McPherson was when we
were met by him and General Rawlins, just as the head of the
column had reached the river road (from Crump's Landing to
Pittsburg Landing) who had come out to urge you to greater
haste. We had to march over the worst road I ever remember to
have seen. In many places it was almost impossible to get
artillery through. In my judgment the entire distance marched by
your command could not have been less than sixteen or seventeen
miles.

The above, General, are the facts relative to the movements of
your command on the day referred to, which fell under my
personal observation. I am, General, very respectively, your
obedient servant,

JAMES R. ROSS,

Late Brev. Lieut. Col. Major. A.D.C.
To MAJOR GENERAL LEW WALLACE
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Indiana.

General Strickland to General Wallace:

HEADQUARTERS FIFTIETH REGIMENT, O.V.I. }
BIG RUN TRESTLE, Ky., June 24, 1863. }

CAPTAIN J.R. Ross, for MAJOR GENERAL LEW WALLACE:

DEAR SIR: In answer to your question as to my recollection of
the circumstances and time of the moving of Major General Lew
Wallace's command to the battle of Shiloh on the sixth of April,
1862, I will submit the following statement:

I was Acting Adjutant General for Colonel John M. Thayer (now
Brigadier General Thayer), he (Colonel Thayer) being in command
of the Second Brigade, General Lew Wallace's Division. On the
morning of the sixth of April (Sunday), 1862, the Brigade
commanded by Colonel Thayer, stationed at "Stony Lonesome," was
in readiness to march at daylight, or before. We were waiting
for orders to move, when Major General Lew Wallace and staff
rode to the headquarters of the brigade, I think between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock; it may have been earlier. General
Wallace ordered everything in readiness to move at a moment's
notice. I received the orders directly from General Wallace. I
assured him that the brigade, upon previous orders from himself
and Colonel Thayer, was ready to move, but went again, in
person, by order of Colonel Thayer, and notified Commanders of
Regiments, Batteries, etc., to be ready at the call from Colonel
Thayer's headquarters, to move. I heard General Wallace
addressing himself to Lieutenant Colonel McCord, commanding the
First Nebraska Regiment, to say, that he had received no