Editing Battle of Shiloh (section)

==Battle, morning of April 6==
===Early morning===
[[Image:Col-Everett Peabody.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5|right|[[Everett Peabody]]|alt=American Civil War officer with long goatee standing with sword]]
Early Sunday morning on April 6, five of Grant's six divisions were camped between the Shiloh Church area and the Tennessee River. Sherman's division was the first to occupy the Shiloh area, so his four brigades were camped near the main approaches to Pittsburg Landing. Colonel [[David Stuart (brigadier general)|David Stuart]]'s brigade was on the Union left (east side of battlefield) near the Hamburg-Savannah Road and a ford. To the west in the Shiloh Church area, Sherman's other three brigades formed the Union right. They covered the Pittsburg–Corinth Road and the Owl Creek Bridge over the Hamburg–Purdy Road.<ref name="Daniel131">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=131}}</ref> In between Sherman and Stuart was Prentiss's division, and between the Shiloh Church area and the Tennessee River were the divisions of McClernand and Hurlbut. To the north and closest to Pittsburg Landing was W.H.L. Wallace's division.<ref name="Esposito32">{{harvnb|Esposito|1959|p=32}}</ref> Lew Wallace's division was at Crump's Landing, {{convert|5|mi|km|spell=in}} downstream (north) of the Union campsites.<ref name="Eicher222"/> His mid-March mission had been to damage a railroad. While on this railroad raid, his men learned that a large Confederate force was nearby. Because of this Confederate force, Wallace's division remained near Crump's Landing.<ref name="Gudmens83">{{harvnb|Gudmens|Combat Studies Institute (U.S.), Staff Ride Team|2005|p=83}}</ref> Grant was further north at his headquarters in Savannah. Nelson's division from Buell's army had reached Savannah, but Buell's other divisions were still marching.<ref name="Eicher224">{{harvnb|Eicher|2001|p=224}}</ref>

The Shiloh camps did not form a defensive line, and no entrenchments were made because nobody expected a fight at that location.<ref name="McPherson408"/> The inexperienced divisions of Sherman and Prentiss were the most forward (closest to Corinth) of the group.<ref name="McPherson408"/> Only a few [[Picket (military)|pickets]] were in place—despite a small skirmish taking place on April 4.<ref name="Eicher223">{{harvnb|Eicher|2001|p=223}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Union Colonel [[Ralph Pomeroy Buckland|Ralph P. Buckland]] was involved in the skirmish.<ref name="Scott89">{{harvnb|Scott|1884|p=89}}</ref> Sherman dismissed the April 4 incident as a conflict with a [[reconnaissance]] force.<ref name="Shaara8">{{harvnb|Shaara|2006|p=8}}</ref> Sherman, like the other commanders, had been ordered to be careful to not do anything that would start a battle before Buell's army arrived.<ref name="Daniel138">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=138}}</ref> He also dismissed more sightings and incidents on April 5.<ref name="Daniel137">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=137}}</ref>|group=Note}} After hearing reports concerning sightings of Confederate soldiers in the Shiloh area, Colonel [[Everett Peabody]], commander of the First Brigade from Prentiss's division, became concerned. Around midnight on April 5, Peabody ordered Major James E. Powell to take three companies of the [[25th Missouri Infantry Regiment]], and two companies of the [[12th Michigan Infantry Regiment]], on a [[reconnaissance]] (a.k.a. scout) to Seay Field where the sighting had been made.<ref name="Daniel142">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=142}}</ref> Prentiss was not informed, and Powell's men advanced from their camp southwest down a farm road that led to the Pittsburg-Corinth Road.<ref name="Cunningham144">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=144}}</ref>

===Fighting starts at Fraley Field===
[[File:Battle of Shiloh starts V3.png|thumb|upright=1.5|Powell found the Confederate Army near Fraley Field|alt=Map showing Union patrol finding large Confederate force at Fraley Field]]
The Confederate Third Brigade of Hardee's Third Corps was southwest of Powell's patrol. The brigade was commanded by Brigadier General [[S. A. M. Wood]], and he had sent forward 280 skirmishers from Major Aaron B. Hardcastle's Third Mississippi Battalion.<ref name="Daniel143-144">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|pp=143–144}}</ref> Hardcastle kept most of his men in the southeast corner of James J. Fraley's 40-acre (16 ha) cotton field, while two sets of pickets were positioned closer to the Union camps.<ref name="Daniel143-144"/> Around 5:00{{nbsp}}am (April 6), Confederate pickets fired at Powell's men before returning to the battalion. When Powell advanced within {{convert|200|yd}} of Hardcastle's main force, the Confederates opened fire.<ref name="Daniel144">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=144}}</ref> The battle began with these two small forces fighting for over an hour.<ref name="NPSFraleyField">{{cite web
|title=Fraley Field – Tour Stop #7
|publisher=National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
|url=https://www.nps.gov/places/fraley-field-tour-stop-7.htm
|access-date=2022-06-16}}</ref>

Around 5:30{{nbsp}}am, Confederate leaders heard the commotion at Fraley Field, and Johnston ordered a general attack.<ref name="Daniel144"/> Johnston instructed Beauregard to stay in the rear and direct men and supplies as needed. Johnston rode to the front to lead the men on the battle line, and this arrangement effectively ceded control of the battle to Beauregard.<ref name="Eicher226">{{harvnb|Eicher|2001|p=226}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Johnston was under tremendous pressure to perform well after the losses in Tennessee.<ref name="McPherson405"/> He felt that he could make his army more effective by inspiring his inexperienced troops in person.<ref name="Esposito34">{{harvnb|Esposito|1959|p=34}}</ref>|group=Note}} On the Union side, Powell sent a message to Colonel Peabody that he was being driven back by an enemy force of several thousand.<ref name="Daniel145">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=145}}</ref> Hearing the fighting, Prentiss soon learned that Peabody had sent out a patrol without authorization. Prentiss was outraged and accused Peabody of provoking a major engagement in violation of Grant's orders. However, he soon understood that he was facing a large Confederate force and sent reinforcements.<ref name="Daniel147">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=147}}</ref> Peabody's patrol, with Powell leading, partially ruined the planned Confederate surprise and gave thousands of Union soldiers time (although brief) to prepare for battle.<ref name="Cunningham154">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=154}}</ref> Although Peabody's patrol had alerted the Union army, some Union leaders were not convinced that they were under attack. Sherman was not convinced until he was slightly wounded, and one of his orderlies shot dead, after a 7:00{{nbsp}}am ride to investigate the commotion near Rea Field.<ref name="Daniel158">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=158}}</ref>

After Johnston's 5:30 order for a general attack, it took an hour before all Confederate troops were ready. Another hour was lost skirmishing at Seay Field (close to Fraley Field). This reduced the Confederate advantage from the unexpected attack.<ref name="Daniel149">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=149}}</ref> The Confederate army alignment was another issue that helped reduce the attack's effectiveness. The corps of Hardee and Bragg began the assault with their divisions in one line that was nearly {{convert|3|mi|km}} wide.<ref name="Cunningham200">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=200}}</ref> At about 7:30{{nbsp}}am Beauregard ordered the corps of Polk and Breckinridge forward on the left and right of the line, which only extended the line and diluted the effectiveness of the two attacking corps.<ref name="Esposito34"/> It became impossible to control the intermingled units, so the corps commanders decided to divide the battlefield, and each commander led their battlefield portion instead of their own corps.<ref name="Cunningham200"/> The attack went forward as a [[frontal assault]].<ref name="Eicher224-226">{{harvnb|Eicher|2001|pp=224–226}}</ref> Johnston and Beauregard did not put more strength on the east side, which meant they did not focus on their objective of turning the Union left.<ref name="Daniel119">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=119}}</ref>

===Sherman and Prentiss===
[[File:BattleOfShilohDay1West9AM.png|thumb|upright=1.5|The divisions of Sherman and Prentiss were the first Union troops attacked|alt=Map showing Fraley Field, Shiloh Church, Crossroads, and troop positions]]
Sherman and Prentiss were the commanders of the first two Union divisions attacked, and those happened to be the most inexperienced of Grant's six divisions.<ref name="McPherson408"/> Sherman, who had been negligent in preparing for an attack, performed with "coolness and courage" while he inspired his raw troops.<ref name="McPherson409">{{harvnb|McPherson|1988|p=409}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Historian [[James M. McPherson]] cites the first day of the battle as the turning point of Sherman's life, helping him to become one of the premier Union generals.<ref name="McPherson409"/>|group=Note}} Facing artillery fire and a frontal attack from the corps of Hardee, Bragg, and Polk, Sherman's men performed reasonably well—if they fought.<ref name="Eicher226"/> The inexperienced colonel of the [[53rd Ohio Infantry Regiment]], which had just repelled two Confederate advances, yelled "retreat and save yourselves", and many from his regiment ran away.<ref name="Cunningham169">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=169}}</ref> Eventually, at least two companies of the calmer men from this regiment attached to another regiment.<ref name="Cunningham169-171">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|pp=169–171}}</ref> Sherman slowly moved the division back to a position behind Shiloh Church.<ref name="Eicher226"/> He became supported on his left by the Third Brigade from McClernand's division.<ref name="Cunningham174">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=174}}</ref>

Prentiss had his camps northeast of Seay Field.<ref name="Cunningham193">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=193}}</ref> On his right, his brigade commanded by Peabody was attacked by two Confederate brigades, and Peabody was wounded four times before being killed.<ref name="Daniel151">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=151}}</ref> By 8:30{{nbsp}}am, the remnants of Peabody's brigade were pushed north, and the Confederate army occupied his camp.<ref name="Daniel152">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=152}}</ref> Further east, Prentiss's other brigade was attacked by brigades commanded by Brigadier General [[Adley H. Gladden]] and Brigadier General [[James R. Chalmers]].<ref name="Cunningham193"/> Around 8:45{{nbsp}}am, Gladden was mortally wounded from cannon fire.<ref name="Daniel154">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=154}}</ref> The Confederate troops suffered considerable casualties, especially from artillery fire.<ref name="Daniel154"/> However, the Confederate troops pushed on, and captured the remaining 6th Division camp sometime near 9:00{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Daniel155">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=155}}</ref> The Confederate soldiers had seen many of the Union soldiers running away from the front line, and now possessed the Union camps of Sherman and Prentiss. Looting became a problem, as Confederate soldiers found clothing, rifles, and food. Confederate leaders found it difficult to control their forces.<ref name="Cunningham199-200">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|pp=199–200}}</ref> They paused their attack, which enabled Prentiss to move further north.<ref name="Daniel156">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=156}}</ref>

East of McClernand, Hurlbut had all three brigades ready for action at 8:00{{nbsp}}am. After being notified that Sherman was facing a strong attack on his left, Hurlbut sent his Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel [[James C. Veatch]], to assist Sherman.<ref name="Cunningham201">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=201}}</ref> Shortly after that first message, Hurlbut was advised that Prentiss was in trouble. Hurlbut brought his remaining two brigades south on the Hamburg-Savannah Road near Wicker Field, and he encountered a large number of panic-stricken men from Prentiss's division who were fleeing north. Unable to stop the retreat, he settled his brigades further south near a peach orchard.<ref name="Cunningham202">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=202}}</ref>

===Pittsburg Landing and the Union left===
[[File:BattleOfShilohDay1East9AM.png|thumb|upright=1.5|At 9:00 am, Stuart could hear artillery fire, but was not yet attacked|alt=Map showing Sunken Road, Peach Orchard, Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee River, and troop positions]]
Grant was in Savannah having breakfast at his [[Cherry Mansion]] headquarters when he heard the distant sounds of artillery fire.<ref name="Chernow200">{{harvnb|Chernow|2017|p=200}}</ref> He was on crutches as he recovered from a fall from his horse, and he was waiting for more of Buell's army to arrive in Savannah.<ref name="Daniel139">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=139}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Ahead of most of his divisions, Buell had already arrived in Savannah, and was walking to Grant's headquarters when Grant departed by boat for Pittsburg Landing.<ref name="Cunningham158">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=158}}</ref>|group=Note}} Grant ordered Bull Nelson to march his division along the east side of the river to a point opposite Pittsburg Landing, where it could be ferried over to the battlefield.<ref name="Daniel242">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=242}}</ref> Grant then took his steamboat, ''Tigress'', south to Crump's Landing, where he told Lew Wallace to get his division ready to move.<ref name="Daniel174">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=174}}</ref> Grant proceeded to Pittsburg Landing, arriving around 9:00{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Daniel175">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=175}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Sources have slight differences for Grant's Pittsburg Landing arrival time. Cunningham says around 8:00{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Cunningham159">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=159}}</ref> Esposito says 8:30{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Esposito34"/> Daniel and McPherson say 9:00{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Daniel175"/><ref name="McPherson409"/> Chernow says Grant disembarked around 9:00{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Chernow200"/>|group=Note}} The landing was beginning to accumulate men who had fled their posts, and Grant ordered a colonel to halt all stragglers. He then rode inland and confirmed that the Confederates had launched a full-scale attack instead of a probing action. He sent a message to Crump's Landing, ordering Lew Wallace to bring his division to the battlefield.<ref name="Cunningham159-160">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|pp=159–160}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|This order would be the subject of controversy, as Lew Wallace disputed where he was told to go and by what route, and claimed the copy of the order was lost.<ref name="Cunningham160">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=160}}</ref>|group=Note}}

After the beginning of the battle, Brigadier General W.H.L. Wallace sent his Second Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General [[John McArthur (general)|John McArthur]], to fill a gap on the Union left between Hurlbut's position at a peach orchard  and Stuart's brigade at the extreme Union left.<ref name="Cunningham238">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=238}}</ref> McArthur had only two of his regiments, since the others had been sent to assist Sherman and guard the Snake River bridge that led to Crump's Landing. His two–regiment force was bolstered by [[Battery "A", 1st Illinois Light Artillery Regiment|Battery A from the 1st Illinois Light Artillery Regiment]]. Wallace's First and Third brigades, commanded by Colonel [[James M. Tuttle]] and Colonel [[Thomas William Sweeny|Thomas W. Sweeny]], respectively, moved into positions near Duncan Field and what is now called the "Sunken Road"—between the divisions of McClernand and Hurlbut.<ref name="Cunningham238-240">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|pp=238–240}}</ref> From 9:30{{nbsp}}am to 10:30{{nbsp}}am, most of the fighting at this position was the exchange of artillery fire.<ref name="Cunningham242-243">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|pp=242–243}}</ref>

On the extreme Union left, Stuart's brigade had heard musket firing early in the morning, but did not believe they were under attack until they heard distant artillery fire.<ref name="Daniel198">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=198}}</ref> At 9:30{{nbsp}}am Johnston received reports that Union soldiers were deploying on the Confederate right [[Flanking maneuver|flank]]. To remedy this potential problem, he sent two brigades from Bragg's Corps, and called up Breckinridge's Reserve Corps. What his scouts had actually found was the camp belonging to Stuart's Brigade. Stuart was near the Hamburg-Savannah Road close to Lick Creek.<ref name="Daniel196-197">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|pp=196–197}}</ref> Around 9:40{{nbsp}}am Stuart began receiving artillery fire, and twenty minutes later his men were attacked by Confederate infantry.<ref name="Daniel199">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=199}}</ref>

===Crossroads===
[[File:Shiloh battlefield topical map V2.png|thumb|upright=1.5|Topographical map of Shiloh Battlefield|alt=topographical map of battlefield including Fraley Field, Shiloh Church, Crossroads, Hornet's Next, and Pittsburg Landing]]
Shortly after 10:00{{nbsp}}am, the remnants of Sherman's division established a new position further north from Shiloh Church.<ref name="Cunningham219">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=219}}</ref> This position was near a crossroads of the Hamburg–Purdy Road with the Pittsburg–Corinth Road.<ref name="Daniel183">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=183}}</ref> By this time, Sherman's Third Brigade (three Ohio regiments) was eliminated, as its last intact regiment ran away. Colonel Jesse Hildebrand, the brigade commander, remained on the field as a volunteer aide for McClernand's headquarters.<ref name="Cunningham219"/> Sherman's First Brigade, commanded by Colonel [[John Adair McDowell (colonel)|John A. McDowell]] was west on the Hamburg–Purdy Road and cut off.<ref name="Cunningham222">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=222}}</ref> Colonel [[Ralph Pomeroy Buckland|Ralph P. Buckland]]'s Fourth Brigade was fragmented and ammunition was low.<ref name="Cunningham221">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=221}}</ref>

Sherman prepared a defense with the men he had left, including Colonel [[Julius Raith]]'s Third Brigade from McClernand's division that had reinforced Sherman's left earlier.<ref name="Cunningham222"/> Sherman also had the [[6th Independent Battery Indiana Light Artillery|6th Indiana Artillery Battery]] commanded by [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]] Frederick Behr, and part of a [[Battery "E", 2nd Illinois Light Artillery Regiment|battery]] from McClernand.<ref name="Daniel183"/> For the first time, the Union army had a continuous front. From west to east were the remnants of Sherman's division, McClernand, W.H.L. Wallace, the remnants of Prentiss's division, Hurlbut, McArthur's brigade from W.H.L. Wallace's division, and Stuart's brigade from Sherman's division. Hurlbut was near a peach orchard, Prentiss was near the Sunken Road, and W.H.L. Wallace was adjacent to Duncan Field at the Sunken Road.<ref name="Cunningham222"/>

After a failed attack and the addition of more men, the Confederates attacked Sherman and McClernand again at 11:00{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Daniel183"/> This Confederate attacking force consisted of portions of seven brigades.<!--AnClSmStRuWoSh--><ref name="Cunningham225">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=225}}</ref> The Union losses in this attack included Colonel Raith, who was mortally wounded, and Behr's battery which fled to the rear after Behr was shot dead.<ref name="Daniel183-184">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|pp=183–184}}</ref> On the Confederate side, Wood's brigade took heavy losses, but routed the brigade of Colonel [[C. Carroll Marsh]] from McClernand's division.<ref name="Cunningham229-230">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|pp=229–230}}</ref> Wood's men then defeated Veatch's brigade, but Wood was thrown from his horse and temporarily out of action. At that time, his brigade became scattered and disorganized.<ref name="Cunningham233">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=233}}</ref> By 11:20{{nbsp}}am, the Confederate army controlled the Hamburg-Purdy Road.<ref name="Cunningham236">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=236}}</ref> Benefitting from the exhaustion and disorganization of the Confederate force, Sherman and McClernand fell back about {{convert|200|yd}} north of the crossroads.<ref name="Cunningham236"/> Sherman's separated First Brigade (McDowell) linked with McClernand around 11:30{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="Cunningham222"/>

===Sunken Road and Hornet's Nest===
[[File:BattleOfShilohGrantSituation.png|thumb|upright=1.5|Grant's right and left were pushed back|alt=Grant's situation at noon: right and left pushed back, center holding, Lew Wallace's division absent, Buell's army miles north]]
The Sunken Road was an old wagon track called "an abandoned road" in the only time it was mentioned in the [[Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies|''Official Records'']]. From west to east, it ran from Duncan Field to a peach orchard (eventually known as "the Peach Orchard") at the Hamburg-Savannah Road.<ref name="Cunningham240">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=240}}</ref> The old wagon track was so worn and washed–over that it had an embankment that ranged from a few inches (7.6&nbsp;cm) to supposedly {{convert|3|ft|m|spell=in}}. This ready-made entrenchment received the name "Sunken Road" in post-war years.<ref name="Daniel203">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|p=203}}</ref> Some historians doubt that the road was actually sunken. Nothing in the ''Official Records'' mentions it as sunken, and the soldier who wrote in his diary that the road was about three feet deep was in a regiment that was not close enough to the road to see it.<ref name="Cunningham241n">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=241n}}</ref> When the fighting later became heated in this area—Duncan Field, the Sunken Road, and the woods on the north side of the road—the Confederates began calling it the Hornets Nest.<ref name="Cunningham241">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=241}}</ref>

At the beginning of the day, Prentiss had 7,545 men present for duty.<ref name="Daniel322"/> By the time he moved back to Barnes Field near the Hamburg-Purdy Road, after casualties and men that ran away, he had only 600 men and portions of two batteries.<ref name="Daniel202-203">{{harvnb|Daniel|1997|pp=202–203}}</ref> He deployed his men near the divisions of W.H.L. Wallace and Hurlbut, along the Sunken Road. Grant reinforced Prentiss with 600 men from the [[23rd Missouri Infantry Regiment]], which had disembarked from Pittsburg Landing a few hours earlier. Grant visited the 1,200-man force, and told Prentiss to "hold at all hazards".<ref name="Daniel202-203"/>

The Union troops along the Sunken Road were protected by hickory and oak trees.<ref name="Cunningham241"/> Some Union troops at this location had modern (for 1862) weapons and fences for shelter, while some of the Confederate attacks were across open ground. These factors combined to make frontal assaults difficult for the Confederate attackers.<ref name="Gudmens26">{{harvnb|Gudmens|Combat Studies Institute (U.S.), Staff Ride Team|2005|p=26}}</ref> One attack was led by Confederate division commander [[Benjamin F. Cheatham]], and his Second Brigade was thoroughly repelled.<ref name="Cunningham246">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=246}}</ref> Southeast of the Sunken Road, Stuart still held the Union left. The Confederate brigades commanded by brigadier generals James R. Chalmers and [[John K. Jackson]] attacked Stuart's three regiments. The intensity of the fight increased around 11:15{{nbsp}}am, causing most of the [[71st Ohio Infantry Regiment]] to flee to the rear.<ref name="Cunningham211">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=211}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Colonel Rodney Mason, commander of the 71st Ohio, fled to the rear, and many of his men followed him. Lieutenant Colonel Barton S. Kyle was killed when he attempted to rally the regiment. After another incident that occurred in August 1862, Mason was [[Cashiering|cashiered]].<ref name="Cunningham211"/>|group=Note}} Stuart repositioned his remaining two regiments, but eventually they began panicking. Although Stuart restored order, he was wounded and command temporarily fell to Lieutenant Colonel [[Oscar Malmborg]].<ref name="Cunningham212">{{harvnb|Cunningham|2009|p=212}}</ref>