Battle of Shiloh

BATTLE OF SHILOH

Date: April 6-7 1862

Location: Hardin County,Tennessee

Map of the Battle

Result: Union Victory

Union

Confederate

Strength: 66,812

Killed: 13,047 Union

Strength:44,699

Killed: 10,694 Confederate

President Ulysses S. Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant on April, 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio, near the mouth of the Big Indian Creek at the Ohio River. His famous moniker, "U.S. Grant," came after he joined the military. He was the first son of Jesse Root Grant, a tanner and businessman, and Hannah Simpson Grant. A year after Grant was born, his family moved to Georgetown, Ohio.

Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard (1818-1893) was a U.S. military officer who later served as a Confederate general during the Civil War (1861-65). A native of Louisiana, Beauregard resigned from the U.S. Army in February 1861 and ordered the first shots of the Civil War during the bombardment of Fort Sumter in April 1861. Beauregard was instrumental in the early Confederate victory at the First Battle of Bull Run and in 1862 served at the Battle of Shiloh and Siege of Corinth. Beauregard’s outspoken and combative nature led to a strained relationship with Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and in 1863 he was removed from his post and placed in command of the defenses of Charleston, South Carolina, where helped withstand repeated naval assaults by Union forces. Beauregard later returned to the field and led a crucial defense of Petersburg in 1864. After the war Beauregard worked as a railroad director and as a supervisor for the Louisiana Lottery. He died in 1893 at the age of 74.

April 6: Day OneAt the dawn of Sunday, April 6, Johnston’s men launched a surprise attack in the region of Shiloh Church. General Grant and his troop of about 40,000 men ready for the duty were caught off guard by the onslaught. Union troops rallied nevertheless, and a bitter fight broke out on Shiloh Hill. Confederate brigades gained ground gradually throughout the morning. This forced the Federals to give way reluctantly, to fight a series of defensive positions at the Peach Orchard, Shiloh Church, Hornet’s Nest and Water Oaks Pond.April 7: Day TwoBy the dawn of April 7, the Union had a total of 45,000 men (after the arrival of Buell’s men), while the Confederates, having suffered 8,500 casualties in the previous day, had less than 20,000 effective men. To the surprise of Beauregard, the Union troops proceeded with a massive counterattack in the daybreak of April 7. The outnumbered rebels were hammered by the reinforced Federals throughout the day. Even though the confederates launched some desperate counterattacks, they became exhausted and could no longer stem the progressively more stronger Federal attack.

Aftermath

The Battle

Grant’s career was affected temporarily after the end of this battle, this was after Halleck combined his men and relegated Grant to the position of second-in-command. Under the leadership of Halleck, the Union armies gradually advanced toward Corinth and captured it in early May. After, the capture of Corinth, General Halleck got an extra reinforcement from General John Pope’s forces, and cautiously proceeded southward from Tennessee. Halleck was later promoted to the position of General in Chief of all Union armies, and after his exit towards east, Grant was restored to commander position. Grant would then push on down the Mississippi and siege Vicksburg in July.

General Ulysses S. Grant

General P.G.T Beauregard

Confederate Leader

Union Leader