Sleeping with the Enemy

Sleeping with the enemy

Although Brig. Gen. James A. Garfield's brigade in the Army of the Ohio arrived on the field too late to participate in the fighting at Shiloh, his soldiers spent the night of April 7-8, 1862 huddled at the front in line of battle. One of them was Wilbur F. Hinman, at the time orderly sergeant of Company E, 65th Ohio.
According to Hinman:

A cold rain fell continually. Every thread of our clothing was saturated, and we were chilled to the very marrow. Our teeth chattered, and every muscle quivered as with a Maumee ague. Blankets and overcoats - our own had been left back the previous day - were gathered from the field. They were stripped from the dead, who needed them no longer, to cover and warm the living. Three or four would stand together, or squat upon the muddy ground, throw a blanket soaked with water over their heads, and thus by close contact seek to infuse into each other a little warmth.
General Garfield and Colonel Harker [Charles G. Harker, commander of the 65th Ohio] sat together upon a log, shivering with the cold, with one dripping blanket covering their shoulders. They fared no better than the rest of us, and bore their discomforts bravely and without a murmur. Staff officers and orderlies stood around, all on the alert for any emergency that might arise. It was a night that put patience, patriotism and physical endurance to the severest test.

Capt. Orlow Smith, Company G, 65th Ohio

Later promoted to major, he was wounded at Spring Hill, Tennessee, on November 29, 1864

While all the men were directed to hold themselves in readiness for instant response, part of them at a time were permitted to find such comfort as they could, without standing at arms. Sometime during the night Captain Orlow Smith of Company G, Sixty-fifth, thought he would have a little rest, even if he had to lie down in the mud. [Corporal Ezekiel] "Zeke" Moores, of his company, had been fortunate enough to secure a blanket, and the captain essayed to find him and share it. He poked around in the darkness among the prostrate forms, living and dead, until he was sure he had found the man of whom he was in search. He gently lifted the blanket and crept under and was soon asleep. Two hours before daylight all were aroused to stand in line. Captain Smith tried in vain to awaken "Zeke" and was not a little surprised to find the [corporal] in his place with the company. When the daylight permitted him to investigate the matter he found that he had been sleeping by the side of a dead rebel!

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