Navy Official Records
Relating to First Shiloh
Navy
O.R.-- Series 1--Volume 22, pp. 642-648
Engagement
at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., March 1, 1862.
Report
of Flag-0fficer Foote, U. S. Navy, transmitting reports of commanding officers
of the U. S. Gunboats Tyler and Lexington.
CAIRO,
March 3, 1862.
SIR: I have the honor to forward
reports made to me by Lieutenants Commanding Gwin and Shirk, of the gunboats Tyler
and Lexington, a synopsis of which I telegraphed to you immediately on
their receipt. I can not too highly commend the cautious, judicious, and bold
conduct of Lieutenant Commanding Gwin and his command in the service I have
assigned him on the Tennessee River. I regret that it is not in my power to go
up the Tennessee in person, but the most important attack upon Columbus
to-morrow with five gunboats, four mortar boats in charge of Lieutenant
Commanding Phelps, and the regiments, render my presence at that point
absolutely necessary. I regret that the commandant at Fort Henry did not feel
authorized, at my suggestion, to send a regiment or brigade up the river without
waiting for authority from 'his superior officer, as the case called for
immediate action and would have secured us an immediate and important victory.
The Union sentiment is predominant on the borders of the Tennessee, but is
repressed from apprehension that it will not receive support from Union troops.
I trust that the Department will grant my request to have the prize gunboat Eastport
fitted out immediately, as she is well adapted, from her speed, to take me
to the different points of my command on the Mississippi. Tennessee, and
Cumberland rivers in the shortest space of time. My foot is still painful, but I
hope to lay aside my crutches in a few days. I wish to retain command of the
flotilla, as I have the confidence of men and officers, but still consider it to
be my duty to report my condition to the Department. I beg that the Department
will send me two good lieutenants of a junior date to Lieutenant Commanding
Shirk. I make this application with a full appreciation of the wants of the
Department of Navy officers.
I have the honor to be, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
A.
H. FOOTE,
Flag-Officer, Comdg. U. S. Naval Forces,
Western Waters.
Hon.
GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C.
Report
of Lieutenant Gwin, commanding U. S. S. Tyler.
U.
S. GUNBOAT TYLER,
Savannah, Tenn., March 1, 1862.
SIR: Having learned that the rebels
had occupied and were fortifying a place called Pittsburg, 9 miles above, on the
right bank of the river (the best point in the river for that purpose), I
determined to attack them.
At 12 m. the Tyler, followed by the Lexington,
Lieutenant Commanding Shirk, proceeded up the river. When within 1,200 yards of
Pittsburg we were opened upon by the rebel batteries, consisting, as well as we
could determine, of six or eight fieldpieces, some rifled.
Getting within 1,000 yards, the Tyler
and Lexington opened a well-directed fire, and we had the satisfaction
of silencing their batteries. We then proceeded abreast of the place and., under
the cover of grape and canister, landed two armed boats from each vessel
containing, besides their crews, a portion of Company C, Captain Thaddeus
Phillips, and Company K, First Lieutenant John J. Rider, of the Thirty-second
Regiment Illinois Volunteers (sharpshooters), Second Master Jason Goudy,
commanding the boats of the Tyler, and
Second Master Martin Dunn, commanding the boats of the Lexington. The landing was successfully accomplished, and this small
force actually drove back the rebels and held them in check until they
accomplished their difficult object, which was to discover their real strength
and purpose, and to destroy a house in close proximity to the place where the
batteries had been placed.
I found in addition to their
artillery they had a force of not less than two regiments of infantry and a
regiment of cavalry.
In conclusion, I have to state that
the result was entirely satisfactory. Their batteries were silenced in a short
time; the landing was effected; the house destroyed; and we discovered from
their breastworks that they were preparing to fortify strongly this point.
Too much praise can not be given to
Lieutenant Commanding Shirk for the efficient manner in which his vessel was
handled.
My thanks are due to Captain
Phillips, Lieutenant Rider, and their men for the gallant manner in which, in
the face of the enemy, they charged up the hill, drove back, and held in check,
the rebels until the boats' crews had effected the destruction of the house
designated.
The officers and men of this vessel
behaved with the greatest spirit and enthusiasm. Much praise is due to First
Master Edward Shaw and Third Master James Martin for the efficient manner in
which the batteries were worked.
I would particularly call your
attention to the gallant conduct of Second Master Jason Goudy, in charge of the
boats on shore, who succeeded in destroying the house under such heavy fire, and
Gunner Herman Peters, in charge of the howitzer, who displayed the greatest
coolness and courage, although exposed to the whole fire of the enemy, all but
one of his men having been wounded.
My thanks are also due to Pilots
Hiner and Sebastian for their coolness under such a tremendous fire of musketry,
our vessel being perfectly riddled with balls.
My aid, Acting Paymaster William B.
Coleman, rendered me valuable assistance during the action.
I have sent Lieutenant Commanding
Shirk to Cairo with the transport Izetta, loaded with the balance of the
wheat I left at Clifton. I shall remain about here, paying Pittsburg a daily
visit, which I hope will prevent the rebels from accomplishing their object.
Captain Shirk will lay before you the importance of keeping open this, as well
as all other points above here.
I have learned from reliable
authority that the rebels have some 4,000 troops in Florence, five or six
thousand in and about Eastport and I. U. Ka. [Iuka] (near Bear Creek Bridge),
and that they are fortifying in that vicinity. You will see, therefore, the
necessity of my remaining here.
We expended 95 shell, 30 stand of
grape, 10 of canister, and 67 rounds of shrapnel, grape, etc., from howitzer.
Enclosed is Acting Assistant
Surgeon T. H. Kearney's report of casualties, to whom I am indebted for his
unremitting attention to the wounded.
I feel confident that we inflicted
a severe loss on the enemy, as several bodies were seen on the ground and many
seen to fall.
I also enclose Lieutenant
Commanding Shirk's report.
Hoping that my course will meet
your approbation, I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
WM.
GWIN,
Lieut., Comdg. Division of Gunboats,
Tennessee River.
Flag-Officer A. H. FOOTE,
U. S. Navy,
Commanding Naval Forces on Western Waters.
[
Enclosure. ]
List
of casualties sustained on board the U. S. gunboat Tyler, March 1, 1862, in the
action at Pittsburg, Tenn.
Pleasant Gilbert, seaman; gunshot
wound of leg, necessitating amputation of the limb. Crawford T. Hill, seaman;
gunshot wound of forearm. John Matthews, seaman; gunshot (flesh) wound of
shoulder, slight. G. W. Shull, seaman; gunshot wound of back, slight. Robert
Bell, seaman; gunshot wound of arm (flesh) and chest; not penetrating.
In detachment of Thirty-second
Regiment Illinois Volunteers, U. S. Army (Company C), carried on board: Captain
Phillips, gunshot wound (flesh) of leg. Daniel Messick, orderly sergeant;
killed.
Respectfully,
THOS.
H. KEARNEY,
Assistant Surgeon, U. S. Gunboat Service.
Lieutenant Commanding W. GWIN.
Report
of Lieutenant Shirk, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. S. Lexington.
U.
S. GUNBOAT LEXINGTON,
Savannah, Tenn., March 1, 1862.
SIR: In company with the gunboat Tyler,
Lieutenant Commanding Gwin, I this day proceeded in this vessel up the river to
a landing on the west side, called Pittsburg, distant about 9 miles from this
place.
When we had arrived within 1,200 or
1,300 yards of Pittsburg, we were fired upon by a rebel battery, consisting, as
well as I could judge, of six or eight fieldpieces, one of which at least was
rifled.
We returned their fire with shell,
which was exceedingly well directed, and continued until after their guns were
silenced.
By order of Lieutenant Commanding
Gwin I dispatched on shore two armed boats in charge of Second Master Martin
Dunn, containing, in addition to their own proper crews, a detachment of Company
K, Thirty-second Regiment Illinois Volunteers, commanded by First Lieutenant
John J. Rider, with orders to follow the motions of the Tyler's
boats.
While the boats were being landed
we kept up a steady fire of grape and shell, raking the side of the hill.
The landing party having
accomplished their object, and being met by a much superior force, retired,
receiving in their retreat a most terrific fire of musketry. The enemy also
fired several volleys of musketry at the gunboats, and then retired back from
the brow of the hill.
After the boats returned we gave
the rebels a few more shell and, receiving no answer, we dropped down the river
to this place.
My men report having seen several
dead rebels upon the hill and I, myself, saw a shell from this vessel, after the
return of the boats, take effect upon a field officer, emptying his saddle, and
dropping 3 foot soldiers.
I can not speak in too high terms
of the gallantry, good discipline, and spirit evinced by the officers and men
whom I have the honor to command.
For the efficient services of
himself and his command I am greatly indebted to First Lieutenant John J. Rider,
Company K, Thirty-second Regiment Illinois Volunteers.
I regret to have to report the
following casualties, viz: James Sullivan (seaman), killed; Patrick Sullivan
(seaman), missing; Thomas M. Borland (seaman), missing; John Hines (corporal),
Company K, Thirty-second Regiment Illinois Volunteers.
James Sullivan was seen to fall
upon the field, shot through the breast.
During the action there were
expended 45 8-inch shell, 25 6-inch shell, and 16 stand of grape.
Two rifles and one musket are
missing; they are those taken by the unfortunate men whom we have lost.
I have the honor to be, sir, your
most obedient servant,
JAMES
W. SHIRK,
Lieutenant, Commanding.
Flag-Officer A. H. FOOTE,
Comdg. U. S. Naval Forces, Western Waters,
Cairo, Ill.
Report of Flag-Officer Foote, U. S.
Navy, transmitting additional information.
CAIRO,
March 6, 1862.
SIR: I have the honor to forward a
report just received from Lieutenant Commanding Gwin, of the Tyler,
communicating important information, which, with a telegram just received
from General Grant, commanding at Fort Henry, stating that the rebels were
fortifying Savannah, on the Tennessee River, and calling for an additional
gunboat, has been communicated to General Halleck. I shall probably send an
additional gunboat, making three boats on that river.
The Assistant Secretary of War is
now in my office and is informed of the state of things, and we shall be able to
meet the demands, I trust, by having a force at hand sufficient to prevent any
fortifications being erected on the Tennessee as far up as the stage of water
will permit the gunboats to ascend the river.
I have the honor to be, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
A.
H. FOOTE,
Flag-Officer.
Hon.
GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.
[
Enclosure. ]
U.
S. GUNBOAT TYLER,
Cairo, Ill., March 5, 1862.
SIR: I have returned from up the
Tennessee, having left Pittsburg (the place of our late engagement) last night.
The enemy has not renewed his attempt to fortify. I watched the point closely,
and yesterday landed under flag of truce, which was allowed to go a mile from
the river before being stopped by their pickets. No sign of a renewed attempt
could be discovered.
In my report of the engagement. I
stated that I felt confident the enemy had suffered severely. I can now report
that on the morning after the engagement (Sunday), 9 dead bodies and 100
wounded, many of them mortally, were counted in their camp, which had been
removed the evening of the engagement 3 miles back from the river. Some tents,
where they were-carrying badly wounded men they would not allow anyone to visit,
they were still bringing in wounded. There is no doubt of the correctness of the
above.
It was reported that they buried 15
the evening of the engagement. I think I can safely put their loss down at 20
killed and 100 wounded.
Their force, engaged on that day,
was 1,000 infantry (Louisiana), 500 cavalry (Mississippi), besides a battery of
six pieces of field artillery. Two guns, 32-pounders, were on the ground, but
not mounted.
I have reliable information that
the enemy have now at Corinth. Miss., 18 miles from the Tennessee River
(Pittsburg), junction of Mobile and Ohio and Memphis and Charleston railroads,
15,000 to 20,000 troops.
At Henderson Station, 18 miles from
Coffee Landing, Tennessee River, and 35 miles by railroad from Corinth, some
10,000 or 12,000, bodies of troops arriving every day, mostly from Columbus, and
some from Louisiana.
At Bear Creek Bridge, 7 miles back
of Eastport, Miss., they have from 8,000 to 10,000, and are fortifying.
At Chickasaw, Ala., I understand,
they are erecting heavy batteries. This last not very reliable.
Information received last night
near Savannah, Tenn., from a reliable source indicates that General [A. Sidney]
Johnston, with all his force, is falling back from Murfreesboro to Decatur,
Ala., the place where the Memphis and Charleston Railroad crosses the Tennessee
River and the junction of the railroad leading from Nashville to that place,
showing that they are preparing to send large reinforcements to Bear Creek.
The result of the recent elections
in Hardin and McNairy counties, South Tennessee, will prove to you that the
Union sentiment is very strong throughout that section of the State.
The former gave 500 majority for
the Union candidate out of a poll of 1,000 votes; the latter gave 200 majority
Union out of a poll of 1,800 votes.
The constant cry from them to me
is, "Send us arms and a sufficient force to protect us in organizing and we
will drive the secessionists out of Tennessee ourselves."
I enlisted a few more men. Captain
Phillips recruited several for his company.
I have captured J. B. Kendrick, of
Captain [B. A.] Fitzgerald's company of Tennessee volunteers, who represents
himself as a colonel of militia of the State of Tennessee, and Clay Kendrick,
private in Captain Fitzgerald's company, Colonel Crews's regiment, Tennessee
volunteers.
Very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
WM.
GWIN,
Lieutenant, Comdg. Division of Gunboats on
Tennessee River.
Flag-Officer A. H. FOOTE,
U. S. Navy,
Commanding Naval Forces on Western Waters.