Army of Northern Virginia: February to September 1862Battle of Shiloh |
How far had the Confederates come? |
They had advanced perhaps two miles, and there were times when it seemed they would punch through the federal line and do what General Johnston insisted was their mission: to water their horses in the Tennessee River. But they ran into a defensive position so tough that they labeled it the Hornet’s Nest.

In one of the more important battles of the war, Ulysses S. Grant faced a surprise attack by Southern forces but managed to reverse their advantage and win the 1862 Battle of Shiloh.