ing, where it remained till the Shiloh battle, and five divisions stopped at Savannah, where they remained a few days, and then moved to Pittsburg Landing.

Gen. Grant made his head-quarters at the Cherry mansion at Savannah until the Shiloh battle.

CHAPTER XI.

THE BATTLE OF SHILOH.

N the west bank of the Tennessee River lies the spot where this great battle was fought, and includes the greater part of the Fifteenth Civil District. (See map.) On the east side of the battle-field is the river; on the north, Snake Creek; on the west, Owl Creek; and on the south, Lick Creek. The south-west corner of the field is without any boundary, and it was through this pass, which is about three miles wide, that the whole Confederate force moved into battle. The memorable Shiloh Church stood two and a-half miles southwest of Pittsburg Landing, was a log structure, and under control of the Methodists. The soil is poor, and a more unprofitable spot of land, perhaps, could not have been selected in the county suitable for a battle-ground, and with less loss to the county. The ground is not cut up by any streams of account. Only a few small brooks are

to be met with. From the top of the ridge dividing the waters of Snake and Lick Creeks the ground slopes gradually toward said creeks.

Let us now notice the arrangements made for the great approaching battle. We see the Federals, thirty-eight thousand strong, move out toward Shiloh Church and erect their tents. We doubt whether those Union soldiers once thought, as they were moving out from Pittsburg Landing on the 17th of March, that three weeks from then those hills and valleys would be stained with blood and covered with the bodies of four thousand brave Here nearly one hundred thousand men were soon to meet in a battle that would destroy the timber and cause the earth beneath to become the last resting-place of four thousand civilized men (?).

men.

The Federal army, numbering about thirty-eight thousand, and composed of five divisions, formed a line on the morning of the 6th reaching from the ford on Owl Creek, via Shiloh Church, to the ford on Lick Creek. The division commanders were Sherman, McClernand, Prentiss, Hurlbut, and W. H. L. Wallace. Gen. Grant was over all.

The Confederate force, numbering about forty thousand, left Corinth, Miss., on the 3d of April, but on account of bad roads did not get into position for battle till the morning of the 6th. Gen. Johnston's intention was to capture the Federal army at Shiloh before Gen. Buell arrived with reenforcements. The Confederate army moved into battle early Sunday morning, arrayed in three lines. The first and front line was commanded by Gen. Hardee; the second, by Gen. Bragg; and the third, by Gens. Polk and Breckinridge. Gen. Johnston was chief commander and Gen. Beauregard was second in command.

In this battle neither army was supplied with breastworks, and so it had to be an open-field fight, except what protection the timber gave.

The intention of the Confederates was to surprise the Federals in their camps, and so they did. The Yankees were not expecting so large and daring a force upon them at so early an hour in the day.

FIRST DAY'S FIGHT.

About six o'clock Sunday morning a charge was made on the Federals while many of them were in

PRENTIS

CHALMERS

CREE

MONTEREY

MAP OF THE BATTLE GROUND OF SHILOH.