Shiloh, Tennessee (1st day of battle)
April 6–7, 1862
Historical Overview
Following his capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, Grant’s army of 40,000 soldiers was ordered to move south, up the Tennessee River, to Pittsburg Landing. Buell was ordered to join him there with 35,000 troops. Once united, they could attack the important railroad junction at Corinth, twenty miles to the south. This would cut deep through the Confederate defense line in northern Tennessee.
With just over 42,000 soldiers, Johnston knew he must act quickly before Buell arrived. The Confederates attacked at daybreak on April 6 and threw back the Union line. At the center of the Union line stood the remnants of the Sixth division, under Prentiss, along with Wallace’s fresh Second division. They had taken up a strong position behind an oak thicket. Initial rebel attacks were repulsed. During one of these attacks, Johnston was killed while urging several brigades forward. Confederate soldiers dubbed the position the “Hornet’s Nest.” By midafternoon, realizing that repeated infantry attacks were suicidal, General Daniel Ruggles amassed over 50 guns to bombard the Union positions. At about 5:30 p.m., with Union troops falling back on their left flank, the defense finally collapsed. Wallace was mortally wounded and Prentiss was captured along with 2,250 Union soldiers. As the victorious Confederate troops cheered, a defiant Prentiss called out, “Yell boys, you have a right to shout for you have this day captured the bravest brigade in the United States Army.”
The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.
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Set-Up Order
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Union Army
Ulysses S. Grant
Take 5 Command Cards
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| 8 | - | 3 | 2 |
Confederate Army
Albert Sidney Johnston
Take 5 Command Cards
You move first
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| 9 | - | 3 | 2 |
Victory
6 Flags
Special Rules
A Confederate unit that occupies any hex in the first row of hexes on the Union side of the battlefield counts as one victory flag. When a Confederate unit occupies one of those hexes, place a flag token on the Confederate victory stand. As long as the Confederate unit remains on the baseline hex, it continues to count toward Confederate victory. If the unit moves off or is eliminated, remove the flag token from the victory stand.
Related FAQs
In the Shiloh scenario (BC:150 p.20), when are Confederate units on the back line counted—at the end of the Confederate turn, or the end of the Union turn? I say in the Confederate's turn, because you get flags in your own turn...but if in the Union turn, it always gives the USA player a chance to get them out of there...which is it?
The turn a Confederate unit ends its movement on any Union baseline row hex, it counts as one Confederate Victory Flag immediately. It continues to count toward the Confederate victory as long as it remains on the baseline hex. If the unit moves off or is eliminated, remove the flag token form the Confederate victory stand.
