Tag Archives: Albert S. Johnston

SHILOH – DAY TWO VICTORY SNATCHED OUT FROM JAWS OF DEFEAT

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Bloody Pond transformed this shallow pond into a scene of hellish horrors.
Bloody Pond transformed this shallow pond into a scene of hellish horrors.

After a long hard Sunday on 6 April 1862 for the Federal Army of the Tennessee, Sherman met with Grant that night. Sherman thought the general would order a retreat across the river to help his wounded army recuperate. He said, “Well, Grant, we’ve had the devil’s own day, haven’t we?”  Grant replied, “Yes, lick ‘em tomorrow, though.”  Game on.  Monday 7 April 1862 – Day Two at Shiloh – was the opposite of the day. Then, the Confederates spent the day attacking Federal positions over a period of twelve hours of constant fighting.  Today, a reinforced Federal side wiped out all of the Rebel gains. They sent Beauregard’s force back to Corinth in defeat – though they did not see it as such.

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SHILOH – ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE AND “THE DEVIL’S OWN DAY”

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General U.S. Grant commanding movements in the woods of Shiloh on Day One.
General U.S. Grant commanding movements in the woods of Shiloh on Day One.

Like the other major Granite Forests – Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Vicksburg -of the American Civil War, the story on the battlefield told through the monuments consists mostly of one told from the side of the Union. Here, the stories unfold about the main Federal force at Shiloh, the men of the Army of the Tennessee commanded by Ulysses S. Grant.

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SHILOH – CONFEDERATE VICTORY ON DAY ONE

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Mortuary upturned cannon denotes the death of Confederate commander General Albert Sidney Johnston in the afternoon of the first day at Shiloh.
Mortuary upturned cannon denotes the death of Confederate commander General Albert Sidney Johnston in the afternoon of the first day at Shiloh.

Shiloh remains one of the best preserved of American Civil War battlefields. It is also one of the most important, too, for it was here that America – North and South – got a true look at what the human cost of war would actually entail. The two-day battle here – 6-7 April 1862 – proved the costliest in terms of casualties in American history to that date – almost 27,000 casualties for both sides including the life of the Confederate commander General Albert Sidney Johnston – the highest-ranking soldier killed during the entire war.

The carnage from this battle shocked both sides and demonstrated that the war would probably not be decided by one thunder stroke on the battlefield but would persist with much more bloodshed. In fact, eight battles – and innumerable smaller ones – that were larger and bloodier in scope during the three long years lay ahead.

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BUILD UP TO SHILOH – “WATER OUR HORSES IN THE TENNESSEE”

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Federal steamboats gather at Pittsburg Landing as Grant and Buell build up their forces along the Tennessee River.
Federal steamboats gather at Pittsburg Landing as Grant and Buell build up their forces along the Tennessee River.

Shiloh National Military Park sits just north of the border of southwestern Tennessee and northeastern Mississippi.  Of the major battlefields of the American Civil War, Shiloh lies farther out of reach to the average tourist than the others.  By car, the fields lie two hours by car from Memphis and three from Nashville.  As a result, you will not find as many visitors on the spread-out grounds as some of the other Battle parks. It is important to understand the build up to Shiloh to better figure out why there was even a battle here.

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