|
The Confederates were first to attack the Union on April 6, 1862. It took Grant, with about 40,000 men, some time to mount a southern attack, along the Tennessee River, around the Pittsburg Landing. Grant got orders to wait for Buell's Army of the Ohio at Pittsburg Landing. Grant did not choose to hold his position; rather, he set about training his men many of which were new recruits. Johnston originally planned to attack Grant on April 4, but it was delayed until the 6th.
Attacking the Union troops on the morning of the 6th, the Confederates surprised them. Some Federals made stands and by afternoon, they had established a defense at the sunken road, also called the "Hornets Nest." Several Rebel attacks failed to carry the Hornets Nest, but loads of artillery helped to turn the tide as Confederates surrounded the Union troops and captured, killed, or wounded most. Johnston had been shot earlier and his second in command, Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, took over. The Union troops established another line covering Pittsburg Landing, backed up with artillery and Buell's men who began to arrive and fight for the Union. Fighting continued until nightfall, but the Federals held. By the next morning, the Union forces had about 40,000, overpowering Beauregard's force of less than 30,000. Beauregard was unaware of the arrival of Buell's army and made a counterattack. Because of a two-mile march by William Nelson's part of Buell's army at 6:00 am, the counterattack was at first successful.
Union troops stood their ground and began pushing the Confederates back. Beauregard commanded a counterattack, which halted the Union advance but did not break its battle line. At this point, Beauregard saw that he could not win and, having too many losses, he retreated from the field and fled to Corinth. The Confederates continued to fall back until launching their mid-August offensive. In the end, there were over almost 24,000 deaths.
|
|
