View of the Bloody Pond

 

The remnants of General Beauregard’s army had now retired from the field and on their way back to Corinth; it was now nearing four o’clock. General Grant’s army did not pursue the confederates. He later wrote in a dispatch, “My force was too much fatigued from two days’ hard fighting and exposure in the open air to a drenching rain during the intervening night, to purse immediately. Night closed in cloudy and with heavy rain, making roads impracticable for artillery by the next morning.”

On the morning of April 8th, General Thomas J. Wood, and General Sherman divisions were ordered to pursue General Bureguard Confederate Army. Around mid afternoon, the 4th Illinois Cavalry regiment had caught up with the Confederates rear pickets, at Fallen Timbers. The 4th Illinois drove in the pickets, towards Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest’s entire Cavalry position. Forrest’s Cavalry then made a bold charge at the 4th Illinois Cavalry. The 4th Illinois stopped their line of advance and was ordered to fire a volley at the advancing Cavalry over the heads of their horses. The regiment simulatiously fired in a volley at Colonel Forrest’s’ charging Cavalry, this startled their horses. Their Horses vaulted, throwing the regiment in to complete disarray, they were able to reencountered again in front of the Sherman’s Union infantry. Together the with the infantry the 4th Illinois Cavalry charged the field and drove back Forrest’s entire Confederate Cavalry.

Colonels Forrest himself was seriously wounded in his side during this charge. But before the federal troops were able to return to their camps they had to bury 15 of their own men, and gather up all the wounded. Many will probably say that this spirited defense by Colonel Forrest’s cavalry, put a close to any further pursuits by General Grant.

 

This picture is the first tent field hospital ever too used on an U.S. battlefield

Was established at Shiloh, April 7, 1862

 

Our Nation's Lost Sons

General Grant Army combined total along with General Buell’s Army, totaled 65,085 not withstanding a guard detachment Men left at the Landing 1,727

Total Soldiers killed 1,754

Wounded 8,408

Missing or captured 2,885

Casualties 13,047

The Army under General Johnston and General Beauregard forces 43,968

Reinforcements 731 men from Colonel Munson R. Hill’s Tennessee Regiment who showed up with no arms

Total men killed 1,728

Wounded 8,012

Missing or captured 959

Casualties 10,699

After two days of fighting our Nation lost 23,747 Young Son’s in just one battle

 

The Confederate burial trench

Ronald R Wallace

 

Part I The Battle Begins

Part II General Prentiss' Camp

Part III Johnston Mortally Wounded

Return to The Home Page of 4th Illinois Cavalry