%433.  The Battle of Shiloh, or Pittsburg Landing.%—­After the fall of Fort Donelson, the Confederates, abandoning Columbus and Nashville, hurried south toward Corinth in Mississippi, whither Halleck’s army followed in three parts.  One under General S. E. Curtis moved to southwestern Missouri, and beat the Confederates at Pea Ridge, Ark.  (March 6-8).  The second, under General John Pope, cooeperated with Flag Officer Foote, from the west bank of the Mississippi, in the capture of Island No. 10 (April 7).  Pope then joined Halleck in the movement against Corinth, while the fleet went on down the river, attacked Fort Pillow three times, captured it (June 4), and two days later took Memphis.

Meanwhile the third part of Halleck’s army, under Grant, following the Confederates, had reached Pittsburg Landing, where (April 6) he was suddenly attacked by General A. S. Johnston and driven back.  But General Buell coming up with fresh troops, the battle was resumed the next day (April 7), when Grant regained his lost ground, and the Confederates fell back to Corinth.[1]

[Footnote 1:  Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Vol., pp. 465-486.]

[Illustration:  Driving back the Confederate line in the West]

At this point General Henry Halleck arrived and took command, and at the end of May occupied Corinth.  Memphis then fell, and the Mississippi River was opened as far south as Vicksburg.  After the capture of Memphis, Halleck went to Washington to take command of the armies of the United States.

%434.  Bragg’s Raid into Kentucky.%—­The Confederate line which in January, 1862, had passed across Kentucky had thus by June been driven southward to Chattanooga, Iuka, and Holly Springs.  The Union line ran from near Chattanooga to Corinth and Memphis.  Against this the Confederates now moved, with the hope of breaking through and driving it back.  Gathering his forces at Chattanooga, General Bragg rushed across Tennessee and Kentucky toward Louisville.  But General Buell, perceiving his purpose, outmarched him, reached the Ohio, and forced Bragg to fall back.  At Perryville (October 8, 1862), Bragg turned furiously on Buell and was beaten.

%435.  Iuka and Corinth.%—­While Bragg was raiding Kentucky, Generals Price at Iuka and Van Dorn at Holly Springs, knowing that Grant’s army had been greatly weakened by sending troops to Buell, prepared to attack Corinth.  But Grant, thinking he could fight them separately, sent Rosecrans to Iuka (September 19).  Price was not captured, but retreated to Van Dorn, and the two then fell upon Rosecrans at Corinth (October 4), only to be beaten and chased forty miles.

%436.  Murfreesboro.%—­For these successes Rosecrans (October 30) was given command of Buell’s army, then centering at Nashville.  Bragg went into winter quarters at Murfreesboro, and thither Rosecrans advanced to attack him.  The contest at Murfreesboro (December 31, 1862, and January 2, 1863) was one of the most bloody battles of the whole war.  Bragg was again defeated, and retreated to a position farther south.