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Army of Northern Virginia: February to September 1862

Battle 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.