CSuniforms

Welcome and have a seat.

These papers are not on line. I have e-mailed the library for help but nothing yet from them. I am assuming the school is closed for now. Hope you are all washing your hands and do not touch your face! God Bless and lets get this over with soon. Tom

I am currently writing my book on Shiloh Firearms and need your help. Does anyone out there have a copy or copies of Johnston"s Headquarters Letter Book for the Fall of 1861? The University is closed and I do not know when it will be open again.

Wonderful Ozzy, Thanks.

Love these accounts.

This was excellent and not covered in depth usually. Good Job

The number of men in line-- 3 deep and so paces behind is what I am looking for. There is a soldier in the 16th Wisconsin on the initial contact at Fraley Field and Peabody's stand, he wrote of the line after line of Confederates coming down and on both sides of the Corinth Road. I do remember again reading by early afternoon the Confederates had in some areas dropped the tactic of shoulder to shoulder and moved in staggered lines firing or running as they advanced. Thank you Tom

I saw this and wanted my fellow Shilohians to view what a two man front and advance looked like-- This is it-- just picture in your mind a line like this 2 milles long and 3 files like this one in depth. With all the flags, the Officers mounted in front, horse drawn cannons racing between the ranks-- the drums and the music--

I got it OZZY thank you. But, the one I found was an explanation of why Johnston's Army was called a Mob! Johnstons son wrote the book about his father and mentioned Munfords words many times. The section of that book I am working with is the one on the lack of small arms. Lots and lots of notes on the shortage of Arms in Department No. 2. Munford did his address in 1871 and Johnston's son seemed very impressed with it and Munfords remembrances on the Army of the Mississippi are very interesting. I know I saved it but now cannot find it!! Tom

Hello, Need your help again. In 1871 a Dr Munford gave an address in Memphis Tennessee on Albert Sidney Johnston. I found it once on the internet, but somehow I lost it in my bookmarks. Does anyone have a copy of this address? Dr. Munford is mentioned many times in J. E. Johnstons book on his father. Thank you in advance. Tom

Thank You for finding this--- a great site.

Found them at Tulane.

True-True-True and I have already stated in my work that the smoothbore was a very effective weapon at Shiloh due to the terrain. I have one Wisconsin soldier, armed with rifles, who made the comment that standing in ranks firing volleys at the enemy in the open was a way to draw bullets and cannon balls. That the men in his Company very quickly learned to take cover behind trees and in ditches and pop away at the advancing Confederates. In his own words, "they knocked down many." I have also found a study done that Battles in the Napoleonic times produced a lot more casualties using smoothbores and cannon balls due to the distances fired and the Battles being fought in open areas. Years later at the Crimea 1854 and in Italy 1859, casualties were lower due to rifles and how they were used. Men were killed at further distances and took cover as opposed to marching straight into volley fire at close range. Very interesting. I do have some Shiloh Veterans who complained about what they were issued in terms of firearms, smoothbores and flint muskets and how they could not stand up to rifle fire at Shiloh. Lots to digest here. I will find those distances. Tom

OK.- Maybe it's me but, Maps of Shiloh and distances. Does anyone know of a study or maps that show distances in yards between opposing sides. Case in point the Hornet's Nest. How wide was Duncan field? Was it 200 yards to the edge of Federal held fence and thickets? 300 yards? What was the distance between the 53rd Ohio and the 26th Tennessee and 6th Mississippi which resulted in so many casualties. Working on the Hornet's Nest fight and a few others as to the effectiveness of rifles that would cause the Confederates to avoid the open field and use the surrounding woods to advance. I do not know if aerial maps are available or again maybe someone has calculated distances across the Battlefield. I am going to Shiloh in the Spring to measure myself if no such study exists. Shiloh is awesome...

Thanks-- OZZY-- My work is ahead of me. Tom