slightest idea,however, of ab-dicating thesupreme com-mand, and saidto friends whoremonstratedwith him: “ Iwill be there tosee that all goesright.” He waswilling to yieldto another theglory, if therebyanything wasadded to thechance of vic-tory. The offerwas rather quix-otic, but char-acteristic ; he
had done the same thing in his victories on the Neelies in 1840. He then gaveGeneral Beauregard the position of second in command, without special assign-ment. Indeed, as is shown by his own frequent statements, General Beauregardwas, from severe and protracted ill-health, inadequate to anymore serious duty.
General Grant’s army had been moved up the Tennessee River by boat, andhad taken position on its left bank at Pittsburg Landing. It had been landedby divisions, and Bragg had proposed to Beauregard to attack Grant beforehe assembled his whole force. Beauregard forbade this, intending to awaitevents, and attack him away from his base if possible, though he now insiststhat his plan of campaign was offensive. Grant’s first object was to destroythe railroads which centered at Corinth, and, indeed, to capture that place ifhe could. But his advance was only a part of a grand plan for a combinedmovement of his own and Buell’s army. With Pittsburg Landing as a base,this army was to occupy North Mississippi and Alabama , command the entirerailroad system of that section, and take Memphis in the rear, while Halleckforced his way down the Mississippi River. General Johnston divinedthe movement before it was begun, and was there to frustrate it. Indeed,Grant’s army was assembled at Pittsburg Landing only one week beforeJohnston completed the concentration.
Grant has been severely criticised for placing his army with the river at itsback. But he was there to take the initiative. He had the larger army,under cover, too, of his gun-boats; he was expecting Buell daily; and theground was admirable for defense. Indeed, his position was a natural strong-hold. Planked by Owl and Lick creeks, with their marshy margins, and withhis front protected by a swampy valley, he occupied a quadrilateral of great
MAP
used by the
CONFEDERATE GENERALS
AT SHILOH
.Hurley'
Scale of Miles
ITTSBURG
'Pratts
HAMBURG/
.Farmington