General Ulysses S. Grant

The Battle of Shiloh

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General Ulyssess S. Grant's army was stationed along the Tennesssee river, and had been there for just about a month. His army was waiting for the arrival of General Buell's soilders before they began to march toward the south. However, General Albert S. Johnston, of the Confederate side, had other plans. He aimed to attack Grant's army before the troops they had been waiting for arrived. Johnston's army conducted a surprise attack upon Grant and his soilders that resulted in the Union forces being pushed off of the high ground they originally had held. General Johnston became confident that victory was in sight. His adverasary finally surrendered after a grueling six hour fight in which the northern troops became caught in what the confederates labeled the "Hornet's Nest". The "Hornet's Nest" was a "wooded thicket" which the Union troops became caught up in. Still waiting for General Buell's 22,500 soilders to arrive, the fighting troops attempted to stall the Confederates, and when day became night, the fighting came to a halt. Even though the harried  Confederate army had trapped the northern forces, they still did not gain a victory, and suffered the loss of General Johnston. 
     Eventually,  General Buell's reinforcement troops arrived, and Grant recieved the 22, 500 soilders that he needed. Using these new soilders, Grant attacked in the early morning hours and forced the Confederate army to retreat by the afternoon. It was a victory for the North.