72 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War

position on the west side of the river, but the ablestcritics seem to agree with the Count of Paris that1 the position was “extremely well chosen.” It wasGrant’s theory of the campaign that he was toattack and crush the enemy, and the east side ofthe river was not the place in which to do this.It would not do to give up the bluff at PittsburgLanding to Johnston and Beauregard. The posi-«tion was an exceedingly strong one, and while thegunboats commanded the river Grant might expectto have sufficient means of transport at hand incase of disaster. It was his plan to wait in thisposition until the arrival of Buell’s army, afterwhich the united forces were to advance upon theenemy at Corinth. Meanwhile, as Buell was ex-pected to arrive at Savannah , Grant kept his head-quarters there for the present, but spent a largepart of each day with the army at Pittsburg Land-ing.

The position was a quadrilateral nearly enclosedby natural obstacles, but open on the southwest,the side facing toward Corinth. The north wascovered by Snake creek, emptying into the rivera little below the landing. Owl creek, a tributaryof Snake creek, enclosed the northwest side. Tothe southeast Lick creek flows into the river abovethe landing, and at that time its volume was greatlyswelled by backwater. All three streams, indeed,