Many
pictures posted from Shiloh
event, 2007.
Click
HERE
Shiloh
Report on Shiloh from Captain Daniel
Keith:
For reasons that only the rank
above me understands the 1st
MO Battalion was under
the command of Col Robbie
Sanders for the tactical on
Friday and Saturday. Col
Sanders is a very able commander
and he served his troops well.
Friday started out somewhat
daunting for me. The 9th
Texas fell in with us and
I was Captain for both Friday
and Saturday. We were happy to
have those fine men with us. We
drilled around 08:30 hours until
09:00 hours. Good thing too. We
were asked to do everything we
practiced that morning with the
exception of forming a skirmish
line and where told we would be
doing that. We were also put in
as the number 1 company. My
first time as captain and my
company is leading the
battalion.
King’s battalion was in front of
us along with the
Texas Rangers Cav and
they engaged the enemy before we
did. The farther we marched the
louder the sounds of battle
grew. We were finally inserted
into the battle and formed a
battle line right in front
vines, thicket, briars, & tree
limbs, when the command of
“Forward, March” rang out. We
fought through that and went
through a creek and engaged the
enemy. It was only a taste of
what was to come for the next
two days. Col Sanders likes to
flank the enemy and we went
through briars, bogs, creeks, up
hills, and over or around all
obstacles to get to that end. I
once stepped in mud so deep I
thought was going to lose my
shoe.
Finally, we came across nice
bottom land with a creek we
where camping for the night. To
our right on top of a HUGE,
STEEP hill was the enemy. I
thought to myself. If feel sorry
for the idiots that have to go
up that hill. Then I hear the
Col say “Major take the 1st
Company set up a picket line
half way up that hill.” So up
the hill we go like idiot
mountain goats. To our front was
the Union army. To our rear was
a 15 foot drop off. Luckily, the
Yanks where as tired as we where
and not much fighting was done.
When we get relieved, I find out
that we are not camping in the
nice picnic type area but
instead we are going to the left
and fight our way up a road to
the top of the hill across a
wheat field and then retreat
back into the woods.
We start up the hill on the road
behind King’s battalion. King’s
men engage. Col Sanders sees a
way for us to flank the yanks
through more vines, brush,
thorns and the like. He asks
General King to allow him deploy
on the left into the thicket.
General King says something to
the effect of “If you want to
fight through all that.” So Col
Sanders immediately deploys us
through woods again and forward
march we go. I am not sure but I
think General King was shaking
his head as we deployed.
We fight our way through the
stuff and finally made it
through a clearing of the wheat
field. We push the Yanks across
the wheat field then retreat
back into the woods for the
evening. It was a hard fight but
very rewarding and somewhat
painful. We setup camp and
posted pickets.
Our picket duty was from 21:30
hours to 23:30 hours. I took the
9th Texas boys out to
duty at 21:30 hours. We had a
little dust up with a few
Federals in a pitch dark battle.
That was interesting for sure. I
went back to camp and got the 4th
MO boys and brought them
out. We had a little bigger dust
up. At the end of our shift the
relief company combined with us
and we make one major volley and
the Yanks had had enough and
went back to camp. The Yanks
were a fun group to josh around
with. We both taunted each other
with good humor.
The next morning I was very sore
and cold. We drilled some more,
to make sure we felt comfortable
with the commands. Because today
not only were we the first
company of battalion we where
the first company of the
brigade.
Again the Cav engage first. To
there credit they were
dismounted when fighting with
the enemy. We fight along a hill
and long a road for about an
hour. The Col always trying to
flank those blue bellies.
To their credit the Yanks fought
well and they to be just as
tired if not more so than we
where. My hat is off to them.
At on point we were to the left
of road with a steep incline.
The Yanks had barricaded
themselves up well and a high
position. On our left was a
creek with a 5 foot drop off. To
our right the rest of the
battalion and King’s battalion.
Another two companies deploy
beyond the creek. We stood there
and fired on the enemy for
awhile and quickly realized when
somewhat alone in the open don’t
have your entire company unload
at once. You are very
vulnerable. Then comes the
command to go forward. We march
straight up a steep incline to
the road. I told the men to help
the man behind you. Everyone did
that but they all forgot me. 1st
company marched up the road as I
was still scrapping and clawing
my way up. It was funny.
At the top of the hill 1st
company is again deployed to the
left in a flanking movement.
This time when do flank them we
have two companies turn and face
us and start firing on us. I can
move more to the left but I am
already 50 yards from the
battalion and I only have 12
guys. I decide to stay and wait
for help. I wasn’t going to be
captured on my first outing as
captain.
Finally the whole battalion is
deployed on the road by company
and we start rolling thunder. It
knocks those Yanks way back.
We then march to this HUGE
cotton field. I mean HUGE. Our
brigade deploys and engages two
different battalions and Cav. We
also have a whole other brigade
to our right just waiting to eat
us alive. On several occasions
the Yanks could have rolled us
up like a bed roll. Either they
are inept or they chose to
strictly follow scenario and
allowed us to push them across
the field. I think they were
being nice and just following
the scenario.
I think they should have tried
to capture us and then release
so we could get in the 2:00
hours fight.
We rested for 30 minutes and
move to our main fight, The
Hornet’s nest. We march our way
toward the noise of the crowd.
We form up with a tree line to
our front. Of course the tree
line had thorns and thistles all
in it. Forward we march. We
fight the Yanks in our front and
our right. They slowly work
there way back to the hornet’s
nest. We come up on another tree
line. Straight through that
again with the thorns and
thistles and a huge ditch. Now
we are in front of the crowd and
we Yanks retreating every where.
This is when it gets intense
again. We are on the far right
of the battle line and I can
almost reach and grab the Yanks
as they retreat/fight. The Col
stops right in briar patch. That
is not too bad considering what
we had been through. It was just
a minor unconvinced until he
started demanding hits. We said
“No”. He marched us forward and
the hits just kept on coming. We
push forward. Then those
dastardly Yanks bring around a
mountain howitzer. We are told
to retreat back into the ditch.
We get to the ditch and decide
we have had enough of thorns and
thistles and stop in front. The
Col is told by General King to
take a company and capture that
howitzer. He did, but when he
charged the whole battalion
charged. I tried to stop the men
but it was useless. Everyone’s
blood was up. We take the cannon
and get in some unscripted hand
to hand combat. We finally
retire from the field. We are to
form up behind the tree line.
Since, I was the lead captain
and very tired of the briars I
took the road.
We watched the rest of the
battle. It was an amazing feat
to behold. All those
confederates descending on the
hornet’s nest front. It was
cool. One of the coolest things
I have seen in a long time.
The night fire of the cannons
was fine and the dance was fine,
but nothing could have been
better the previous two days of
fighting.
Sunday morning was pretty lazy.
Everyone was too tired to drill.
We had church services. Captain
Brian Cox took over as
captain of the company did a
very fine job. I fell in as a
private to add fire power to our
company. We form as a battalion
and only march a short distance
to get into the fight. Once in
everything happened quickly. We
marched up to the enemy and shot
point blank at into there flank,
yet somehow they still deployed.
We are quickly moved to the rear
and with a huge battle line
press the enemy one more time.
We got close we started firing
hot and heavy. Then we started
taking some hits. The two
cannons blast us and three
quarters of the battalion go
down. The rest of us withdrew. I
as a private am sent forward to
recover some of the wounded. We
fight on for a little ways and
then retreated.
It wasn’t much of a fight but I
was happy with that. I and the
rest of the group were extremely
tired. A short fight was fine by
me.
This is one of those to be
remembered.
WOW! That’s all I can say is
WOW! It was a great event.
Shiloh ‘07 is one we will tell
about for a long time. It was
hard. It was cold. It was fun.
It was rewarding.
This one ranks way up there in
fun. One of the best ones I have
been on.
-
Hard fighting Yankees
-
The tactical
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Good company
-
Night picket duty
-
Asked to perform almost
everything we drilled.
-
Cool days to fight in.
-
The food.
-
Everyone pitching in.
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The cold.
-
Not getting to form a skirmish
line.
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The cotton field battle.
-
Very cold.
-
My hair when my hat is off. Ask
Greg.
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Guys in the battalion yelling at
me for marching too fast. I am
fat and old. If you can’t keep
up with me then join the Girl
Scouts
The above was with courtesy from
Daniel Keith.
