Summary of The First Day :: Battle of Shiloh War History Essays

Summary of The First Day With the loss of Forts atomic number 1 and Donelson in February, General Johnston withdrew his Confederate forces into west Tennessee, northern Mississippi and aluminum to reorganize. In early March, General H onlyeck responded by ordering General leave to move his Union Army of West Tennessee on an invasion up the Tennessee River. Occupying Pittsburg Landing, Grant had no thought of a Confederate attack. Hallecks instructions were that succeeding(a) the arrival of General Buells Army of the Ohio from Nashville, Grant would move south in a joint offensive to seize the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, the Confederacys only east-west all weather supply route that linked the lower Mississippi vale to cities on the Confederacys east coast. Assisted by General Beauregard, Johnston shifted his forces and placed almost 55,000 men around Corinth. Strategically located where the Memphis & Charleston crossed the unstable & Ohio Railroad, Corinth was the western Conf ederacys most important rail junction. On April 3, realizing Buell would soon honor Grant, Johnston launched an offensive with his Army of the Mississippi. Moving upon Pittsburg Landing with 43,938 men, Johnston planned to surprise Grant, decoct his array off from retreat to the Tennessee River, and drive the Federals west into the swamps of Owl Creek. In the light of dawn, April 6, a small Federal reconnaissance discovered Johnstons army deployed for battle astride the Corinth road, just a mile beyond the anterior Federal camps. Storming forward, the Confederates found the Federal position unfortified. By mid-morning, the Confederates seemed within motiveless reach of victory, overrunning one frontline Union division and capturing its camp. However, stiff resistance on the Federal right entangled Johnstons brigades in a savage shift around Shiloh Church. Throughout the twenty-four hour period, Johnstons army hammered the Federal right, which gave acres but did not break.Mea nwhile, Johnstons attack stalled in front of Sarah Bells peach grove and the dense oak thicket labeled the hornets nest by the Confederates. Grants remaining flank withstood Confederate assaults for seven crucial hours before being hale to yield ground in the late afternoon. Despite inflicting heavy casualties and clutch ground, the Confederates only drove Grant towards the river, instead of away from it. The Federal survivors schematic a solid front before Pittsburg Landing and stopped the run Confederate charge as dusk ended the first day of fighting. The Second DayApril 7, 1862 Shilohs first day of slaughter also witnessed the devastation of the Confederate leader, General Johnston, who fell at mid-afternoon, struck down by a stray bulle.