My Days and Nights on the Battle-Field   By: Charles Carleton Coffin (1823-1896)

BY

CHARLES CARLETON COFFIN,

AUTHOR OF "STORY OF LIBERTY," "BOYS OF '76," "OUR NEW WAY ROUND THE WORLD," "FOLLOWING THE FLAG," "WINNING HIS WAY," ETC.

BOSTON

DANA ESTES AND COMPANY

PUBLISHERS

Copyright , 1887,

BY ESTES AND LAURIAT

[Illustration: "The brigade goes down the road upon the run."]

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY. PAGE

TO THE YOUTH OF THE UNITED STATES. 1 Chap. I. HOW THE REBELLION CAME ABOUT 3 II. THE GATHERING OF A GREAT ARMY 22 III. THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN 37 IV. THE CAPTURE OF FORT HENRY 65 V. THE CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON 89 Thursday 98 Friday 104 Saturday 111 VI. THE SURRENDER 132 VII. THE ARMY AT PITTSBURG LANDING 153 VIII. THE BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING From Daybreak till Ten o'clock 171 From Ten o'clock till Four 197 Sunday Evening 205 Monday 210 IX. EVACUATION OF COLUMBUS 229 X. OPERATIONS AT NEW MADRID 237 XI. OPERATIONS AT ISLAND NUMBER TEN 247 XII. FROM FORT PILLOW TO MEMPHIS 281 XIII. THE NAVAL FIGHT AT MEMPHIS 291

LIST OF DIAGRAMS.

PAGE

Bull Run Battle Ground 60 The Fight at Blackburn's Ford 62 The Country around Fort Henry and Fort Donelson 69 Fort Henry 81 Fort Donelson 95 The Attack on McClernand 114 The Second Engagement 123 The Charge of Lauman's Brigade 128 Pittsburg Landing and Vicinity 155 Disposition of Troops at the Beginning of the Battle 173 The Fight at the Ravine 208 A Rebel Torpedo 230 Island No. 10 239 A Mortar 248 The Naval Fight at Memphis 295

MILITARY TERMS.

Abatis. Trees cut down, their branches made sharp, and used to block a road, or placed in front of fortifications.

Advance. Any portion of an army which is in front of the rest.

Aides de camp. Officers selected by general officers to assist them in their military duties.

Ambulances. Carriages for the sick and wounded.

Battery. A battery consists of one or more pieces of artillery. A full battery of field artillery consists of six cannon.

Battalion. A battalion consists of two or more companies, but less than a regiment.

Bombardment. Throwing shot or shells into a fort or earthwork.

Canister. A tin cylinder filled with cast iron shot. When the gun is fired, the cylinder bursts and scatters the shot over a wide surface of ground.

Caisson. An artillery carriage, containing ammunition for immediate use.

Casemate. A covered chamber in fortifications, protected by earth from shot and shells.

Columbiad. A cannon, invented by Colonel Bomford, of very large calibre, used for throwing shot or shells. A ten inch columbiad weighs 15,400 pounds, and is ten and a half feet long.