Shiloh's Battlefield Time Line

 

 

 

 

Timeline of the Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburg Landing)

The Beginning

· March 1 - April 5: Grant transports his Army of west Tennessee (over 58,000 men) into southwest Tennessee Establishes it at Pittsburg Landing, and awaits Buell's army.

· March 1: Johnston transports 55,000 Confederates to Corinith to defend the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.

· April 3: Johnston advances toward Pittsburg Landing, Rain and bad roads delay his advance.

· April 6: Johnston launches surprise attack on Federals.

April 6, 1862

· 4:55-6:30 am: Federal patrol discovers Confederates in Fraley Field. Federal Skirmish, then fall back.

· 6:30-9:00 am: Johnston maneuvers eight brigades to overrun Prentiss's camps, routing the Union division.

· 7:00-10:00 am: Sherman's division repulses Confederates, inflicting heavy casualties. Johnston sends five brigades to attack Sherman's left flank. 4th Illinois Cavalry is in the middle of Sherman's battle line, Sherman falls back on McClernand's division.

· 10:00-11:30 am: Confederates assault Sherman and McClernand on the Hamburg - Purdey Road, driving back Union right flank.

· 8:00-9:30 am: Wallace's and Hurlbut's divisions march to the front.

· 9:00-10:30 am: Johnston, hearing that his right flank is threatened, orders Chalmers' and Jackson's brigades to assault Federal left, with Breckinridge in support.

· 11:00-Noon: Confederates make contact with Federals across Eastern Corinth Road. Federals repulse attacks.

· 11:00am-1:00pm: Chalmers and Jackson assault Stuart, but Confederate stalls. Federal left holds against all attacks.

· Noon-2:30pm: Sherman and McClernand Counterattack Driving Confederates south, but weakened by losses, Federals with draw across Tilghman Branch.

· Noon-3:30pm: Gibson's Confederates assault Federal center three times and are repulsed. Confederates come under murderous fire in impenetrable oak thicket.

·1:00-4:00 pm: Johnston orders attack against Federal left, forcing them back. Johnston killed; succeeded by Beauregard. Hurlbut's division again stalls Confederates, but then retires toward Pittsburg landing.

· 3:00-5:30 pm: Sherman and McClernand prevent Confederates from crossing Tilghman Branch, but retire to defend Hamburg-Savannah road so that Wallace's division can come up.

· 7:00 pm: Wallace, with 5,800 men , moves to support Sherman at Shiloh Church.

· Night: Buell's troop file in on Union left. Crittenden deploys in center, with McCook in support.

· Night: Nelson ferried across river. Federal gunboats fire into captured Federal camps.

April 7, 1862

· 7:00-9:00 am: Wallace drives Confederates from Jones' field.

· 7:00-900 am: Grant and Buell advance. Skirmishing light as majority of Confederates retired south of Hamburg/Purdy road during night.

· 9:00-11:00 am: Nelson advances through Wicker's and Sarah Bell's fields, Crittenden advances in center, but stalled in "hornet's nest."

· 9:00-11:00 am: Breckinridge and Hardee counterattack Nelson's right flank and force Federal left back into Wicker's field.

· 9:00-11:00 am: McCook crosses Tilghman Branch and engages Breckinridge's left.

· 10:30-Noon: Sherman, McClernand and Hurlbut cross Tilghman Branch and join Wallace in fighting against Polk and Bragg on Confederate left.

· 10:30-Noon: Confederates flanked by Wallace and forced to retire to Hamburg/Purdy road.

· Noon-2:00 pm: Reinforced, Nelson and Crittenden advance, forcing Beauregard's right flank to retreat south to Hamburg/Purdy road.

· Noon-2:00 pm: McCook slams into Bragg at Water Oak Pond. Beauregard counterattack, halting McCook. With his left under pressure Beauregard is forced to retire.

· 2:00-4:00 pm: Breckinridge, supported by massed artillery south of Shiloh Branch ravine, checks Union advance and Confederates retire from field. Federals reclaim possession of the field and bivouac.

Source: "The Atlas of the Civil War" by: James M. McPherson