The Clash at Spain Field – Shiloh 1862

Ole Miss

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Regtl. Staff Shiloh 2020
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The Scene

A peaceful Sunday morning was shattered by the assault of over of 40,000 Confederates against the Federal army encamped about the fields of the Shiloh community on the West bank of the Tennessee River. In the midst of this onslaught, various mini battles were fought in small sections of the large area of contact.

Spain Field, a small sliver of 12 plus acres located on the Southeastern border of the now present Shiloh National Military Park, witnessed very heavy fighting early Sunday morning. Over 4,000 soldiers---infantrymen and artillerymen---clashed amid the Spain family field.

Spain Field looking East

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Spain Field Looking North

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Looking East from Gladden Road beside the Gladden Mortuary Monument

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The Participants - Federals

Miller’s Brigade
Colonel Madison Miller commanding the 2nd​ Brigade of Brigadier General Prentiss’ Sixth Division positioned his 3 regiments along the South edge of Spain Field, just East of the Eastern Corinth Road and awaited with 1,700 plus men the coming Confederate flood. The Yanks were about 300 yards in front of their campsites.

Regards
David

61st Illinois Tablet (Position #224 Location E 10)*

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The 18th Missouri Tablet (Position #226 Location E10)

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18th Wisconsin Tablet (Position Marker #229 Location F10)
This is from the Shiloh Monument Finder website** as I have lost my photos

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U. S.
18th WISCONSIN INFANTRY,
Miller's (2d) Brig., Prentiss' (6th) Div.,
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.
This regiment was engaged here at 9 a.m. April 6,
1862. It retired to Prentiss' third position where
it was again engaged.

5th Independent Battery (Hickenlooper's), Ohio Light Artillery (Position #236 Location E 10)

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1st​ Battery (Munch’s), Minnesota Light Artillery (Position Marker #240 Location E 10)

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A six pounder Bronze gun, Ames Model, 1841 and a six pounder Bronze gun, Greenwood Model 1841, converted to 3.8" rifle
*Trailhead Graphics Map
**http://www.shilohbattlefield.org/unitsearch.html
 
Thank you David. Great stuff. I have been to Shiloh twice and don't think I have been to that spot on the field.
 
Now that's an area of the Shiloh battlefield I've never heard of before. Even though I haven't been there yet, I'm familiar with the names of the well known landmarks like the Peach Orchard, the Hornet's Nest, Grant's last line on Pittsburg Landing, Bloody pond, and Shiloh Church.
 
The Participants - Confederates

Brigadier General Adley, of Bragg’s 2nd Corps, was ordered to move his troops to the East and attack the Union left flank. Gladden discovered the Federals along the East side of a small road in the small field of the Spain family. Gladden deployed his brigade with the 26th​ Alabama, 25th​ Alabama, 22nd​ Alabama, 21st​ Alabama and the 1st​ Louisiana anchoring the right flank. Robertson’s Alabama Battery with four 12-pounder Napoleon’s was placed in the middle of the line. Gladden was mortally wounded soon after contact by an artillery shell and was replaced by Colonel Daniel Adams of the 1st​ Louisiana.

Confederate records are incomplete---partially due to commanding officers being killed and wounded---so we will never know what was said and written officially. The destruction of Richmond and the vast majority of Confederate records has hampered many historians and researchers. One of which I am not.

I have chosen to post what fragments I can find to give one a fair idea of the strength of the Rebels. The total number of present for duty of each regiment of Gladden’s Brigade is unknown but fragment numbers do exist. Seeing that 3 regiments for whom we have some information of those number engaged by average present for duty.

Average present for duty.

22nd​ Alabama 435 men
25th​ Alabama 305 men
26th​ Alabama 440 men
Total 1,200 men (average of 400 men per regiment)

21st​ Alabama (Present for Duty not known)
198 casualties
22nd​ Alabama (Present for Duty not known)
435 (Number Engaged by Commander’s Report)
25th​ Alabama (Present for Duty not known)
305 (Number Engaged by Commander’s Report)
26th​ Alabama (Present for Duty not known)
440 (Number Engaged by Commander’s Report)
1st​ Louisiana (Present for Duty not known)
Robertson’s Alabama Battery (Present for Duty not known)
Armament:
Four 12-pounder Napoleons

I am using the average of these regiments, 400, to make a total estimated strength of Gladden’s Brigade to 2,400 not counting Robertson’s Battery.
The left flank regiments of Brigadier General Chalmer’s, the 52nd​ Tennessee and the 5th​ Mississippi swept across the the Eastern part of Spain Field. I have not found any records that denote the number of men in each regiment, however, Brigadier James Chalmers in his brigade report in the Official Records stated his brigade was 2,039** at the beginning of the battle. There were 5 regiments in his brigade which averages out to about 400 men per regiment which raise the total Confederate numbers in this fight to about 3,200 strong.

A combined total of 5,500 plus men fought for 90 minutes in and around a field of about 15 acres (SWAG method) each side doing the best they could to eliminate each other. Also remember there were 3 batteries in this fight with a total of 16 cannons spewing deadly missiles.
Regards
David

Gladden's Brigade Tablet (Position Marker #382 Location E 10)

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Gladden's Mortuary Marker (Monument Marker M#016 Location E 10)

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Closeup of the plaque on the monument

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As there is not a battery display for Robertsons' Alabama Battery I used a photo of this battery's next position just North of Spain Field. Once again I am using photos from the Shiloh Monment Finder website as I have lost mine (Position Marker #386 Location E9)

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This a six-pounder Bronze gun, Alger Model 1841, converted to 3.67" rifle

The Tablet for Robertson's Battery

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Since I cannot find my photos of Robertson's Battery, I will post some photos of six-pounder Bronze gun, Alger Model 1841, converted to 3.67" rifle located at the Washington Artillery location on the Corinth Road just South of the Shiloh Meeting House.

Washington Artillery Tablet (Position #358 Location B 9)

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six-pounder Bronze gun, Alger Model 1841, converted to 3.67" rifle



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*The Battle of Shiloh And The Organizations Engaged by David W. Reed
Page 105

https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/vie...httpsredir=1&article=1000&context=utk_utpress

**Official Records of the Rebellion
Series 1, Volume X, Part 1
Page 553
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730160&view=1up&seq=571&skin=2019&q1=fant
 
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The Cost

There are no records that record the number of causalties experienced by either side during this sharp fight in Spain Field. Yet we can speculate the numbers based upon these factors:
Time: From 8:30 am to 9:30 am
Location: Spain Filed was approximately 12 to 15 acres at the time of battle
Numbers: Federals about 2,000 Confederates 3,000 plus
It had to have been a bloody fight as it is open terrain and inexeperinced men were fighting in close lines less than 200 yards apart.
Regards
David


Federals

61st​ Illinois
Present for Duty: April 5, 1862
475
KIA 12, WIA 45 and MIA 18: Total 75
Percentage Loss 16%

18th​ Missouri
Present for Duty: April, 1862
552
KIA 15, WIA 82, and MIA 147: Total 244
Percentage Loss 44%

18th​ Wisconsin
Present for Duty: April 5, 1862
735
KIA 23, WIA 83, MIA 174: Total 280
Percentage Loss 38%

5th Independent Battery, Ohio Light Artillery

Present for Duty: April 5, 1862
137
KIA 1, MIA 19, MIA 0: Total 20
Percentage Loss 15%

1st​ Battery (Munch’s), Minnesota Light Artillery
Present for Duty: April 5, 1862
126
KIA 3, MIA 8 MIA 0: Total 11
Percentage Loss 9%*

Total Casualties 630


*The Battle of
Shiloh And The Organizations Engaged by David W. Reed
Page 96
https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/vie...httpsredir=1&article=1000&context=utk_utpress
 
The Cost

Confederates

The Confederate casualties are poorly documented and only brigade numbers were reported in most cases. Gladden’s brigade lost its 2 commanders during this fight and Official Reports were written by some company officers. This was the 1st major fights these units were evolved and the flowery complimentary style of writing had not been wore away as it would later in the war. In the confusion of the retreat and reorganizing in Corinth I believe many thoughts and memories were adversely effected and official reports were poorly prepared and submitted.
Regards
David

Gladden’s brigade casualties must be estimated as only 1 unit, 21st​ Alabama, reported its losses. David Reed in his epic work* reported the total losses for this brigade as:

KIA 129, WIA 597, MIA 103 Total 829

Average regiment strength 400
The 21st Alabama suffered 198 a 50% loss

Subtracting this from the total of 829 leaves a total of 631 to be divided by the other 4 regiments comes to a 158 average per regiment. This would leave a staggering 40% loss during this battle for this brigade.
 
The Scene

A peaceful Sunday morning was shattered by the assault of over of 40,000 Confederates against the Federal army encamped about the fields of the Shiloh community on the West bank of the Tennessee River. In the midst of this onslaught, various mini battles were fought in small sections of the large area of contact.

Spain Field, a small sliver of 12 plus acres located on the Southeastern border of the now present Shiloh National Military Park, witnessed very heavy fighting early Sunday morning. Over 4,000 soldiers---infantrymen and artillerymen---clashed amid the Spain family field.

Spain Field looking East

View attachment 409576

Spain Field Looking North

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View attachment 409578

Looking East from Gladden Road beside the Gladden Mortuary Monument

View attachment 409579
Very interesting! I may be a descendant of Peter Spain who owned the area.
 
Have you ever had the opportunity to visit the Park and Spain Field? If not this time of the year the Park is gorgeous with the dogwoods and redbuds blooming and everything is turning green
Regards
David
 
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