to destroy grant's army before it could be reinforced by a second union force under general don carlos buell. but grant's men stubbornly held on, fighting for time, darkness, and buell. although he inflicted massive carnage on his enemy, johnston proved unable to achieve the desired victory. a failure to conquer many conclude still haunts the destiny of the confederacy to this day. for johnston perished, struck down by a stray bullet. he simply bled to death. when battle resumed next day, the exhausted southern troops under general p.g.t. beauregard, a man of immense courage, and he proves it on this day, probably the most conspicuous leader on the battlefield. sick or not. bad plan or not. the little creole was no coward. obstinately resisted the combined forces tramping upon them. for buell had arrived. the grand offensive decisively checked the weary confederates were unable to stem the tide in one of the most dramatic reversals in american military history or military history and world history. southern army turned away and retired to corinth. the national forest regained their foothold

grant and don carlos buell, both moving to form a juncture here on the tennessee river, and the confederate state western forces under albert sidney johnston concentrating now in and around corinth to hold the railroads for the purpose of holding the valley, defending the valley. and that's what brings in all this activity here at this location in the early spring of 1862. what you would have seen here was, in shifts, steamboats coming in, offloading personnel, as well as all of the elements of what it takes to wage war, all of their equipment, food, tents, you name it. so it would have been very noisy as this massive offloading of personnel, animals and equipment begin to come ashore and go up on top on the plateau which is known as shiloh hill and began to occupy and camp along the landscape here at shiloh. the plateau above pittsburg landing offered quite a bit of advantages to the united states forces under grant. initial reconnaissance by sherman illustrated they could encamp up to 100,000 men. there was the road networks. it wasn't a lot of roads because it was an area of rural wilder

grant, don carlos buell, and the united states army the next morning. we've actually moved out from pittsburgh landing area and grant's last line to discuss the second day fighting here at shiloh. throughout the history of the battle, second day has kind of got shortened on any major discussion or interpretation. primarily, that has a great deal to do with the fact that overnight, grant received sizeable reinforcement. you know, johnston was hoping to do battle before buell had arrived. well, unbeknownst to johnston, buell had arrived. in fact, buell's advance division had reached savannah, tennessee, on april the 5th. he had not simply arrived at pittsburgh landing, but he had made the juncture with grant and was in striking distance of reinforcing grant as long as grant held access to pittsburgh landing and the ability to get troops across the river. buell actually comes in on steam boat. meanwhile, nelson's crossing over land to a point opposite, and the remainder of buell's column is slowly filing into savannah. they're not all going to be able to m