00000051.htm

38 JAMES BAIKD WEAVER

that followed the unexpected defeat, the Union
troops moved up the Tennessee to attack ''the
strategic points on the Mississippi and Ala-
bama frontiers". At the end of March it
appears that Grant had about 33,000 men "at
and near Pittsburgh Landing", while twenty
miles distant Johnston and Beauregard occu-
pied Corinth with 40,000 troops. Buell with
about 30,000 was marching to join Grant.
Would the Confederate General attack before
the two Union armies united?⁸⁴

The Second Iowa remained nearly a month
in the vicinity of Fort Donelson, and then
embarked for Pittsburg Landing where it ar-
rived on the 19th of March. The men encamped
about one mile from the landing and remained
there in quiet till Sunday morning, April 6th,
when it took part in the Battle of Shiloh which
lasted during that day and the next.⁸⁶

This battle was the result of an attempt on
the part of the Confederate generals to redeem
the losses due to the fall of Donelson. Believ-
ing that no offensive would be taken by his
opponents so soon after their defeat, Grant
neglected defensive measures and thus exposed
himself to attack. The Confederate army left
Corinth on April 3rd, but stormy weather and
bad roads caused the delay of the attack
planned for April 5th to the next day. During
the afternoon of the same day the advance



	38 JAMES BAIKD WEAVER that followed the unexpected defeat, the Union troops moved up the Tennessee to attack ''the strategic points on the Mississippi and Ala- bama frontiers". At the end of March it appears that Grant had about 33,000 men "at and near Pittsburgh Landing", while twenty miles distant Johnston and Beauregard occu- pied Corinth with 40,000 troops. Buell with about 30,000 was marching to join Grant. Would the Confederate General attack before the two Union armies united?⁸⁴ The Second Iowa remained nearly a month in the vicinity of Fort Donelson, and then embarked for Pittsburg Landing where it ar- rived on the 19th of March. The men encamped about one mile from the landing and remained there in quiet till Sunday morning, April 6th, when it took part in the Battle of Shiloh which lasted during that day and the next.⁸⁶ This battle was the result of an attempt on the part of the Confederate generals to redeem the losses due to the fall of Donelson. Believ- ing that no offensive would be taken by his opponents so soon after their defeat, Grant neglected defensive measures and thus exposed himself to attack. The Confederate army left Corinth on April 3rd, but stormy weather and bad roads caused the delay of the attack planned for April 5th to the next day. During the afternoon of the same day the advance