Shiloh: Powell's Patrol

In the predawn hours of 6 April 1862, a few concerned Federal officers, on their own authority, sent combat patrols to investigate reports of Confederate troops near the Federal army's encampments at Pittsburg Landing. These small patrols provided just enough warning and delay to upset the Confederate plans for surprise.

It was still light on 5 April when James E. Powell of the 25th Missouri saw about a dozen "butternuts" looking through the underbrush at the Saturday review of Benjamin Prentiss's division at Spain Field. Powell had been an NCO in the Mexican War and had been in the Regular Army since. If there were any veterans in Prentiss's division, Powell was one of them.

He reported his sighting to W.H. Graves, the Officer of the Day. Graves had been at Bull Run, and went with Powell to see the division commander. Though generally unimpressed, the general nonetheless sent Powell out at about 4 that afternoon, with two of his 25th Missouri companies, along with David Moore and three companies of the 21st Missouri to perform a general reconnaissance and to reinforce the Federal pickets to the south.

Powell, Moore and their patrols ventured out into the heavy woods. Moore returned somewhat after dark, Powell shortly thereafter. It is likely Moore got lost in the heavy brush, timber and deep ravines in the area, and an exact account of Powell's early patrol does not survive. Moore's report later stated that he went out about three miles, but this seems unlikely. One account had the patrol getting as far as the Bell Cotton Field, where the slaves working there reported a large Confederate cavalry patrol just hours before. Whichever the case, they likely got lost and Moore later fudged his report, for a three mile penetration would certainly have encountered Johnston's forming army.

At about 7 that night Moore reported no enemy activity. Prentiss went to bed with this understanding. Powell, though almost certainly in disagreement, apparently did not share his thoughts.

It was still dark on 6 April when Powell's patrol encountered a picket from one of Sherman's regiments somewhere near the Pittsburgh-Corinth Road. As the patrol moved just beyond it they received fire from some Confederate videttes on horseback, who quickly moved off again.

Powell formed his patrol into a skirmish line and moved south into Fraley Field, which at the time was forty acres of cotton bisected by the west branch of the Shiloh Creek. At about 5 AM the Confederate outpost line fired a volley at Powell's men and withdrew. Powell's men kept moving south until they were within about 200 yards of the Confederate skirmishers of Aaron Hardcastle's Mississippians from S.A.M. Wood's brigade of Hardee's division, where they began a blind exchange of musketry that lasted until just about dawn.

As the sun rose Powell spotted some cavalry working its way around his left flank (they turned out to be mounted scouts looking for an artillery route), but sensing he was in too deep already he had the bugler sound retreat. Casualties of this exchange are hard to pinpoint, but Hardcastle later reported about four dead and some twenty wounded. Powell's have yet to be satisfactorily tabulated.

During the fighting Powell sent back word to his brigade commander Peabody that he was engaging an enemy force and was falling back in good order but was in need of support. Peabody could hear the firing, but thought it was only a skirmish action. Even division commander Prentiss was roused by the shooting and rode to Peabody's camp.

Prentiss dispatched David Moore and five companies of Missourians to Powell's support, and then ordered the brigade pickets into camp. The long roll was sounding in Prentiss' camps before dawn.

At about 6:30, Powell encountered Moore's advance. Livid at Powell's withdrawal from what Moore still thought to be nothing but skirmishers, Powell was relieved and his troops marched south once again. At about 7:00, Moore was ordering a charge across the Seay Cotton Field against an enemy he could not see, but a few minutes later Moore was down with a shattered leg. Powell took command again and ordered his men back towards the division camps.

By the time they arrived Peabody's entire brigade was formed up and Prentiss was forming his division, having sent word to the other division commanders that he seemed to be engaging the enemy in some force. The battle had finally begun.

Everett Peabody, true to his premonition, was killed before 8:00 that morning, trying to rally his shaky troops. James Powell was killed at about 11:00 somewhere near the Sunken Road. But they had alerted Grant's army to the threat, so their sacrifice was not in vain.

At about 8:30 on the evening of 5 April, Gilbert Johnson, who had taken a company of the 12th Michigan out to reinforce the picket lines, returned to camp with reports of bugles and drums. He and Graves went again to Prentiss, but Prentiss only told Johnson to withdraw his company, knowing he had orders not to provoke a fight. They were back in camp by 10.

By this time several of Prentiss' officers were convinced that there was a large Confederate force in the immediate vicinity, and that the division, if not the whole army, should be alerted. They went to see their brigade commander, Everett Peabody.

If anyone in Prentiss' division could have saved Grant's army in the next few hours, it was Peabody, a former railway builder, veteran of the siege at Lexington, MO, and an impressive bull of a man. Peabody was simultaneously convinced of his imminent death and of an immanent attack on the Federal camps around Pittsburg Landing.

Earlier in the evening, he had had a disagreement with Prentiss. Prentiss, like Sherman and Grant, were convinced that the Confederates were miles away, cowering from the oncoming Federal forces. After days of patrol contacts with grayclad units large and small, Peabody wanted to position a battery to protect his exposed brigade. Prentiss said no.

At about 3 on the morning of 6 April Peabody sent Powell and his three companies out on a reconnaissance. His task was to force any Confederate forces they found to deploy, and to hold them in place until the rest of the division could come to his aid.

With Powell were two companies of the 12th Michigan, including Johnson's company. As they disappeared south down the Seay Field Road with dawn three hours away, Peabody bade them goodbye, convinced he would be killed that day.

It was still dark on 6 April when Powell's patrol encountered a picket from one of Sherman's regiments somewhere near the Pittsburgh-Corinth Road. As the patrol moved just beyond it they received fire from some Confederate videttes on horseback, who quickly moved off again.

Powell formed his patrol into a skirmish line and moved south into Fraley Field, which at the time was forty acres of cotton bisected by the west branch of the Shiloh Creek. At about 5 AM the Confederate outpost line fired a volley at Powell's men and withdrew. Powell's men kept moving south until they were within about 200 yards of the Confederate skirmishers of Aaron Hardcastle's Mississippians from S.A.M. Wood's brigade of Hardee's division, where they began a blind exchange of musketry that lasted until just about dawn.

As the sun rose Powell spotted some cavalry working its way around his left flank (they turned out to be mounted scouts looking for an artillery route), but sensing he was in too deep already he had the bugler sound retreat. Casualties of this exchange are hard to pinpoint, but Hardcastle later reported about four dead and some twenty wounded. Powell's have yet to be satisfactorily tabulated.

During the fighting Powell sent back word to his brigade commander Peabody that he was engaging an enemy force and was falling back in good order but was in need of support. Peabody could hear the firing, but thought it was only a skirmish action. Even division commander Prentiss was roused by the shooting and rode to Peabody's camp.

Prentiss dispatched David Moore and five companies of Missourians to Powell's support, and then ordered the brigade pickets into camp. The long roll was sounding in Prentiss' camps before dawn.

At about 6:30, Powell encountered Moore's advance. Livid at Powell's withdrawal from what Moore still thought to be nothing but skirmishers, Powell was relieved and his troops marched south once again. At about 7:00, Moore was ordering a charge across the Seay Cotton Field against an enemy he could not see, but a few minutes later Moore was down with a shattered leg. Powell took command again and ordered his men back towards the division camps.

By the time they arrived Peabody's entire brigade was formed up and Prentiss was forming his division, having sent word to the other division commanders that he seemed to be engaging the enemy in some force. The battle had finally begun.

Everett Peabody, true to his premonition, was killed before 8:00 that morning, trying to rally his shaky troops. James Powell was killed at about 11:00 somewhere near the Sunken Road. But they had alerted Grant's army to the threat, so their sacrifice was not in vain.