Military Power

Hobilar wrote:1. General Grant was not present on the battlefield when the engagement commenced. He was nine miles away downriver at Army Headquarters in Savannah. He would not arrive at Pittsburg Landings by boat until 9.00 am (by which time the battle had been raging for three hours).

2. Also absent on the first day was the Division of Lew Wallace. Hastily summoned to the scene of fighting, Wallace's men, who were just five miles to the north, would take all day to reach the battle, having taken a wrong path on the way. They would however, provide fresh numbers (with Buell's Army) for the Union counter-attack on the second day. In 1880 Lew Wallace would be the author of the famous epic novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.

3. The Confederate cavalry of Lt. Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest's scouts spent the night watching Buell's Army cross over the river. Unfortunately Forrest was unable to make contact with Beauregard to warn him of the approach of the Union reinforcements. Forrest would be wounded as he covered the retirement of Beauregard's army in an engagement that discouraged the pursuit by two of Sherman's tired Brigades .

4. Sherman was twice lightly wounded and had three horses shot from under him on the first day but stayed on the field. This would quench some of the rumours being published in the press that he was insane .

5. Johnston's death, at 2.30 pm, was caused by a bullet wound in the leg that severed an artery, causing him to bleed to death within minutes. Command of the Confederate Army would be taken over by General Beauregard for the remainder of the battle.

6. Samuel Brown Todd, a half brother of Mary Lincoln (wife of Abraham), was killed on the second day, fighting for the Confederate Army.

Hobilar wrote:A bit late I know but....