Thursday, June 19, 2008

Whittlesey's Brigade

The brigade of four Ohio regiments, to wit, the Twentieth, Fifty-sixth, Seventy-sixth and Seventy-eighth, was encamped at Adamsville, 4 miles from Crumps. It formed in line early Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, when firing was heard at Shiloh, with all its camp equipage on wagons, and remained in line until 2 p.m., when orders were received to join the other brigades en route for Shiloh. It marched on direct road toward Pittsburg, falling in behind the other brigades as they came back into that road from the countermarch. At about 4 p.m. the Fifty-sixth was detached and ordered to go with baggage to Crump's Landing. The other regiments arrived on the battlefield after dark and bivouacked in front of the camp of the Eighty-first Ohio. Monday morning the brigade formed the extreme right of Union line, its right, the Seventy-sixth, on the swamps of Owl Creek, the Seventy-eighth on the left in rear of the right of the Second Brigade, the Twentieth in reserve, until it crossed Tilghman Creek, when it took position on the right. Retaining this formation the brigade advanced, swinging to the left until 11 a.m., when it was transferred to left of the division in support of Stuart's brigade of Sherman's division. The Seventy-sixth remained on the left, the other regiments soon returned to the right, the Twentieth in front line, the Seventy-eighth in reserve. The last engagement by this brigade was between the Twentieth Ohio, in the field near McDowell's headquarters, and Confederates at camp of Forty-sixth Ohio. The brigade bivouacked in camp of Sixth Iowa Monday night.

The above is from Reed's history of the battle. There is no monument as earlier explained in the Lew Wallace post. Click here to read Whittlesey's report. I could not find a picture of Whittlesey, but instead found this newspaper picture.



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