Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-04-16
SHILOH.


Immediately after Donelson, Grant
was made major general of volunteers,
by commission dated on the day of the
fall OF the fort, and was placed in COM
mand of the military district of West
Tennessee, consisting of a long TRAN
gle. with its northern point at Cairo,
its base ut the south on the Mississippi
state line, and its sides the Tennessee
and Mississippi rivers. Thus promoted,
Grant had already pushed forward.
Foote'S gunboats assembled the Cumber-
land; the troops kept abreast of them;
GAINESVILLE, with twenty days subsist-
ance for Grants whole army, was oc-
cupied Feb. 20, four days after the
capture of Donelson; and on the 23d
the advance of Buell's army, operating
in conjunction with Grants, entered
Nashville.
When the rebel military line already
mentioned, running lcngthwiso of the
state OF Kentucky, was broken up by
Grants getting through and behind it
at Fort Donelsou, the rebel leaders
sought to hold another east and west
line, coincding nearly with the south
ern line of Tennessee, along the i'm
portant Memphis and Charleston rail-
road, and their commander in the west,
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, set
about concentrating his forces at Co
rinth on that road. Halleck. who at
this time was in command of the whole
department of the Mississippi, now
proposed to attack that place. As the
union troops advanced they encamped
at Savannah and Pittsburg Landing
and other accessible points. until at
length the entire army had concentrated
ready for battle. The battle of Shiloh,
or, us it is sometimes called, the battle
of Pittsburg Landing, whicl followed.
was one OF the most iiercely contested
OF the war. 1t was fought at Shiloh,
Il locality so called from church sit
uatcd there near Pittsburg Landing,
on the Tennessee river, in Hardin
county, Tennessee, April and z, 1862.
On April |, with about thirty-two
thousand men, Grant reached Pittsburg
Landing, where lie was to be joined by
Gen. Buell.. On the morning of the
battle his division were the commands
of Sherman, McClernand, Prentiss,
Hurlbut. and w. ii. l.. Wallace. They
the theory that as soon as Buell. ar
rived they would march to Corinth to
attack the enemy. The rebels, how
ever did not wait TO be attacked. They
advanced themselves, with the bold
aud judicious design of beating the
army at Sniloh, and then OF marching
ncrthward, regaining all the ground
they had lost, and retaliatlng by an in
Tasion Of tho states north OF the Ohio.
The rebel army, commanded by Gen.
Albert Sidney Johnston. was, accord
ing to his own reports, foriy-tyc thou
sand strong Moving with this force
from Corinth, he fell upon Grant early
or the morning Of Sunday, April 6.
The attack lirst fell upon the divisions
of Sherman and Prentiss, both III
which were driven back, three regi-
ments OF the latter being captured,
and the whole army forced back almost
to the landing. When Sherman and
Preutiss were attacked there was wide
gap between their lines. A little after
10 o'clock the federal line was con-
nected, sherman on the right. McCler-
nand next, then w. III. L. Wallace. and
next on his left Prentiss and Hurlbut,
and Macarthur filing the space between
Prentiss and Stewart. Tic right was
gradually forced back or curve. till
at half-past O'Clock there was wide
gap between McClernand and Wallace.
Hurlbut held his ground till o. clock.
but By haif-past 4 he reiterated, leaving
Preniiss' LETT in air. Through the two
gaps thus made the confederates, left
and right poured il and cneircled Prem