The American Civil War - This Mighty Scourge of War

The fighting 121

Confederates, who fired an enormous volley,
opening the Battle of Pittsburg Landing. To
the Federals' surprise, the Confederates had
struck at dawn. Major-General William T.
Sherman, who had insisted that the enemy
was no closer than Corinth, commanded the
Federals near the church and was forced to
form a line to hold off the Confederate wave.
The Confederates thrust forward throughout
the early morning hours, pushing the
panic-stricken soldiers back toward the river.
Although somewhat oddly formed and badly
intermingled in its deployment, the
Confederate offensive was nonetheless so
successful that by noon thousands of the
disorganized Federals had simply run for
cover, some cowering beneath the river bluff,
others swimming across the river for safety.
Still, most of the Federal troops remained
steadfast and throughout the morning both
sides engaged in a horrific slaughter.

When Grant arrived on the grisly scene it
was about 8.30 am. He pulled stragglers
together to form a defensive line and left
word at Savannah for Buell to get his troops
across the river. In the meantime, Grant had

to hold on. As the Confederates continued to

push the Federals back, they ran into a

stubborn resistance in the center. Brigadier-

General Benjamin Prentiss's division was

located in a densely wooded area with open

fields on both sides and an old sunken

wagon trail in its front that provided an

entrenchment. Grant ordered Prentiss to

hold his position at all costs - an order that

he obeyed throughout the day. Because of

the intensity of the fight in this location,

soldiers later dubbed this portion of the

battlefield the 'Hornet's Nest.'

All day long, Johnston's Confederates

tried in vain to envelop and dislodge the

Federals. Although the Federals were running

low on ammunition, they still repulsed wave

after wave of Confederate assaults. At one

point Johnston himself led one of the

These riverboats provided much needed assistance for

the Union army at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862.

Grant made his headquarters aboard the Tigress, the

middle vessel of the three. It was aboard this steamer

that Buell and Grant met briefly to discuss the strategy

that brought ultimate victory on the second day of the

battle. (Review of Reviews Company)