of the enemy opened its fire upon it. Here Lieut. John H. Low, of company A, who had proved himself a most gallant soldier several times, fell mortally wounded. Charley Howard, of company I, was also badly wounded. Companies A and I being the advance squadron, suffered again. Our horses here suffered heavily, a number being killed, and Col. Wharton's wounded badly. It being impossible here to form for a charge, after a few rounds from those in front, we were ordered to fall back, dismount and fight on foot. We were thus on the enemy's extreme right, fighting him as skirmishers, when our army fell back upon Shiloh Church. Here John H. Washington, of company D, and Jos. Andrews, of company F, were both seriously wounded, and the enemy pressing us closely, they were carried into a house used for a hospital and thus fell into his hands. The battle raged for a considerable time around Shiloh Church, and with more terrific desperation than at any previous time during the two days, after which our left wing gradually fell back behind a hill, in good order—this was after 4 o'clock—our artillery continuing the fire on their supposed position for an hour or more, but without drawing an answer, then our left wing gradually and in perfect order withdrew from the field and encamped close by. About this time, the right wing also came out, four abreast, from their victorious fight through all that day and passed by us in good order and exuberant spirits.

Looking upon those splendid ranks and gleaming bayonets, one would rather think that they were marching to a marriage feast than retiring from that two day's conflict, amid scenes of blood, strife and death.

We were ordered by Gen. Beauregard to protect the left wing of our army in the retreat and to burn two of their encampments, which was done. That night with some other cavalry, we encamped in the rear of the whole army and within hearing of the drums of the enemy, we throwing out pickets in the direction of his position. We had neither food for man or horse, and heard nothing of the enemy. To add terror to this second night of the battle, it rained during all its long and mournfully desolate hours. The dawn of Tuesday found us again in the saddle, [illegible line] toward Corinth. The cavalry was thrown in the rear for its protection. Here Col. Wharton not supposing that there would be any more engagements, turned over his command to Maj. Harrison, and started for Corinth. He had heroically ridden 40 hours with his wounded leg, and from exposure and sleeping in the rain for two nights, he was compelled from the sever pain, though most unwillingly, to take the step. During the entire fight, Jared W. Groce acted as his aid, being by his side all the time, and deported himself with great gallantry.

Under Maj. Harrison, we moved in the direction of Monterey, turning to the right towards Breckinridge's camp. When we reached the hospital, there were still some 300 wounded, mostly ours. It was rumored that the cavalry of the enemy was advancing upon our forces. Pickets were immediately thrown out, but reported no enemy in sight. About 3 o'clock, it was reported that he was in position with three companies of cavalry and a regiment of infantry. After considerable maneuvering on both sides, the enemy endeavoring to entrap us and we to ascertain his position, Col. Forrest, being the senior officer present, formed the cavalry in line of battle. The Rangers numbered some 205 and a detachment of his own, and with Wirt Adams's—some 120—making in all 325. The Rangers occupied the left and center and the others the right. Thus being drawn up in line of battle, we waited to draw the fire of the enemy. This being done, Col. Forrest gave the order to charge. The Rangers had gone but a few steps until they raised their usual terrific yell, which was the signal for every man to charge forward and take care of himself.

The appearance of this dashing charge struck terror to the first line of infantry, which fell back in confusion upon the cavalry, and they in like manner retreated upon the right wing of the infantry, thus breaking their own lines. In this general confusion our boys bravely dashed forward, killing, wounding, and taking prisoners most of the first line. The second now poured upon us a shower of bullets, but, fortunately, they ranged too high; and charging on after his flying cavalry, which was now mixed up with his infantry, quite a number of each were killed and taken prisoners. The remainder was put to an inglorious route. Here our force being exposed to a galling cross fire from his extreme right, was called back, it being known that a third line was still in reserve for us. When re-formed, the Rangers, except those in charge of the prisoners and attending our wounded, were mostly present, but the other cavalry was much scattered. The result of this brief affair, the most brilliant of all the cavalry charges in the battle, and the only one where the Rangers had suitable ground for such service, was a large number of the enemy killed and wounded, (some say 250) and about 53 prisoners. About 50 of these, including two captains and one lieutenant, were taken by the Rangers, all of whom, except seven wounded and left in the hospital, they brought into Corinth. the credit of this same work has been given, in the papers, to other officers; but the dashing charge and brave conduct of the Rangers mainly accomplished it.

The killed and wounded on our side was confined principally to the Rangers. For the time and number engaged it was very severe—

Co. B.—Richmond Champion, killed; Wm. Ashe, missing; W. B. Fleming, A. J. Trumbull, R. A. Allen, J. P. Burkhart and Dr. James Staton, wounded.

Co. E.—Lieut. H. E. Story and John Littlefield, badly wounded.

Co. H.—Capt. Gus Cook, Serg't D. C. Fielder, Arthur Hirshfield and F. W. Kimball, wounded; W. B. Earnest and John S. Stewart, missing and doubtless killed.

In this successful charge, Maj. Thomas Harrison let his Rangers with the utmost coolness, and during the entire fight he displayed the genuine bravery of the gallant soldier. Going into the battle with less than 450 men, we lost 66 in killed, wounded and missing. We had 52 horses killed, and over 40 badly wounded. In appreciation of the services of this gallant band, whilst the necessity of dismounting much of the cavalry is now being discussed, I learn that Gen. Beauregard has telegraphed for the privilege of buying 150 horses for filling up the losses of the regiment.

After the charge, Gen. Breckinridge ordered us to withdraw, and entice the enemy to an ambush he had set for him; but in this we failed. He was evidently satisfied with that ten minutes' work, when the field was covered with his wounded and dead. He ordered us to move forward and defend the Hamburg road, from which he expected an attack of the enemy. Here we spent another long and disagreeable night in the rain. On Wednesday we came up to Monterey and breakfasted and fed the horses. Returning in the evening to Gen. Beauregard's headquarters, we assisted the other cavalry present in picketing for the night. On Thursday morning we were early ordered to cross over to the hospital and bring away the wounded. They were both our own and those of the enemy. they rode whilst our boys walked fifteen miles through the mud. The unpleasantness of the journey was somewhat relieved by the earnestness with which the Rangers argued with the Yankees, on the error of their ways and their earnest exhortations to better conduct in the future. The scene was often amusing. On Friday, an order from col. Wharton brought in the remainder of our command. Thus ends our connection with the memorable fight of the 6th, 7th and 8th of April.

R. F. Bunting,
Chaplain, Texas Rangers.

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