On Friday, at eight P.M., we commenced to move toward Shiloh, in
silence, and with great circumspection, the army on different, but
converging roads. We made eight miles, and reached Monterey, a
little more than seven miles from Shiloh, at five o'clock on
Saturday morning. Here the different divisions formed a junction,
and marched forward prepared for action, though not immediately
expecting it. We proceeded with extreme caution until within three
and a half miles of Grant's pickets, and until our scouts had
determined their situation. We could get no nearer without bringing
on an engagement; and as General Beauregard had great confidence
that the reinforcements would arrive by morning, the afternoon of
Saturday was spent in making all necessary disposition of the forces
for an early and combined attack on Sunday morning.

While it is no part of my duty, in this narrative, to criticise
military movements, and especially those of the Union forces, I may
state that the total absence of cavalry pickets from General Grant's
army was a matter of perfect amazement to the Rebel officers. There
were absolutely none on Grant's left, where General Breckenridge's
division was meeting him, so that we were able to come up within
hearing of their drums entirely unperceived.

The Southern generals always kept cavalry pickets out for miles,
even when no enemy was supposed to be within a day's march of them.
The infantry pickets of Grant's forces were not above three-fourths
of a mile from his advance camps, and they were too few to make any
resistance. With these facts all made known to our head-quarters on
Saturday evening, our army was arranged for battle with the
certainty of a surprise, and almost the assurance of a victory.