n that he received Halleck's
dispatch of removal. For several days he was in dreadful distress of
mind, and contemplated resigning his commission. It seemed as if Fate
had cut off his career just as it had gloriously begun. But he made no
public complaint. He obeyed orders and waited at Fort Henry. To some of
his friends he said that he would never wear a sword again. But on the
13th he was restored to command. Halleck became aware of the facts, and
made a report vindicating Grant's conduct, of which he sent him a copy.
It was not until after the war that Grant learned that Halleck's
previous reports had caused his degradation.

His first battle after restoration to command was an unfortunate one in
the beginning, but was turned into a victory. He was advancing on
Corinth, Miss., a railroad centre of the Southwest, where a large
Confederate army under General Albert Sidney Johnston was collecting.
All the available Union forces in the West were gathering to meet it.
Grant had selected Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River, twenty
miles from Corinth, as the place for landing his forces, and Hamburg
Landing, four miles up the river, as the starting point for Buell's
army in marching on Corinth. Buell was hastening to the rendezvous,
coming through Tennessee with a large force. On the 4th of April Grant's
horse fell while he was reconnoitring at night, and the general's leg
was badly bruised but not broken.

Expecting to make an offensive campaign and meet the enemy at Corinth,
he had not enjoined intrenchment of the temporary camp. So great was the
confidence that Johnston would await attack that the enemy's proximity
in force was discovered too late. Johnston led his whole army out of
Corinth, and early on the morning of the 6th of April surprised
Sherman's division encamped at Shiloh, three miles from Pittsburg
Landing, attacking with a largely superior force. The battle raged all
day, with heavy losses on both sides, the Union army being gradually
forced back to Pittsburg Landing. Five divisions were engaged, three of
them composed of raw troops, and many regiments were in a demoralized
condition at night.

On the next day the Union army, reinforced by Buell's 20,000 men,
advanced, attacking the enemy early in the morning, with furious
determination. The Confederate forces, although weakened, were
determined not to lose the advantage gained, and fought with desperate
stubbornness. But it was in vain. A necessity