Ruggles, Daniel (1810-1897) [General Ruggles' official report on the Battle of Shiloh]

Head Quarters, Ruggles Division
2nd Corps A. M. Corinth, Miss, April 25, 1862

Major G. G. GARNER,
Asst. Adjt. General.

Sir.
I have the honor to submit the following report of the services of my division at the battle of Shiloh, Tenn., on the 6th and 7th instant:
On Sunday morning, the 6th instant, at daybreak, the three brigades composing my division occupied the position in line of battle in double column at half distance, which had been, under the orders of the previous day, indicated, extending from the Bark road on the right toward Owl Creek on the left, a distance of some 2 miles. Major-General Hardee's advance, extending from the Bark road a short distance toward my left, constituted the first line.
About sunrise I sent orders to the commanders of brigades to advance with deploying intervals, taking the First as the brigade of direction.
Soon afterward, receiving orders from Major-General Bragg, I directed Col. R. L. Gibson's First Brigade to march by the right flank across the Bark road and then advance in support of the first line, as previously ordered. I then made dispositions as rapidly as possible to insure conformity on the part of the other brigades of my division with this change of plan. The commander of the Third Brigade, Col. Preston Pond, had been already directed to throw one regiment of infantry and a section of Captain Ketchum's guns into position on the Owl Creek road and prevent the enemy turning our left flank. Four companies of cavalry, under Capts. T. F. Jenkins, commanding, A. Tomlinson, J. J. Cox, and J. Robins, covered our right and left flank.
Returning from a rapid supervision along the line, when approaching the Bark road the enemy opened fire from point to point in rapid succession, driving back some troops of the first line. The Washington Artillery, under Captain Hodgson, was then brought forward, and two howitzers and two rifled guns, commanded by Lieutenant Slocomb, with two guns under Captain Shoup, were put in position on the crest of a ridge near an almost impenetrable boggy thicket ranging along our front, and opened a destructive fire in response to the enemy's batteries, then sweeping our lines at short range. I also sent orders to Brigadier-General Anderson to advance rapidly with his Second Brigade, and as soon as he came up I directed a charge against the enemy, in which some of the Sixth Mississippi and Second Tennessee joined. At the same time I directed other troops to move rapidly by the right to turn the enemy's position beyond the swamp and that the field artillery follow as soon as masked by the movement of the infantry. Under these movements, vigorously executed, after a spirited contest, the enemy's whole line gave way, and our advance took possession of the camp and batteries against which the charge was made.
I then sent orders to Colonel Pond to advance rapidly the Third Brigade, swinging to the right, meeting the development of the enemy's line of fire, sweeping the camps on the left, and to prevent surprise on his left flank.
Subsequently I sent orders to Colonel Looney's (Thirty-eighth Tennessee) regiment and the section of Ketchum's battery, then on the Owl Creek road, to conform to these movements.
In the mean time the First Brigade (Gibson's) united with Brigadier-General Hindman's advance, after having driven the enemy from their camp on our right, engaged in repeated charges against the enemy's new line, now held on the margin of an open field swept by his fire.
The enemy's camps on our left being apparently cleared I endeavored to concentrate forces on his right flank in this new position, and directed Captain Hodgson's battery into action there. The fire of this battery and a charge from the Second Brigade put the enemy to flight. Even after having been driven back from this position the enemy rallied and disputed the ground with remarkable tenacity for some two or three hours against our forces in front and his right flank, where cavalry, infantry, and artillery mingled in the conflict.
As the enemy finally gave way I directed the movement of the Second Brigade toward the right along the crest of the ridge following the line of the enemy's continued resistance, and sent a section of Ketchum's battery into action on a road leading toward Pittsburg, in a position overlooking the broken slope below, to reply to batteries nearly in front and in the forest to the right, with which the enemy swept a large circuit around; sending also Colonel Smith's (Louisiana Crescent)regiment, Third Brigade, to support this battery, then harassed by skirmishers, and to seize the opportunity to charge the enemy's position. I then put a section of guns, commanded by First Lieut. James C. Thrall, belonging to Capt. George T. Hubbard's (Arkansas) battery, in position on the road reading along the ridge, still farther to the right, which was soon forced to retire under the concentrated fire of the enemy's artillery'.
Discovering the enemy in considerable numbers moving through the forest on the lower margin of the open field in front, I obtained Trabue's and Stanford's light batteries and brought them into action, and directed their fire on masses of the enemy then pressing forward toward our right, engaged in a fierce contest with our forces then advancing against him in that direction. I directed my staff officers at the same time to bring forward all the field guns they could collect from the left toward the right as rapidly as possible, resulting in the concentration of the following batteries, commencing on the right and extending to the left:
1st, Captain Trabue's Kentucky ; 2d, Captain Burns' Mississippi ; 3d, First Lieutenant Thrall's section of Captain Hubbard's Arkansas; 4th, Captain Swett's Mississippi; 5th, Captain Trigg's, and 6th, Captain Roberts' Arkansas; 7th, Captain Rutledge's; 8th, Captain Robertson's (12-pounder Napoleon guns) Alabama; 9th, Captain Stanford's Mississippi; 10th, Captain Bankhead's Tennessee; 11th, Captain Hodgson's Washington Artillery, of Louisiana, extending in succession to the left, toward the position already designated as occupied by Captain Ketchum's (Alabama) battery.
For a brief period the enemy apparently gained ground, and when the conflict was at its height these batteries opened upon his concentrated forces, enfilading Prentiss' division on his right flank, producing immediate commotion, and soon resulted in the precipitate retreat of the enemy from the contest.
At this moment the Second Brigade and the Crescent Regiment pressed forward and cut off a considerable portion of the enemy, comprising Prentiss' division, who surrendered to the Crescent Regiment, of my command, then pressing upon its rear.
Subsequently, while advancing toward the river, I received instructions from General Bragg to carry forward all the troops I could find, and while assembling a considerable force ready for immediate action I received from Colonel Augustin notice of General Beauregard's orders to withdraw from the further pursuit, and finding soon afterwards that the forces were falling back, I retired with them, just as night set in, to the open field in rear, and as I received no further orders I directed General Anderson and Colonel Gibson to hold their troops in readiness, with their arms cleaned and cartridges supplied, for service the next morning.
For the movement of the Third Brigade during the day, sweeping the left around toward the enemy's center, and the position held during the night, reference is made to the report of Colonel Pond, the brigade commander.
On the morning of the 7th, at about 6 o'clock, a messenger from Colonel Pond gave notice that the enemy were in his front in force, and that he would endeavor to hold him in check until he should receive re-enforcements. My First and Second Brigades moved immediately to the field and joined Colonel Pond in his position.
Some time afterward Colonel Pond's brigade was ordered to the right, and Colonel Gibson's then occupied the left, with a part of which and some two companies of cavalry we made the attempt to charge the enemy's right flank and silence a battery there, in which we only partially succeeded with Colonel Fagan's (First Arkansas) regiment, the exhausted condition of the infantry, and fruitless attempt of the cavalry. We succeeded, however, after having silenced and dislodged the battery, in maintaining a position well advanced upon the enemy's flank, until recalled and moved to the center and left of our line, where the conflict raged most fiercely for some hours, with varying fortune, until on the approach of night our troops were withdrawn from the field. In falling back I commanded the artillery, infantry, and cavalry constituting the second line or rear guard of the movement.
In these successive conflicts, covering a period of nearly two days, the troops of my division displayed almost uniformly great bravery and personal gallantry worthy of veterans in the cause. The regiments were remarkable for their steadiness in action, the maintenance of their organization in the field, and their good conduct generally from the beginning to the end of these battles.
In consequence of the hurried nature of my report I shall not enter into details touching the personal conduct of many officers and men distinguished for their gallantry or the special and signal services of regiments, commending, however, the reports of brigade, regimental, and independent company commanders, in all particulars, to special consideration.
It gives me pleasure to acknowledge the services on the field, promptly and gallantly rendered, of Capt. Roy M. Hooe, assistant adjutant-general, and First Lieut. M. B. Ruggles, aide-de-camp, throughout the successive conflicts; of Lieut. L. D. Sandidge, acting assistant inspector-general, the greater part of both days; of Maj. John Claiborne, chief quartermaster, a part of the first day; of Surg. F. M. Hereford, chief surgeon, slightly wounded, who rendered important services on the field until the wounded required his professional services; of Maj. E. S. Ruggles, volunteer aide-de-camp, until disabled in the left arm by the explosion of a shell near the close of the first day; of Capt. G. M. Beck, volunteer aide-de-camp, and of Col. S.S. Heard (Louisiana Volunteers), who volunteered and rendered important services on the field both days, and of Dr. S.S. Sandidge, who volunteered professionally, and although partially disabled by being thrown against a tree, accompanied me to the end of the contest. Major Hallonquist, chief of artillery, rendered me important services during a part of the second day.
I have to regret the loss of Lieut. Benjamin King, acting assistant adjutant-general, killed during the first day, and of Private Manuel W. Chapman, of the Seventh Regiment Louisiana Volunteers, my secretary, toward the close of the second day, and of Corporal Adam Cloninger and Private John Stalnaker, of Captain Cox's cavalry, who were killed while serving as couriers under my immediate orders.