Poor Morton Lived Three Hours: The 78th Ohio at Shiloh

The 78th Ohio, part of General Lew Wallace's division, was engaged throughout the second day of the Battle of Shiloh, but had the good fortune to lose only one man killed and nine men wounded. The death of the one man, however, haunted the survivors.

    The soldier was Private James A. Morton of Co. C, and his death could be laid at the feet of curiosity overcoming good judgement. The regiment lay prone while under artillery fire but Morton, in battle for the first time, wanted to get a better view of the action. He would pay for that decision with his life. 

    "About noon, we found we were within 200 yards of a Rebel battery and the colonel told us to lie down and well he did so for of all the horrible firing of shell, grape, and canister, those hell hounds opened on us beat all," remembered Private James Bellinger. "Pretty soon I heard someone sing out 'Jim! Jim Morton's hurt!' I jumped up and called Darius who was just on my right as the balls were whistling and humming round my head. We picked poor Morton up, his entire back was torn off by a piece of shell. We put him in a blanket and carried him to the rear to the doctor. The doctor shook his head but proceeded to dress the wound. Poor Morton lived three hours then died. The boys buried him next morning." 

    Private Bellinger's account of Morton's demise first appeared in the April 21, 1862, edition of the Zanesville Daily Courier. I've supplemented his account with a few quotes from other members of the regiment. 

    

Gravestone of Private James A. Morton, Co. C, 78th Ohio who was mortally wounded April 7, 1862, when a shell ripped across his back. He was the only man in the 78th Ohio who lost his life at Shiloh. 

    Our regiment was at Adamsville when news reached us at noon on Sunday. We were at once ordered to strike tents and leave for the scene of battle. We marched 12 miles through woods and swamps until we came to a halt near the camp of the 81st Ohio and found we were within 500 yards of the Rebels. It was then 8 or 9 o’clock in the evening. We heard cannon firing all day Sunday on the march and found out that the Rebels had attacked our camps on the extreme right and had driven our men back all day long through their camps.

          We lay down in a cotton field. It rained very hard nearly all night but cleared off again towards daylight. We heard firing commence on the right and pretty soon a bombshell dropped right in front of us and exploded. The orders then came to drop our knapsacks and overcoats and fall in line. The musicians had orders to report themselves to the surgeon to being off the wounded. The command then was “right face, forward march” and off we went. We formed in line in a hollow and the cannon fired on our left as spiteful as you please.

          Pretty soon we heard cheering and we were then ordered to move forward and kept on until 9 o’clock, halting and going by the right flank all the time. About 9 o’clock we first got a glimpse of the Rebels and the center of the line of battle and I tell you the shot and shell flew pretty thick all over and around us wherever we went till 4 o’clock in the afternoon.

“Early in the morning we were ordered into line of battle with Colonel Leggett, Lieutenant Colonel Carnahan, and Major Munson in command. We started off on the double quick as the cannonading and musketry had commenced. We went through swamps up to our knees in mud, through bushes, over hills, and through valleys. Part of the time we were in the rear of a battery supporting it and at other times were surrounding the Rebels and ready for a charge. When the Rebels opened fire on our battery, we were ordered to lie flat to the ground. I tell you, it was a hot time with shells bursting all around us.” ~ Private Thomas W. Dutro, Co. D, 78th O.V.I.

 

          About noon, we found we were within 200 yards of a Rebel battery and the colonel told us to lie down and well he did so for of all the horrible firing of shell, grape, and canister, those hell hounds opened on us beat all! Pretty soon I heard someone sing out Jim! Jim Morton’s hurt! I jumped up and called Darius who was just on my right as the balls were whistling and humming round my head. We picked poor Morton up, his entire back was torn off by a piece of shell. We put him in a blanket and carried him to the rear to the doctor. The doctor shook his head but proceeded to dress the wound. Darius and I were then ordered back to our line with a stretcher but thank God, we had no more in our company hurt.

“The poor boy who was slain lost his life by not strictly obeying the commands of Colonel Leggett who ordered the men to lie flat on the ground. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he elevated himself a little on one elbow in order to see the cannons and instantly had his back torn away by a shell.” ~ Chaplain Oliphant M. Todd, 78th O.V.I.

          Poor Morton lived three hours then died. The boys buried him next morning. While we were carrying Morton down the hill to the doctor, we met our battery of artillery coming up. I tell you it was a joyful sight to me. They galloped past our regiment, unlimbered, and opened such an awful, hissing, hot, and deadly fire on that Rebel battery that they pretty soon skedaddled out of sight.

“Morton was a brave man and a manly soldier, always faithful in the discharge of duty and died at his post in the front rank where he was torn to pieces by a cannon ball.” ~ Colonel Mortimer D. Leggett, 78th O.V.I.

We chased them 3 miles and seeing nothing more of them, we countermarched to this place where we have been staying outdoors ever since, not a tent to lie in, nor a regular meal to eat only what we can steal or shoot. But we now have enough to eat and plenty of it. The place where we now are is the very spot where the Rebels formed their line when they attacked this place.

          Now let us look back and see what we have done. We marched 12 miles on Sunday, no supper, laid out in the rain all Sunday night. Monday morning, no breakfast and fought all day and whipped them but no supper again. Laid out in the rain all Monday night and Tuesday we raised some pork to fry. Laid out in the rain all Tuesday night, laid out all Wednesday night, very cool, but thank God no rain, but in wet blankets. Today the sun has been shining bright and our blankets are dry and we can lie out tonight quite comfortable. I feel first rate and as hungry as possible.

Sources:

Letter from Private James Bellinger, Co. C, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Zanesville Daily Courier (Ohio), April 21, 1862, pg. 2

Letter from Private Thomas W. Dutro, Co. D, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Zanesville Daily Courier (Ohio), April 21, 1862, pg. 2

Letter from Colonel Mortimer D. Leggett, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Zanesville Daily Courier (Ohio), April 16, 1862, pg. 2

Letter from Chaplain Oliphant M. Todd, 78th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Zanesville Daily Courier (Ohio), April 26, 1862, pg. 2

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