The Confederate Army of the Mississippi, commanded by General Albert Sidney Johnston until he was mortally wounded and then by General G.T. Beauregard, included First Corps under Maj. Gen. Leonidas Polk, Second Corps under Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg, Third Corps under Maj. Gen. Wm. J. Hardee, who was wounded, and Reserve Corps under Brig. Gen. John C. Breckinridge. With 43,968 officers and men present for duty, the army marched from Corinth and deployed in line of battle on Saturday, April 5, 1862. Hardee’s Corps formed the first line at right angles with the Corinth Road near Wood’s Field, Bragg’s Corps formed the second line 800 yards behind it, Polk’s Corps stood in a column of brigades before Johnston’s headquarters at the junction of Bark and Corinth Roads, and Breckinridge’s Corps was to the rear along the road toward Mickey’s. The battle began at 4:55 am on Sunday, April 6, 1862, with an attack on Hardee’s picket post before his center. Advancing Confederates drove the Union Army slowly back through the day, captured four division camps, and by dark held a position from the Tennessee River south of Dill Branch to the mouth of Tilghman Creek. Johnston was mortally wounded at 2:30 pm and Beauregard assumed command. The Union Army was reinforced during the night, and on Monday the Confederates were driven back in turn until they retired from the field at 4 pm on April 7, 1862. The Army of the Mississippi suffered 1,728 killed, 8,012 wounded, and 959 missing, for total casualties of 10,699.

Photo: David Austin

Photo: David Austin

Childers Hill, Tennessee · USA