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it to be "the second coming of Christ." The command of the army was taken by Gen. Grant soon after its arrival at Savannah, and it was advanced seven miles to Pittsburg Landing. Savannah was made a depot for stores, with only a few troops. Here troops and supplies were sent to Gen. Grant by Maj.-Gen. Halleck, both from St. Louis and Cairo. There had also been such a change in the position of the enemy before Gen. Buell at Nashville, that the original plan was altered, and he was directed by Maj.-Gen. Halleck to make a junction of his forces with those under Gen. Grant. By General War Order No. 3 of the President, dated March 11th, the Departments of Kansas and Kentucky, respectively under the command of Gen. Hunter and of Gen. Buell, were united with that of the Missouri, under the designation of the Department of the Mississippi, and of this consolidated Department Gen. Halleck was assigned the command.

It was the original plan of Gen. Buell to advance with his army in several columns upon northern Alabama over the principal. roads leading to that region from Nashville. With this object in view, the divisions of Gens. Mitchell, Nelson and McCook left Nashville on the same day, and by different roads. But the Confederates, having retired from Murfreesboro and formed along the new line they proposed to defend, rendered necessary a corresponding change in the plan of Gen. Buell. A direct advance upon Alabama by Gen. Buell's forces would not only have involved an unnecessary amount of labor and slowness of movement, owing to the destruction of bridges over the watercourses, and other impediments, but the passage of the Tennessee into northern Alabama being practicable for a large army at a few places only, the Confederates could by means of the railroad have easily collected a large force to dispute it at any point. This concentration of the main body of the Confederate forces in localities within the contemplated field of the operations of Gen. Grant's army, not only gave to the latter an opportunity to employ the whole of his force to the best possible advantage, but enabled Gen. Halleck to order Gen. Buell to turn his army toward western Tennessee, to cooperate with Gen. Grant and cross the river. Thus combined, they were regarded as certain to be superior to the Confederate army in the number, armament, and fighting trim of their commands.

On the 28th of March, Gen. Buell left Nashville and passed the advance of his divisions at Columbia. On the 28th, 29th, and 30th the divisions of his army had crossed Duck river on a new bridge, and advanced through Columbia, distant eighty-two miles from Savannah.

Meantime most active preparations had been made to assemble a large Confederate force at Corinth, and to fortify that position, which is about eighteen miles south of Pittsburg Land

ing. The force of Gen. Grant was posted at Pittsburg and along both sides of the river toward Crump's Landing and Savannah, but kept in active service scouring the country. The importance of the approaching contest to the Confederate States could not be concealed. If Corinth fell, Memphis would also fall, and the whole territory of the Gulf States would be open to an army larger than that of the Potomac. The plan adopted by Gens. Johnston and Beauregard was to strike an unexpected blow before the arrival of Gen. Buell's forces. On the 3d of April, Gen. Johnston issued the following address to his soldiers:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF MISSISSIPPI,
CORINTH, MISS., April 3.

Soldiers of the Army of the Mississippi:

I have put you in motion to offer battle to the invaders of your country, with the resolution and discipline and valor becoming men, fighting, as you are, for all worth living or dying for. You can but march to a decisive victory over agrarian mercenaries sent to subjugate and despoil you of your liberties, property, and honor.

Remember the precious stake involved; remember the dependence of your mothers, your wives, your sisters, and your children on the result. Remember the fair, broad, abounding lands, the happy homes that will be desolated by your defeat. The eyes and hopes of eight million people rest upon you. You are expected to show yourselves worthy of your valor and noble devotion in this war has never been exceeded in courage, worthy of the women of the South, whose any time. With such incentives to brave deeds, and with the trust that God is with us, your general will lead you confidently to the combat, assured of success. (Signed) A. S. JOHNSTON, General Commanding.

The orders accompanying the address divided "the Army of the Mississippi "into three corps. Gen. Beauregard was proclaimed to be in command of the whole force. The first corps was assigned to Gen. Polk, and embraced all the troops of his former command, excepting detached cavalry and artillery, and reserves detached for the defence of Fort Pillow and Madrid Bend. The second corps was assigned to Gen. Bragg, and was to consist of the second division of the army of the Mississippi, less artillery and cavalry "hereafter detached." The third corps was assigned to Gen. Hardee, and consisted of "the Army of Kentucky." To Gen. Crittenden was assigned a command of reserves, consisting of not less than two brigades.

From two to three miles out on the road to Corinth from Pittsburg Landing lay the five divisions of Gen. Grant's army. The advance line was formed by three divisions: Brig.-Gen. Sherman's, Brig.-Gen. Prentiss's, and Maj.-Gen. McClernand's. Between these and the landing lay the two others, Brig.-Gen. Hurlbut's and Maj.-Gen. Smith's, commanded in his absence by Brig.-Gen. W. H. L. Wallace. On the extreme left of the line was one brigade of Gen. Sherman's division, while the other brigades were some two miles distant, forming the extreme right of the advance line. To the left, though rather behind a portion of the line

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formed by Sherman's main brigades, lay Gen. McClernand's division, and between it and Gen. Sherman's brigade, on the extreme left, lay Gen. Prentiss's division. No preparations had been made for any means of defence in case of attack, although the position was an exposed

one.

The information that Gen. Buell was near at hand, determined Gen. Beauregard to make the attack at once. The movement of his troops from Corinth commenced on the 3d of April. Owing to the difficulties of the roads, they did not reach the vicinity of the Federal forces until Saturday afternoon, the 5th. It was then determined that the attack should be made on the next morning, at the earliest hour practicable, and in three lines of battle: the first and second extending from Owl Creek, on the Confederate left, to Lick Creek on their right-a distance of about three miles-supported by the third and the reserve. The first line consisted of Gen. Hardee's corps, augmented on his right by Gladden's brigade of Bragg's corps, deployed in line of battle, with their respective artillery following immediately, and the cavalry in rear of the wings. The second line followed the first at a distance of five hundred yards, in the same order as the first. The corps under Gen. Polk followed the second line, at the distance of about eight hundred yards, in lines of brigades, deployed with their batteries in rear of each brigade, the left wing supported by cavalry. The reserve followed closely the third line in the same order, its right wing supported by cavalry. These two corps constituted the reserve, and were to support the front lines of battle by being deployed, when required, on the right and left, or otherwise act according to the exigencies of the battle.

At half past five on the morning of April 6, the Confederate lines and columns were in motion. Like an Alpine avalanche they came, attacking first the left of Gen. Grant, under Gen. Prentiss, who, with two thousand of his men, were soon made prisoners. This attack was in part a surprise. Scarcely had the men time to seize their weapons and form, after knowing of the approach of the Confederates. Gen. Grant himself was at Savannah at the commencement, but early reached the raging field. Gradually, as the Confederate line came up, the engagement had become general, and as Gen. Prentiss's division fell back, abandoning their camp, they were supported by Gen. Hurlbut, and thus for a time checked the progress of the Confederate. At the same time the left of Gen. Sherman's division on the right was forced back, and the brunt of the battle, in the centre, fell upon Gen. McClernand's division. Desperate as was their determination, yet at eleven o'clock this division had been pressed back in a line with Gen. Hurlbut. It still did some gallant fighting; once its right swept round and drove the Confederates for a considerable distance, but again fell back, and at the last it brought up near the position of the

camps of Gen. Smith's division, commanded by W. H. L. Wallace. Thus the divisions of Prentiss, Sherman, and McClernand were driven back, their camps were all in the hands of the Confederates, and the whole front line, for which Hurlburt and Wallace were but the reserves, was gone, excepting Stuart's brigade of Sherman's division, on the extreme left. The position of this brigade was along the circuitous road from the Landing to Hamburg, some two miles distant from the former, and near the crossing of Lick Creek. They had remained isolated until after the division of Gen. Prentiss fell back, when the Confederates advanced upon them in such force as to be irresistible in their position, and they fell back a fourth of a mile and made a stand for three fourths of an hour. At this juncture a brigade of Gen. Wallace's reserve, under McArthur, was sent over to their support. They were, however, soon forced to fall back to one ridge, and then to another, and finally at twelve o'clock, badly shattered and disordered, they retreated to the right and rear of McArthur's brigade to reorganize.

Six hours had passed since the approach of the Confederates, and at this time only the divisions of Gens. Hurlbut and Wallace stood between the army and destruction or surrender. Still all was not lost. The divisions of Gens. Hurlbut and Wallace began to make a most gallant stand. The brigade of the latter had been sent to reenforce McArthur's, and thus reunited, filled the space in the line on the left made vacant by the falling back of Gen. Prentiss's division and Stuart's brigade of Gen. Sherman's division, and thus were on the left of Hurlbut's division. By the early breaking of Gen. Prentiss's line, the onset of the Confederates had been made to veer chiefly to the Union left. Here the contest continued stubborn. Four times the Confederates attempted to charge on Gen. Wallace's men. Each time the infantry poured in rapid volleys, and the artillery redoubled their efforts, thus compelling them to retreat with heavy slaughter. Farther to the right, Gen. Hurlbut's division, which had taken an advanced position, was compelled to fall back through its camp to a thick wood behind. Here, with open fields before them, they could rake the approach of the Confederates. Three times their heavy masses bravely charged upon the division, and each time they were repulsed with severe loss. The troops from the driven divisions were reorganized so far as available, and re-sent to the field. Thus the right of Gen. Hurlbut, which was almost wholly unprotected, and the weakness of which does not appear to have been discovered by the Confederates, was in a measure patched out. It had been previously determined that in case of an attack at Pittsburg Landing, the division under Gen. L. Wallace at Crump's Landing, five miles below, should come up on the right and flank the enemy. But no message was sent to this

division until nearly noon, and it missed the way on coming up, and did not arrive until night. The division of Gen. Hurlbut at length became exhausted, and fell back out of sight of their camps to a point within half a mile of the Landing. In consequence of losing this support, the division of Gen. Wallace, thus in isolated advance, was compelled to fall back, the last to leave the field. Just at this moment its commander was mortally wounded.

It was now half past four o'clock. The front line of the divisions had been lost since eleven o'clock, and the reserve line was gone too. The Confederates occupied the camps of every division except Smith's, commanded during his sickness by Gen. Wallace, who had just been wounded. The whole army was crowded in the region of Wallace's camp, and to a circuit of one half to two thirds of a mile around the Landing. The next repulse would put it into the river, and there were not transports enough to cross a single division before the enemy would be upon them. Nearly half the field artillery was lost, nearly all the camps and camp equipage. Prisoners had been taken in great numbers.

At this time a lull took place in the firing, the first which had occurred since sunrise. It was thought that the enemy were either preparing for the grand final rush that was to crown the day's success, or that they were puzzled by the last retreat, and were moving cautiously. These few minutes were golden ones for that driven and defeated army, and they were improved. Col. Webster, chief of staff, arranged the guns which he could collect of those that remained, in a sort of semicircle to protect the Union centre and left, upon which it was thought the enemy were now sure to advance. Corps of artillerists to man them were gathered from all the batteries. Twenty-two guns were thus placed in position, two of which were long 32's. In front was a victorious enemy; behind were the remnants of the repulsed divisions of the army driven within half a mile of the Landing, beyond which was a deep and rapid river. Gen. Wallace's division at Crump's Landing had not been heard from. Across the river now was seen the first glitter of the advance of Gen. Buell, but it could not be brought over in time to do much good. Suddenly a broad flash of light leaped out from the darkening woods, and the whistling leaden hail swiftly followed. The enemy were about to make their crowning effort for the day. Instantly the artillery replied, and as they approached nearer, the infantry fired volley after volley. At this time the gunboats, Lexington and Tyler, approached the mouth of Lick Creek, and were able with their guns to reach the field occupied by the Confederates near the river. This was a fire in their flank, which disconcerted their plans. Amid this terrible conflict darkness came on. The enemy had been held at bay.

Meantime Gen. Wallace had arrived with his

division, and Gen. Buell with his forces, part of which took part in the battle of the afternoon, and it was decided after the sounds of battle had ceased, to attack the Confederates as soon as possible after daybreak. Gen. Wallace's division was to take the right and sweep back toward the position from which Gen. Sherman had been driven during the morning, and Gen. Nelson was to take the extreme left. Gen. Crittenden was to take a position during the night next to Gen. Nelson, and Gen. McCook with his division next to Crittenden. The space between Gens. McCook and Wallace was to be filled with the reorganized divisions of Gen. Grant's army. Stealthily the troops crept to their new positions, and lay down in line of battle on their arms. All through the night. Gen. Buell's men were marching up from Savannah to the point opposite Pittsburg Landing, and were ferried across, or were coming up on transports. At nine o'clock, the gunboats commenced a cannonade of the Confederate position, which was kept up all night. It produced little or no effect.

Gen. Beauregard thus reported his position on Sunday night: "At six o'clock P. M., we were in possession of all encampments between Owl and Lick creeks but one. Nearly all of his field artillery, about thirty flags, colors, and standards, over three thousand prisoners, including a division commander (Gen. Prentiss) and several brigade commanders, thousands of small arms, an immense supply of subsistence, forage, and munitions of war, and a large amount of means of transportation-all the substantial fruits of a complete victory-such indeed as rarely have followed the most successful battles; for never was an army so well provided as that of our enemy.

"The remnant of his army had been driven in utter disorder to the immediate vicinity of Pittsburg, under the shelter of the heavy guns of his iron-clad gunboats, and we remained undisputed masters of his well-selected, admirably provided cantonments, after over twelve hours of obstinate conflict with his forces, who had been beaten from them and the contiguous covert, but only by a sustained onset of all the men we could bring into action."

The Federal forces arranged for the battle of the next day were: the divisions of Gens. Nelson, Crittenden, McCook, Hurlbut, McClernand, and Sherman, including in the three latter the shattered and disorganized commands of Prentiss and W. H. L. Wallace, which were without commanders, and the fresh division of Gen. L. Wallace. These divisions were arranged in the order above named, beginning on the left. The change produced in the position of the Confederate forces, by the shells of the gunboats during the night, prevented them from opening the battle at daylight.

At seven o'clock in the morning, Gen. Nelson on the extreme left formed his line of battle, and advanced, with skirmishers thrown out, for

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