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| General Braxton Bragg |
THREE MILES ON ROAD FROM MICKEY'S TO CORINTH, April 8, 1862-7.30 a. m.
MY DEAR GENERAL:
Our condition is horrible. Troops utterly disorganized and demoralized. Road almost impassable. No provisions and no forage; consequently everything is feeble. Straggling parties may get in to-night. Those in rear will suffer much. The rear guard, Breckinridge commanding, is left at Mickey's in charge of wounded, &c. The enemy, up to daylight, had not pursued. Have ordered Breckinridge to hold on till pressed by the enemy, but he will suffer for want of food. Can any fresh troops, with five days' rations, be sent to his relief?
It is most lamentable to see the state of affairs, but I am powerless and almost exhausted.
Our artillery is being left all along the road by its officers; indeed I find but few officers with their men.
Relief of some kind is necessary, but how it is to reach us I can hardly suggest, as no human power of animal power could carry empty wagons over this road with such teams as we have.
Yours, most truly,
BRAXTON BRAGG.
Official Records, Series I., Vol. 10, Part 2, Page 399.
In general the armies of the West were much less regimented to military routine than those in the east, where standing militias had at least given civilians some familiarity with drill. It could also be argued that westerners were more independent minded and less likely to adapt to military discipline. But a simpler explanation for what Bragg describes in this letter is that the Confederate armies at Shiloh had been assembled on the fly over a short period before the battle. Lacking cohesion, having advanced over difficult roads at long distances with no suitable defensive lines to fall back on, it is a wonder Beuregard's army did not simply melt away. Fortunately for them, Grant's army possessed similar characteristics.
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