"Battle of Shiloh." 315
With the balance of my command I pressed forward and joined Colonel Maney, who had now become my advance, and had in pur- suit captured and sent to the rear many of the enemy. About this time a halt was made for the purpose of some concentration of our forces for a concerted attack upon the enemy, then understood to have concentrated on the river bank, under the shelter of the gunboats, from which, at the time, an active shelling was being kept up on our advance. My own and other commands came rapidly forward, but many regiments having entirely exhausted their ammunition, a halt of some time was necessary for the purpose of replenishing. The day was now far advanced, and before the proper preparations were made darkness prevented further operations that day, and all com- mands were withdrawn for the night out of range of the shells from the enemy's gunboats." (Ibid, pages 439-40.)
It goes without saying that all the reports of his officers confirm General Cheatham's lucid explanation of the last hour of the 6th of April, but I will only cite the following from Colonel George Maney, commanding one of Cheatham's brigades:
" During a constant press forward, the best means of securing the advantage already gained, I made but a short halt (after capture of Prentiss) in the position from which the enemy had been driven, and with the First and Ninth Tennessee regiments continued my advance as rapidly in the direction of his flight. He (Hurlbut) made no rally before my command, * * and I was halted near, for the purpose, as I understood, of allowing some concentration of our troops for attacking the enemy at the rear and near his gunboats. Our force came rapidly up, but it was already quite late in the day, and they halted near a deserted camp of the enemy, a shorter distance in my rear and to the right, for the purpose of replenishing their ammuni- tion. I held the position at which I had been halted until dark, the enemy all the while keeping up an active shelling from his gunboats, which proved, however, more noisy than destructive. At dark, find- ing our troops generally retiring, and understanding it was the order for all to do so, I withdrew my command for the night, and this ended their part in the battle of Sunday." (Ibid, page 455).
I will close this part of the issue raised with Colonel Johnston, by the statement of Colonel David Urquhart, of the staff of General Bragg, of August 2d, 1880, in answer to a letter from me that after leaving me he rejoined General Bragg:
" Who I found engaged with the Federal troops, who were now
