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Regtl. Staff Shiloh 2020
Asst. Regtl. QM Stones River / Franklin 2022
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
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- North Mississippi
I have long wondered about the role of the U. S. Army played in the Battle of Shiloh so I thought I would research its role. The U. S Regulars were small in number in the Western Theater but they were fighters as indicated by the Official Reports submitted by Major John King and Major Stephen D. Carpenter.
When the Civil War broke out the 189 companies of the U. S. Army contained 1,108 officers and 15,135 enlisted ranks. These professional soldiers were highly valued by both sides to form cadres to train the volunteer soldiers pouring into the numerous regiments.
Of 1,108 Regular Army officers serving as of 1 January 1861, 270 ultimately resigned to join the South. Only a few hundred of the 15,135 enlisted men, however, left the ranks because the private soldiers did not have the option of resigning as did the officers. As a brief aside I want to mention that the immigrants were an integral part of the U. S. Army prior to the Civil War and specifically the Irish made up around 20% of the enlisted ranks. There story has been covered in detail by @Pat Young in his many threads and posts.
The Army of the Ohio contained the 15th, 16th and 19th U. S. Infantry regiments and 2 batteries of U. S. Artillery, the 4th and 5th. The infantry regiments were under strength as they were battalions of 8, 7 and 6 companies respectively.
This is a brief description of Brigadier General Lovell Harrison Rousseau’s 4th Brigade action in the Battle of Shiloh.
“This brigade formed in line of battle on Crittenden's right at 8 a. m. , April 7, 1862, in front of the camp of the Third Iowa, in the following order: Sixth Indiana on the left, First Ohio in the center, First Battalions of Nineteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth United States Infantry on the right, and the Fifth Kentucky in reserve. The Fifteenth Michigan was attached ·temporarily to this brigade and served with it all day. At 9 a. m. the brigade advanced across Tilghman Creek and engaged Trabue's brigade until about 11 a. m., when Trabue retired and Rousseau advanced to Woolf Field, where he found a force of the enemy on its west side. His ammunition being exhausted, Rousseau retired and Kirk's brigade took his place in the first line. As soon as ammunition was supplied Rousseau took position again in the front line and engaged the enemy until he retired from the field.“*
I will be submitting the Official Reports in the next posts. I have decided to start with the Infantry Battalions first and will do the Artillery and Cavalry units next.
Regards
David
*The Battle of Shiloh and the Organizations Engaged by David Reed
Page 65
When the Civil War broke out the 189 companies of the U. S. Army contained 1,108 officers and 15,135 enlisted ranks. These professional soldiers were highly valued by both sides to form cadres to train the volunteer soldiers pouring into the numerous regiments.
Of 1,108 Regular Army officers serving as of 1 January 1861, 270 ultimately resigned to join the South. Only a few hundred of the 15,135 enlisted men, however, left the ranks because the private soldiers did not have the option of resigning as did the officers. As a brief aside I want to mention that the immigrants were an integral part of the U. S. Army prior to the Civil War and specifically the Irish made up around 20% of the enlisted ranks. There story has been covered in detail by @Pat Young in his many threads and posts.
The Army of the Ohio contained the 15th, 16th and 19th U. S. Infantry regiments and 2 batteries of U. S. Artillery, the 4th and 5th. The infantry regiments were under strength as they were battalions of 8, 7 and 6 companies respectively.
This is a brief description of Brigadier General Lovell Harrison Rousseau’s 4th Brigade action in the Battle of Shiloh.
“This brigade formed in line of battle on Crittenden's right at 8 a. m. , April 7, 1862, in front of the camp of the Third Iowa, in the following order: Sixth Indiana on the left, First Ohio in the center, First Battalions of Nineteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth United States Infantry on the right, and the Fifth Kentucky in reserve. The Fifteenth Michigan was attached ·temporarily to this brigade and served with it all day. At 9 a. m. the brigade advanced across Tilghman Creek and engaged Trabue's brigade until about 11 a. m., when Trabue retired and Rousseau advanced to Woolf Field, where he found a force of the enemy on its west side. His ammunition being exhausted, Rousseau retired and Kirk's brigade took his place in the first line. As soon as ammunition was supplied Rousseau took position again in the front line and engaged the enemy until he retired from the field.“*
I will be submitting the Official Reports in the next posts. I have decided to start with the Infantry Battalions first and will do the Artillery and Cavalry units next.
Regards
David
*The Battle of Shiloh and the Organizations Engaged by David Reed
Page 65