From low ebb to loud huzzahs: The 12th Illinois at Shiloh

The 12th Illinois fell into line at Shiloh morning of Sunday April 6, 1862, attired in gray jackets with spirits at “very low ebb” as one soldier remembered. The sounds of battle thundered in the dim distance and the Illinoisans fell into line led by a “superannuated and inexperienced captain” in “gloomy silence.”

          The cause of the gloom had to do with the fact that both their regimental commander Augustus Chetlain and their brigade commander (and former regimental commander) General John McArthur were under arrest. The prospects of going into combat under an inexperienced leader proved disheartening, but within moments all that would change.

          First came the order for the men to take off their old gray jackets and throw them in a pile along the road, to be replaced by black frock coats. Then General McArthur and Colonel Chetlain rode in amongst the men. “12th, I am permitted to lead ye once more,” bellowed General McArthur in his “broadest Scotch. This seemed too much, the boys could not contain their feelings, but shouts and cheers and loud huzzahs rent the air,” Private John McLaughlin remembered. 

          With spirits restored, the 12th Illinois marched south towards the Federal left where the regiment would lose a third of its numbers in the coming days. Private McLaughlin's account of Shiloh originally appeared in the April 17, 1862, edition of the Chicago Tribune. 

 

In this early war image, an unidentified member of the 12th Illinois strikes a Napoleonic post in front of the Benton Barracks, Missouri, backdrop. Many in the 12th Illinois wore the distinctive Tam-O-Shanter caps in honor of their Scottish heritage. The regiment served extensively throughout the western theater, fighting at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, the Atlanta campaign, and the marches to the sea and through the Carolinas. 

Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee

April 9, 1862

 

          At the time of the attack on Sunday morning, General John McArthur together with the brave and dauntless Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Chetlain were under arrest, the latter sick abed. With no one to lead save a superannuated and inexperienced captain and still uniformed in the condemned gray clothing, you may be assured that our spirits were at a very low ebb. We were marched to a vacant lot, however, in gloomy silence and then ordered to lay aside our gray jackets.

This order was scarcely obeyed before our eyes were gladdened and our hearts made to beat high at seeing General McArthur in our midst. When he sang out in his broadest Scotch “12th, I am permitted to lead ye once more,” such a cheer as was offered up from our regiment of little more than 300 men was terrific. Like misfortunes, it seems that our good luck was not to come in single for in an instant here came Colonel Chetlain. This seemed too much, the boys could not contain their feelings, but shouts and cheers and loud huzzahs rent the air. [General McArthur has been under arrest since March 28th for granting excessive furloughs contrary to orders.]

General John McArthur

Our quartermaster soon had us invested in black frock coats and with lightened hearts we marched on, confident of our victory. We soon engaged a full regiment of the enemy. The bullets flew like rain, our comrades dropped on all sides, dead and wounded. For more than half an hour there we stood and pelted away at the half-concealed Rebels. At length, they seemed to give way and with a cheer peculiar to the 12th Illinois (by the count), we rushed upon the retreating foe. They soon rallied as we were out of ammunition; however, it wasn’t long until we were in again after filling our cartridge boxes. [The 12th Illinois went into action near the Federal left, fighting near the Peach Orchard.]

Again, we met the enemy, but after desperately fighting and with a loss of nearly 40 killed and 100 wounded, together with General McArthur and with Colonel Chetlain injured by a fall from his horse, our Spartan band was driven back. Inch by inch the ground was contested and not until some eight hours of exposure did we return to our camp. General McArthur and Colonel Chetlain were both removed to the boats for medical attention and we were again left to the tender mercies of an inexperienced commander. [General McArthur sustained a painful wound in his foot while Lieutenant Colonel Chetlain became too ill to continue in command. The “inexperienced commander” McLaughlin complains about was Captain James R. Huginin of Co. K who led the regiment for the remainder of the battle.]

On Monday morning when the ball was opened, we were again drawn up in line of battle and during that long and bloody day we were more or less engaged. But when the enemy retreated and we were left on the victorious field, the saddest work was still to be done. Our dead comrades were gathered up and removed to our camp where they were decently buried, the burial service being attended to by our worthy chaplain Parson Grant. Our company (D) of 32 men lost six killed and eight wounded.

~ Private John W. McLaughlin, Co. D, 12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

 

Lieutenant Colonel Augustus L. Chetlain, 12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

Report of Lieut. Col. Augustus L. Chetlain, 12th Illinois Infantry

Hdqrs. 12th Illinois Infantry Volunteers,

Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., April 10, 1862

Lieutenant,

I respectfully submit the following report of the part the 12th Illinois Infantry Volunteers took in the battle at this place on the 6th instant:

At 8 o’clock on the morning of Sunday, the 6th instant, after the engagement had become general all along the left and center of our lines, my regiment, with the balance of the Second Brigade, was ordered from the right to the extreme left of our lines, to support the troops in that part of the field. I arose from a sick bed and took command of my regiment, with Captain Hugunin, Company K, and Captain Ferris, Company I, acting, respectively, as lieutenant colonel and major. By order of General McArthur, commanding the brigade, I took a position in line of battle in a ravine, with the 9th Illinois Infantry on my right and the 50th Illinois Infantry on my left.

Soon after getting into line the enemy opened a brisk tire upon me with musketry and artillery from the top of a hill in front. My right suffered severely. I did not open fire at once, not knowing whether the troops at my front and left were the enemy or not. At this time my horse, receiving a shot through the body, threw me, bruising my face and breast badly. Not being able to procure another horse, I was obliged, though quite feeble, to command on foot. The ground I occupied being clearly unfavorable for my men, who could not return the enemy’s tire with effect, I determined to fall back some 75 yards, in line with the regiments at my right and left. The movement was affected in good order. Just before leaving this position Captain Ferris, Company I, was shot through the body; Captain Swain, Company H, through the side; Lieutenant Randolph, who remained on the ground with Captain Ferris, was taken prisoner, and Lieutenant Cook was wounded.

My new position was more favorable than the other. I at once deployed Company K, Lieutenant Waite, as skirmishers. I held this ground about 40 minutes, during which time I lost many men and several officers. Lieutenant Seaman, Company C, was killed; Lieutenant MacLean, Company A, was wounded; also, Lieutenants Watkins, Company G, and Waite, Company K. Not being able to affect much from this position and seeing that the 50th Illinois Infantry at my left had retired, I ordered my command back some 50 paces, to ground immediately on the top of the ridge. As soon as the enemy came within range of my muskets my men did fine execution, pouring volley after volley into his ranks. I held this position until compelled to leave it by a superior force. During the whole of this engagement, we were not assisted by any artillery.

Unidentified soldier of the 12th Illinois wearing an overcoat with a distinctive Tam-O-Shanter cap often worn by members of the 12th Illinois. 

Another position, some 300 yards to the rear, was selected and held by my regiment alone for nearly one hour. I sent out, while holding this position, Company F, Captain Campbell, and Company I, Lieutenant Mills, to my right and front as skirmishers. Finding that the left wing of our forces was driven in, and that the engagement was confined to our center, I retired to another part of the field, and took a position enabling me to support a battery of light artillery. Soon after—it being then about 4.30 o’clock p. m.—I received orders to return to my camp. Sick and completely exhausted, I was taken on board the steamer Laton, where I remained two days, unable to leave my bed.

My men, with very few exceptions, acted with coolness and bravery during the whole engagement, although exposed to a severe and destructive fire, when unable to return it with effect. My officers acquitted themselves honorably.

It is exceedingly difficult to discriminate when all have done so well. I will, however, mention the names of Captain Hugunin, Company K, Captain Ferris, Company I, Captain Swain, Company H, Captain Campbell, Company F, Captain Fisher, Company A, Captain Stephenson, Company B, and Captain Van Sellar, Company E, as having particularly distinguished themselves for coolness and bravery in action.

I am under obligations to my aide-de-camp, Lieutenant McArthur, acting adjutant, for valuable services rendered on the field.

I regret that circumstances should have placed my command during a great part of the time in a position where it was exposed to a destructive fire from the enemy without being able to return it with equal effect.

Herewith I send you the report of Captain Hugunin, who had command of the regiment when in action on Monday, the 7th instant.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. L. CHETLAIN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. 12th Regiment III. Infantry.

Lieut. Geo. L. Paddock,

A. A. A. O., Second Brig., Second Division District West Tenn.

Sources:

Letter from Private John W. McLaughlin, Co. D, 12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Chicago Tribune (Illinois), April 17, 1862, pg. 6

Official report of Lieutenant Colonel Augustus L. Chetlain, 12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, O.R.

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