Follow, Not Go!

General Pierre G.T. Beauregard took command of the army on Sunday afternoon, April 6, 1862, when General Albert Sidney Johnston died, after having supervised the Confederate left before Johnston's death. Once in command, he moved his troops forward against strong Union resistance and ultimately captured Federal troops in the Hornets' Nest. Near sundown, Beauregard decided to consolidate his exhausted and scattered forces, suspended attacks, and ordered his troops to retire for the night. He and his generals were extremely confident they had won a great victory and could finish off Grant's army the next day, but this decision would haunt Beauregard for the rest of his life. On Monday morning, Federal reenforcements and a massive Union counterattack came as a complete surprise to Beauregard and his generals. Throughout the day, Beauregard demonstrated leadership and personal courage as he grappled with relentless attacks threatening to overrun his army. When subordinates admonished him for his perceived recklessness in personally leading the troops, he answered, "The order must now be 'follow,' not 'go'!" As southern ranks melted away and the men grew exhausted, Beauregard sensed that their spirits were close to being broken by the abrupt reversal of fortune. On at least two occasions, he seized the flags of disorganized regiments and led them forward.

Shiloh, Tennessee · United States