A Boy at Shiloh

[Reconstructed Rebel]

When I came across this first person account of the battle of Shiloh, I assumed this introductory note was simply the hyperbole so often used to gin up interest in articles that editors want you to read, but after reading it, have to say it certainly seems like a contender for the prize. It may be famous enough that long time scholars of the battle are already familiar with this source, but for anyone like me who is recently trying to learn more details of the conflict, I am sharing the link to it below.

"Note.—The personal experience as told by Mr. John A. Cockerill, under the title of ''A Boy at Shiloh," is by many persons considered to be one of the best war sketches ever written."

Source:

Sketches of war history, 1861-1865; papers read before the Ohio Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, 1883-19 : Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Commandery of the State of Ohio : Free Downl

Book digitized by Google from the library of Harvard University and uploaded to the Internet Archive by user tpb.

archive.org

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Thought Cockerill's journalistic writing skills are evident here in this sketch. Found it interesting to contrast his measured and flowing descriptions with the content found in other less formally written memoirs, like 'Co. Aytch' by Sam Watkins.

Also thought some of the descriptions in this sketch reminded me of passages read about the experiences of the youth, Henry Fleming, in Stephen Crane's 'Red Badge of Courage', published in 1894.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Interesting story!
Thanks for posting it!

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Red Badge of Courage

Definitely noticed the Red Badge of Courage vibe.

 

[HeroPrentiss]

John Cockerill's story is a major theme in the park's video "Fiery Trial." Hopefully the link works and it is trial, not trail, as the youtube poster has it.

 

[Forrest]

Thought Cockerill's journalistic writing skills are evident here in this sketch. Found it interesting to contrast his measured and flowing descriptions with the content found in other less formally written memoirs, like 'Co. Aytch' by Sam Watkins.

Also thought some of the descriptions in this sketch reminded me of passages read about the experiences of the youth, Henry Fleming, in Stephen Crane's 'Red Badge of Courage', published in 1894.

Odd that you mention this - I always remembered Crane's book as being based on Shiloh, but was told later that I was 'misremembering'. I'll have to go back and re-read it, to see if the similarities I remember between Shiloh and his book are actually there.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Odd that you mention this - I always remembered Crane's book as being based on Shiloh, but was told later that I was 'misremembering'. I'll have to go back and re-read it, to see if the similarities I remember between Shiloh and his book are actually there.

As Crane was born six years after the end of the war, there is some debate about where Crane drew his inspiration from, to create this narrative (published in 1894). Thought Crane got his background information for his war novel from what he had read and the stories of real events he heard from veterans. Thought he also claimed that he wrote intuitively, focusing on the inner psychological experiences of his central character, in battlefield conditions.

 

[Library Lady]

Not to dissuade you all from re-reading The Red Badge of Courage, but you might find this article interesting.

Stephen Crane’s Inspiration

For eight years, Charles LaRocca, a high school history teacher in Orange County, New York, has worked with small groups of students on a research proje (Issue: May/June 1991)..

www.americanheritage.com

 

[TerryB]

What a gripping, well-written story! Thanks for posting!

 

[Woods-walker]

Not to dissuade you all from re-reading The Red Badge of Courage, but you might find this article interesting.

Stephen Crane’s Inspiration

For eight years, Charles LaRocca, a high school history teacher in Orange County, New York, has worked with small groups of students on a research proje (Issue: May/June 1991)..

www.americanheritage.com

That's how I remembered it! Thanks for the post

 

[Zack]

John Cockerill says he fell in with Company B of the 9th Illinois.

He also writes, "It was General McArthur's Highland Brigade, the members of which wore Scotch caps"

The Shiloh Fiery Trial documentary shows the men of the 9th Illinois wearing the Scotch caps.

Like Brigadier General John McArthur:

Peter Cozzens writes in "My Poor Little Ninth" of the 9th Illinois at Shiloh:

No sooner had the companies of the Ninth formed than the command was given to break ranks and change uniforms. That unlikely command was the fruit of delay. On Friday, the regiment had drawn new regulation blue uniforms to replace the gray ones that they had worn since muster in. . . . The men donned their regulation blue and returned to line to draw ammunition.

Keith Rocco shows them in standard Union uniforms:

9th Illinois Infantry Regiment - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Alton Jaeger Guards reenactment group shows them in 9-button Illinois State Jackets and sky blue trousers and forage caps.
https://www.altonjaegerguards.org/9th-ills-vols-inf.html

The 12th Illinois of McArthur's Brigade wore the Scotch caps as far as I can tell.

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[Unidentified soldier of the 12th Illinois Volunteers, "The First Scotch Regiment" in greatcoat and tamoshanter cap]

1 photograph : sixth-plate tintype, hand-colored ; 9.3 x 8.1 cm (case)

www.loc.gov

So my question is simply: who has it right?