Surrender of the Hornets' Nest

In the woods lay the heart of the Hornets' Nest, where Union infantry and artillery held out for eight hours against Confederate attacks. Federal forces repulsed a series of assaults across Duncan Field and through the adjoining woods until late in the day, when 62 cannon commanded by Brig. Gen. Daniel Ruggles pounded the position from across the field while Confederate infantry pressed the flanks. Many Federals escaped the closing trap, but more than 2,000 men under Brig. Gen. Benjamin M. Prentiss remained in place. Isolated and outnumbered, the Union defenders surrendered. Although the Confederates crushed the Hornets' Nest, the struggle cost them many lives and gave General Grant time to consolidate his forces for a successful counterattack the next day.

Shiloh, Tennessee · United States