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U. S. CIVIL WAR
PHOTOGRAPHS
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SHILOH
(PITTSBURG LANDING)
(PAGE 4 OF 8)
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U.S. Grant's Last Line at Shiloh
The first day of fighting had been disastrous for General Grant's Union Army of
the Tennessee. At daybreak the Confederates surprised many of the Federals in
their tents. Hastily-formed lines of defense broke. Casualties multiplied. More
than 2,000 men surrendered. Reinforcements arrived late. At day's end, Grant's
army had fallen back to this location (above) --- his last line.
That evening Union reinforcements arrived, and on the second day fortunes
reversed. Grant's desperate "last line" became a strong attack position. The
bolstered Union forces pushed the Confederates back to the southwestern end of
the battlefield near Shiloh Church.
The Bloody Pond
The Battle of Shiloh was, at its time, the bloodiest conflict this nation had
seen. The beautiful spring woods, fields, and orchards were transformed over
two days into scenes of death and destruction which eyewitnesses described
as horrible, desolate, and heart-rending.
This shallow pond attracted the weary and wounded soldiers of both armies who
were engaged in heavy fighting nearby. Some crawled here for their last drink.
Observers after the battle reported that the pond was littered with dead soldiers
and horses. Blood had turned the water a murkey red.
Water Oaks Pond
On the second day of fighting, Confederate forces under General P.G.T. Beauregard
made their last attempt to check the surge of Union forces counterattacking from
Pittsburg Landing. As they advanced, Confederate infantry sloshed through the
shallow Water Oaks Pond, above. They gained some ground, but were unable to stop
the advance of Grant's Union army which had been heavily reinforced during the
night. Accordingly, they retreated back across this pond.
About 2:30 p.m., General Beauregard gave the order for the Confederate army to
retreat to Corinth. The Battle of Shiloh was over.
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PAGE FIVE
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Civil War Photos
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Western Map
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Shiloh
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