History of the United States, Volume 4 | Page 5

northwest for a dozen miles,
then sharply turns to the south again. New Madrid stands at this
northern bend. It was protected by Confederate fortifications and
gunboats. Early in March, General Halleck, now at the head of the
Western Department, sent General Pope against New Madrid with
20,000 men. The enemy fled to Island Number Ten, leaving thirty-three
guns, besides ammunition and many tents.
Island Number Ten was strongly fortified. Commodore Foote came
down the river with seventeen gunboats, and on March 16th began a
bombardment which was kept up for three weeks with little effect; but
early in April Pope got upon the Tennessee shore, in the undefended
rear of the island, and by intercepting its communication to the south,
forced it to surrender, April 8th. Seven thousand prisoners, one hundred
heavy siege guns, several thousand small arms, besides large stores of
ammunition and supplies, were thus secured, without the loss of a
single Union soldier. This exploit brought to Pope great fame.
Pope now descended the river to Fort Pillow, 100 miles below, which
he prepared to take. He was just then transferred by Halleck to another
field, and the reduction of Pillow left to the gunboats. Pillow was
abandoned June 4th. The Union flotilla, increased by four rams, now
ran down the river to Memphis, where, on June 6th, in the presence of
thousands of spectators upon the bluffs, it fought a battle with a
southern fleet. Seven of the Confederate boats were destroyed, and the
next day Memphis surrendered.
After the fall of Donelson the Confederates began concentrating their
forces at Corinth, in the northeast corner of Mississippi. Meanwhile the
Army of the Tennessee, under orders from Halleck, had moved up the
Tennessee River, and encamped, some 40,000 strong, at Pittsburg
Landing on the Tennessee River, 25 miles north of Corinth. Here Grant,
who had been temporarily removed, took command again on March

17th. Buell, with 40,000 men, was on the march thither from Central
Tennessee. The Confederate generals at Corinth, Albert Sidney
Johnston and Beauregard, wisely determined to strike Grant before
Buell arrived. There ensued the greatest battle which had up to that
time shaken the solid ground of this continent. [footnote: Indifferently
called the battle of Shiloh or the battle of Pittsburg Landing.]
[Illustration: Map.] New Madrid and Island Number Ten.
About six o'clock on the morning of April 6th the Confederates burst
through the thick woods upon the Union pickets and drove them in. It
was at least partially a surprise. Grant in person was nine miles down
the river. The Union officers hastily got their men into line, as the
attacking columns came sweeping in after the pickets. Three of the five
Union divisions were raw recruits, many of whom fled at the first fire.
Some colonels led their entire regiments off the field. Later in the day
Grant saw 4,000 or 5,000 of these runaways cowering under the shelter
of the bluffs.
[Illustration: Portrait.] General William T. Sherman.
But the bulk of the army made a stubborn resistance. General W. T.
Sherman, then comparatively unknown, inspired his division of raw
troops with his own intelligent courage. Their gallant and protracted
fight around the Shiloh log church made them the heroes of the day.
But the Confederates' onset was impetuous. Step by step they forced
their opponents back through the heavy woods, and by noon stood in
possession of the Union camps; Grant's army, badly shattered, being
cooped up in a narrow space along the edge of the river.
The tide now turned. About two o'clock, General Johnston was killed,
and the Confederate advance flagged. Between the two armies lay a
deep ravine. Grant planted some fifty guns upon the edge, and two of
the gunboats took positions where they could rake the ravine. By these
dispositions Beauregard's advance was stayed. Night fell, and hostilities
ceased.
Fortunately, 22,000 of Buell's men arrived during the night, and next

morning Grant ordered an advance. Beauregard made as desperate a
resistance as he could, seeing that his heavy losses the day before had
left him but 30,000 troops fit for duty. Buell's men showed the effects
of long training under that matchless disciplinarian, and fought
splendidly. The enemy were steadily pushed back, until more than all
the ground lost on the preceding day had been triumphantly regained,
and the battle of Pittsburg Landing, from being for the Union side a
defeat accomplished and a surrender threatened, was turned into a
bright and inspiring victory. Beauregard ordered a retreat, and, not
being pursued, regained his old position at Corinth. He had lost about
10,000 men. Our loss was 12,000, including four regiments taken
prisoners. The battle was a severe check to both sides.
[Illustration: Several ships, one in the foreground listing; smoke covers
the sky.] A.R. Ward H.R.