On the 6th day of April, the
Army of the Tennessee was encamped on the west bank of the Tennessee
River; the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Divisions at Pittsburg
Landing, with 39,830 officers and men present for duty; the Third Division
at Crump's Landing, with 7,564 officers and men present for duty. General
Grant's headquarters was at Savannah, Tenn., where he was awaiting the
arrival of General Buell. While at breakfast early Sunday morning, April
6, General Grant heard heavy firing at Pittsburg Landing, and leaving
orders for General Nelson to move his division up the east bank of the
river to Pittsburg, General Grant and staff repaired to the battlefield,
where he arrived at about 8 a.m. He visited each of his divisions at
the front and finding that the attack was by a large force of the enemy,
he sent an order for his Third Division to hasten to the field and a
request to General Buell for reenforcements. The Army of the Tennessee
was gradually driven back until at sunset it occupied a position extending
from the Landing to Snake Creek Bridge. In this position it repulsed
an attack made by the Confederates at 6 o'clock p.m. General Grant passed
the night in bivouac with his troops, without shelter, and early next
morning, reenforced by his Third Division and by General Buell with
three divisions of the Army of the Ohio, he renewed the battle, and
at 4 p.m. had regained possession of the entire field.
