Army of the Mississippi

The Confederate Army known as the Army of the Mississippi, totaling 43,968 officers and men present for duty, marched from Corinth and deployed in line of battle on Saturday, April 5, 1862. General Wm J. Hardee's Corps formed the first line at right angles with the Corinth Road near Wood's field, General Braxton Bragg's Corps formed the second line 800 yards behind the first, General Leonidas Polk's Corps stood in column of brigades before General Albert Sidney Johnston's headquarters at the junction of Bark and Corinth Roads, and General John C. Breckinridge's Corps was in the rear along the road toward Mickey's. The battle began at 4.55 a.m. on Sunday, April 6, 1863, with an attack on Hardee's picket post in front of his center. Advancing Confederates slowly drove the Union army back all day, captured four division camps, and by dark held a position stretching from the Tennessee River south of Dill Branch to the mouth of Tilghman Creek. Johnston was mortally wounded at 2.30 p.m. and General G. T. Beauregard took 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 p.m. on April 7, 1862. Casualties in the Army of the Mississippi during the battle were 1,728 killed, 8,012 wounded, and 959 missing, for a total of 10,699.

Shiloh, Tennessee · United States