| The Army of the
Mississippi General Albert Sidney Johnston |
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This army assembled near Corinth, Miss. It was organized into four army corps and commenced its movements toward Pittsburg April 3, 1862, under General Order No. 8, which directed the Third Corps, Major General Hardee, to moved from Corinth by Ridge road to near Mickey's, at the intersection of the Ridge road with road from Monterey to Savannah; the Second Corps, Major General Bragg, to assemble at Monterey and move thence to the Ridge road near Mickey's, in two columns, the left wing by the Purdy and the right wing by the Savannah road, falling in behind Hardee's corps; the First Corps, Major General Polk, to assemble at Mickey's, taking the road behind Bragg's corps; Ruggles's division coming from Corinth by the Ridge road; Cheatham's division from Bethel and Purdy; the reserve Corps, Brigadier General Breckinridge, to assemble at Monterey, from Burnsville, and follow Bragg's corps to Mickey's and fall in behind Polk's corps; the cavalry to deploy on the flanks guarding Lick Creek fords on the right and the road to Stantonville on the left. The order contemplated an attack upon the Union camps near Pittsburg Landing at sunrise Saturday morning, April 5, but on account of and roads and other delays the several corps were not in position assigned them until nearly dark on Saturday, and the attack was deferred until Sunday morning, April 6. The army bivouacked Saturday night in order of battle, the Third corps in the front line across the Pittsburg Landing road one-half mile in advance of the forks of the Bark road; the Second Corps 800 yards in rear of the first line; the First Corps in column of brigades in rear of the second line; the Reserve Corps 1 mile in rear on the road to Mickey's. General Johnston established his headquarters at the fork of the old Bark and Pittsburg roads. The forward movement to the attack commenced at about sunrise Sunday morning, April 6, General Johnston in person accompanying the right, Gladden's and Shaver's brigades,a until the first camp was attacked. He then rode to the left, where Cleburne's brigade was advancing to the attack,a and from there conducted Stewart's brigade to the right. He then, from the camp of the Eighteenth Wisconsin, directed the movements of Chalmers's and Jackson's brigadesb to the right, while Hardee, who was with him here,c was directing Shaver, Wood, and Stewart to the left. General Johnston then ordered the reserve corps forward, and at 12:30 was placing these troops in position south of the Peach Orchard, he and his staff occupying for over an hour a position due south of the center of the Peach Orchard, on the left bank of Locust Grove Creek.d From this point he went forward behind Bowen's brigade, and was killed near the southeast corner of the Peach Orchard at 2:30 p.m. His body was carried to Corinth that afternoon and was buried at New Orleans, La. Gen. G. T. B. Beauregard, second in command, and commanding the army after 2:30 p.m., had his headquarters Saturday night at the present forks of Bark and Pittsburg roads.e At 10 a.m. Sunday morning the general and his staff moved forward to within one-half mile of the camps (near Plum Orchard hospital, according to Captain Irwin). About noon he moved up to the Rhea House and at 2 p.m. forward to the crossroads near Water Oaks pond. Here he received information of the death of General Johnston and assumed command of the army. At night his headquarters was established at General Sherman's tent, near Shiloh Church. From this point he directed the battle on Monday. When he directed the army to retire he personally placed a brigade and several pieces of artillery in position on the first ridge south of Shiloh Branch; a battery at Wood's house and Breckinridge's corps on the high ground near Bark Road, and then with his staff retired to Corinth via Monterey.
First Corps - Major General Leonidas Polk
Second Corps - Major General Braxton Bragg
Third Corps - Major General William J. Hardee
Reserve Corps - Brigadier General John C. Breckinridge