A pivotal two-day battle of the American Civil War fought on April 6-7, 1862, near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, resulting in a crucial Union victory and over 23,000 casualties.

The Battle of Shiloh stands as one of the most significant and bloody engagements of the American Civil War. This crucial battle took place on April 6-7, 1862, near the Tennessee River and Pittsburg Landing in southwestern Tennessee. The clash marked a turning point in the Western Theater of the Civil War and forever changed how both sides viewed the conflict.

What began as a surprise Confederate attack on Union forces under Major General Ulysses S. Grant transformed into a desperate two-day struggle that would claim over 23,000 casualties. The battle's outcome helped shape the course of the war and demonstrated that the conflict wouldn't be resolved quickly or easily. Today, the Shiloh National Military Park preserves the battlefield where Union and Confederate forces fought during those fateful spring days.

The Battle of Shiloh unfolded across two intense days of combat in southwestern Tennessee. The fighting transformed the peaceful grounds near Pittsburg Landing into one of the Civil War's bloodiest battlefields.

Confederate forces launched their surprise attack at 5:15 a.m. on April 6, 1862, catching Union troops during their morning routines. The 44,000-strong Confederate army under General Albert Sidney Johnston struck the Union camps near Shiloh Church, forcing Grant's 40,000 troops to form defensive lines. By 6:00 a.m., Confederate artillery bombardments echoed through the woods, marking the start of intense fighting that lasted 13 hours.

First Day Timeline	Event
5:15 AM	Confederate attack begins
6:00 AM	Artillery bombardment starts
2:30 PM	Johnston killed in action
6:00 PM	Fighting ends for the day

The battle resumed at dawn on April 7 with Union forces launching a counterattack at 6:00 a.m. Grant's army, reinforced by 15,000 fresh troops from Don Carlos Buell's Army of the Ohio, pushed back the Confederate lines. The Confederate forces under P.G.T. Beauregard retreated to Corinth by 5:00 p.m., marking the battle's end.

Second Day Timeline	Event
6:00 AM	Union counterattack begins
10:00 AM	Confederate lines begin to falter
2:00 PM	Confederate retreat starts
5:00 PM	Battle concludes

The Battle of Shiloh featured prominent military commanders from both the Union and Confederate armies. Each side's leadership structure influenced the battle's strategic decisions and ultimate outcome.

Major General Ulysses S. Grant commanded the Union Army of the Tennessee at Shiloh with 40,000 troops. His subordinate commanders included:

• Major General William T. Sherman led the 5th Division

• Brigadier General Benjamin Prentiss commanded the 6th Division

• Major General Don Carlos Buell arrived with 15,000 reinforcements from the Army of the Ohio

• Brigadier General W.H.L. Wallace directed the 2nd Division

• Colonel David Stuart controlled the 4th Brigade

• General P.G.T. Beauregard served as second-in-command and assumed leadership after Johnston's death

• Major General Braxton Bragg led the II Corps

• Major General William J. Hardee commanded the III Corps

• Major General Leonidas Polk directed the I Corps

• Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest controlled the cavalry forces

Army	Commander	Initial Troop Strength
Union	Ulysses S. Grant	40,000
Confederate	Albert Sidney Johnston	44,000

The Battle of Shiloh took place near Pittsburg Landing on the western bank of the Tennessee River in Hardin County, Tennessee, approximately 22 miles north of Corinth, Mississippi. The location's strategic value centered on its proximity to vital Confederate railway junctions and its position along crucial waterways.

Pittsburg Landing served as a critical riverboat docking point on the Tennessee River, providing a vital supply route for Union forces. The landing's elevated bluffs offered natural defensive positions while its deep-water access enabled the movement of troops, supplies and gunboats along the Tennessee River. The Union Army established its main camps near the landing site, with key positions around Shiloh Church situated 2.5 miles southwest of the river.

Key Features of Pittsburg Landing:

• Deep-water harbor accommodating large steamboats
• Natural elevation providing defensive advantages
• Direct access to inland supply routes
• Strategic position for launching operations against Corinth

Distance to Key Locations	Miles
To Corinth, MS	22
To Memphis, TN	110
To Shiloh Church	2.5

Strategic Advantages:

• Control of Tennessee River transportation
• Access to Memphis & Charleston Railroad
• Staging ground for advancing into Mississippi
• Protection of Union supply lines through Tennessee

The area surrounding Pittsburg Landing consisted of dense forests, marshy terrain and small farm clearings intersected by country roads. Shiloh Church, a small log building, marked the center of the battlefield where some of the heaviest fighting occurred during the two-day engagement.

The Battle of Shiloh marked a turning point in the American Civil War, transforming public perception of the conflict's severity. This battle demonstrated the true cost of modern warfare and shattered illusions of a quick resolution.

The Battle of Shiloh produced staggering casualty figures that shocked both the North and South:

Army	Killed	Wounded	Missing/Captured	Total Casualties
Union	1,754	8,408	2,885	13,047
Confederate	1,728	8,012	959	10,699

These numbers represented:

• The highest casualty count of any American battle to date
• 23,746 total combined casualties
• A 13% casualty rate for Union forces
• A 25% casualty rate for Confederate forces

The unprecedented scale of losses affected both armies' strategies:

• Altered military tactics to avoid direct frontal assaults
• Increased focus on defensive fortifications
• Enhanced emphasis on reconnaissance operations
• Accelerated development of field medical services

Key strategic outcomes included:

• Control of western Tennessee secured for the Union

• Confederate withdrawal from Corinth Mississippi

• Opening of vital railway connections to the Deep South

• Disruption of Confederate supply lines along the Mississippi River

• Grant's reputation temporarily suffered despite victory

• Confederate command structure reorganized after Johnston's death

• Union forces adopted more cautious offensive approaches

• Enhanced coordination between army units became standard practice

The Battle of Shiloh marked three significant military shifts in the American Civil War during 1862. The engagement demonstrated the vulnerability of unprepared camps, transformed military tactics, and altered the war's strategic landscape in the Western Theater.

The battle's immediate impact reshaped Union military operations in 1862:

• Implementation of extensive entrenchment protocols for army encampments
• Establishment of dedicated picket lines extending 3-5 miles from main forces
• Integration of cavalry reconnaissance units into standard field operations
• Creation of formal battlefield medical evacuation procedures

Combat innovations emerged from the Shiloh experience:

• Development of interlocking defensive positions
• Coordination of artillery with infantry movements
• Adoption of skirmish lines for battlefield reconnaissance
• Enhancement of field communication systems

Strategic Changes After Shiloh	Union Response	Confederate Response
Command Structure	Strengthened	Reorganized
Supply Lines	Extended	Disrupted
Territory Control	Gained 120 miles	Lost 120 miles
Railway Access	Secured 3 junctions	Lost 3 junctions

The battle's outcome influenced subsequent 1862 campaigns by:

• Opening Mississippi Valley operations for Union forces
• Securing Tennessee River transportation routes
• Disrupting Confederate defensive lines in Tennessee
• Establishing Union control over western Confederate territories

These strategic gains transformed the Western Theater into a Union-dominated battlefield, accelerating Federal advances toward vital Confederate strongholds in Mississippi and Alabama during the remainder of 1862.

• The Battle of Shiloh occurred on April 6-7, 1862, near Pittsburg Landing in southwestern Tennessee, marking a crucial turning point in the American Civil War.
• The battle began with a surprise Confederate attack at dawn on April 6, led by General Albert Sidney Johnston against Union forces under Major General Ulysses S. Grant.
• Over 23,000 casualties were recorded during the two-day battle, making it one of the bloodiest engagements of the Civil War up to that point.
• The battle ended in a Union victory on April 7 after receiving reinforcements from Major General Don Carlos Buell's Army of the Ohio, forcing Confederate forces to retreat to Corinth.
• The Battle of Shiloh's strategic significance included securing Union control of western Tennessee, disrupting Confederate supply lines, and demonstrating that the Civil War would be longer and bloodier than initially anticipated.

The Battle of Shiloh stands as one of the American Civil War's defining moments occurring on April 6-7 1862. This brutal engagement changed military doctrine forever and shattered any illusions about a quick resolution to the conflict.

The battle's outcome secured Union control of western Tennessee while introducing crucial military innovations that shaped the rest of the war. Its impact extended far beyond the immediate tactical victory affecting everything from medical practices to defensive strategies.

Today the hallowed grounds of Shiloh National Military Park serve as a solemn reminder of the 23746 casualties and the battle's pivotal role in American history. This preserved battlefield continues to educate visitors about the sacrifices made during those two fateful days in April 1862.