Download The Battle of Shiloh

The Battle of Shiloh
By: James Wheatley
Brian Dennin
Steven Scott
Background Of the Battle
• April 6, 1862
• Union General Ulysses S. Grant assisted by Don
Carlos Buell
• Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston
assisted by P.G.T Beauregard
Ulysses S. Grant
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April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885
Known simply as “Sam”
Finished 21st out of 39th in his class
When fighting stopped Grant moved to
Mississippi became Heavy Drinker
• Resigned out of the Army
Grant during the war
• Union Commander
• Army of Tennessee camped at Pittsburg Landing
▫ Spent time drilling recruits and awaiting
reinforcements
• There was surprise attack by Confederate forces
at the Battle of Shiloh
• The following day, Grant's Army fended off
Confederate advances and ultimately won the
day.
Albert Sidney Johnston
• FEBRUARY 2, 1803 – APRIL 6, 1862
• In 1837, Albert Sidney Johnston survived a duel
against Texas Brigadier General Felix Huston.
• Unfortunately his wounds most likely lead to his
death
• He fought in the Black Hawk War, the Texas
Revolution, and the Mexican-American War
• On December 21, 1860, Johnston took command of
the Department of the Pacific. He resigned on April
9, 1861, when his home state of Texas seceded from
the Union.
Johnston during the war
• Johnston intended to attack Grant on April 5,
1862, but he was held back by heavy rains.
• His Army attacked on April 6, near Shiloh
Church. He was successful, at first, in pushing
Gen. William T. Sherman’s men back to an area
called the Crossroads.
• The Hornet’s Nest, just north of this point, saw
the bloodiest fighting.
Battle Summary
• April 6, 1862, 40,000 Confederate soldiers
under the command of Gen. Albert Sidney
Johnston poured out of the nearby woods and
struck a line of Union soldiers occupying ground
near Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River
• Repeated Rebel attacks failed to carry the
Hornet's Nest, but massed artillery helped to
turn the tide as Confederates surrounded the
Union troops and captured, killed, or wounded
most.
Battle Summary cont.
• By the next morning, the reinforced Federal
army numbered about 40,000, outnumbering
Beauregard’s army of less than 30,000.
• Grant’s April 7th counteroffensive overpowered
the weakened Confederate forces and
Beauregard’s army retired from the field.
• The two day battle at Shiloh produced more than
23,000 casualties and was the bloodiest battle in
American history at its time.
Hornet’s Nest
• A battle line at the sunken road, known as the
“Hornet's Nest.”
• Predominantly consisted of Illinois and Iowa
farmers, held for 6 hours while army retreated
A view of the Hornets' Nest line
Numbers
• Total estimated casualties: 23,746
• Total soldiers: 110,053
▫ Union: 65,085
▫ Confederate: 44,968
Union
1,745 killed
8,408 wounded
2,885 missing/captured
13,047 total
Confederate
1,728 killed
8,012 wounded
959 missing/captured
10,669 total
In the End
• Even though the Union suffered more
Casualties, the battle is considered a Union
victory as they now controlled the land.
• The Union now had taken a good part of
Tennessee and would later march to nearby
Corinth.