Shiloh National Military Park, TennesseeDillahunty, Albert
History
Shiloh National Military Park, Tennessee
Dillahunty, Albert
Shiloh National Military Park (Tenn. and Miss.); Shiloh, Battle of, Tenn., 1862
[Illustration: _Dover Tavern, General Buckner’s headquarters and
scene of the surrender of Fort Donelson._]
[Illustration: _Map of the battlefield of Shiloh, made by Gen. W. T.
Sherman soon after the battle._]
The army under Grant’s successor, Gen. Charles F. Smith, moved up the
Tennessee toward the heart of the Confederacy, with the intention of
rendezvousing at Savannah, Tenn., on the east side of the river. Gen.
William T. Sherman was sent forward on the so-called Yellow Creek
Expedition for the purpose of destroying railroad communications to the
west of Corinth, Miss., the objective of the campaign. High water made
Sherman’s mission a failure, and he was compelled to return. He reported
to General Smith that a more convenient place for the assembling of his
army was at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., 9 miles above Savannah, and on the
west side of the river, from which direct roads led to Corinth. General
Smith, therefore, instructed him to disembark his division and that of
Gen. Stephen A. Hurlbut at Pittsburg Landing, in positions far enough
back to afford room for the other divisions of the army to encamp near
the river.
[Illustration: _Conference of Confederate commanders the night
before the battle. From left to right, Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard,
Gen. Leonidas Polk (seated), Gen. John C. Breckinridge, Gen. A. S.
Johnston, Gen. Braxton Bragg, and Maj. J. F. Gilmer. Gen. W. J.
Hardee was not present._]
[Illustration: _Cherry Mansion, Savannah, Tenn., used as
headquarters for the Union Army, March 13 to April 29, 1862. While
eating breakfast in this house, General Grant heard the sounds of
heavy firing which told him the battle had begun. Generals W. H. L.
Wallace and C. F. Smith died here in April 1862._]
In obedience to this order, Sherman encamped his division along a ridge
on either side of Shiloh Church, almost 3 miles from Pittsburg Landing,
with General Hurlbut’s division about a mile to his rear. Within a few
days, Gen. Benjamin M. Prentiss’ division took position on Sherman’s
left, while Gen. John A. McClernand and Gen. W. H. L. Wallace formed
their divisions between Sherman and the river. The 3d Division,
commanded by Gen. Lew Wallace, was stationed at Crump’s Landing, about 4
miles downstream from the main encampment. Thus, by April 5, 1862, there
were in the five divisions of the Army of the Tennessee at Pittsburg
Landing 39,830 officers and men present for duty and 7,564 at nearby
Crump’s Landing.
While this concentration of troops was in progress, General Smith
received a leg injury which became so serious that he had to give up his
command. General Grant was restored to duty and sent to Savannah with
orders to concentrate troops and supplies, but to bring on no general
engagement until a union could be made with Buell’s army, and Halleck
had arrived to assume personal command of the combined forces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account