t into the wheel…house； so as to deaden the noise； and hose was attached to the boilers ready to scald any Confederates that tried to board。 Then； through the heart of a terrific thunderstorm； and amid a furious cannonade； the Carondelet ran the desperate gauntlet at full speed and arrived at New Madrid by midnight。
The Confederates were now cut off both above and below； for the position of Island Number Ten was at the lower point of a V…shaped bend in the Mississippi； with Federal forces at the two upper points。 But the Federal troops could not close on the Confederates without crossing over to the east bank； and their transports could not run the gauntlet like the ironclads。 So the Engineer Regiment of the West cut out a water road connecting the two upper points of the V。 This admirable feat of emergency field engineering was effected by sawing through three miles of heavy timber to the nearest bayou； whence a channel was cleared down to New Madrid。 Then the transports went through in perfect safety and took Pope's advanced guard aboard。 The ironclad Pittsburg had come down； through another thunderstorm； this same morning of the seventh； and when the island garrison saw their position completely cut off they surrendered to Foote。 Next day Pope's men cut off the greater part of the Confederates on the mainland。 Thus fell the last point near Johnston's original line along the southern borders of Missouri and Kentucky。 Just before it fell Johnston made a desperate counterattack from his new line at Corinth； in northwest Mississippi； against Grant's encroaching force at Shiloh； fifteen miles northeast； on the Tennessee River。
Writing 〃A。 S。 Johnston； 3d April； 62； en avant〃 on his pocket map of Tennessee； the Confederate leader； anguished by the bitter criticism with which his unavoidable retreat had been assailed； cast the die for an immediate attack on Grant before slow Halleck reinforced or ready Buell joined him。 Johnston's lieutenants； Beauregard and Bragg； had obtained ten days for reorganization； and their commands were as ready as raw forces could be made in an extreme emergency。 They hoped to be joined by Van Dorn； whose beaten army was working east from Pea Ridge。 But on the second they heard that Buell was approaching Grant from Nashville； and on the third Johnston's advanced guard began to move off。 Van Dorn arrived too late。
The march； which it was hoped to complete on the fourth； was not completed till the fifth。 The roads were ankle…deep in clinging mud； the country densely wooded and full of bogs and marshes。 The forty thousand men were not yet seasoned； and； though full of enthusiasm； they neither knew nor had time to learn march discipline。 Moreover； Johnston allowed his own proper plan of attacking in columns of corps to be changed by Beauregard into a three…line attack； each line being formed by one complete corps。 This meant certain and perhaps disastrous confusion。 For in an attack by columns of corps the firing line would always be reinforced by successive lines of the same corps； while attacking by lines of corps meant that the leading corps would first be mixed up with the second； and then both with the third。
In the meantime Grant was busier with his own pressing problems of organization for an advance than with any idea of resisting attack。 He lacked the prevision of Winfield Scott and Lee； both of whom expected from the first that the war would last for years。 His own expectation up to this had been that the South would collapse after the first smashing blow； and that its western armies were now about to be dealt such a blow。 He was not unmindful of all precautions； for he knew the Confederates were stirring on his front。 Yet he went downstream to Savannah without making sure that his army was really safe at Shiloh。
Pittsburg Landing was at the base of the Shiloh position。 But the point at which； by the original orders； Buell was to join was Savannah； nine miles north along the Tennessee。 So Grant had to keep in touch with both。 He had not ignored the advantage of entrenching。 But the best line for entrenching was too far from good water； and he thought he chose the lesser of two evils when he devoted the time that might have been used for digging to drilling instead。 His army was raw as an army； many of the men were still rawer recruits； and； as usual； the recruiting authorities had sent him several brand…new battalions； which knew nothing at all； instead of sending the same men as reinforcements to older battalions that could 〃learn 'em how。〃 Grant's total effectives at first were only thirty…three thousand。 This made the odds five to four in favor of Johnston's attack。 But the rejoining of Lew Wallace's division； the great reinforcement by Buell's troops； and the two ironclad gunboats on the river； raised Grant's final effective grand total to sixty thousand。 The combined grand totals therefore reached a hundred thousanddouble the totals at Donelson and far exceeding those at Bull Run。
After a horrible week of cold and wet the sun set clear and calm on Saturday； the eve of battle。 The woods were alive with forty thousand Confederates all ready for their supreme attack on the thirty…three thousand Federals on their immediate four…mile front。 Grant's front ran； facing south； between Owl and Lick Creeks； two tributaries that joined the Tennessee on either side of Pittsburg Landing。 Buell's advance division； under Nelson； was just across the Tennessee。 But Grant was in no hurry to get it over。 His reassuring wire that night to Halleck said： 〃The main force of the enemy is at Corinth。 I have scarcely the faintest idea of an attack （general one） being made upon us。〃 But the skirmishing farther south on Friday had warned Grant； as well as Sherman and the vigilant Prentiss； that Johnston might be trying a reconnaissance in forcethe very thing that Beauregard wished the Confederates to do。
Long before the beautiful dawn of Sunday； the fateful sixth of April； Prentiss had thrown out from the center a battalion which presently met and drove in the vanguard of the first Confederate line of assault。 The Confederate center soon came up； overwhelmed this advanced battalion； and burst like a storm on the whole of Prentiss's division。 Then； above the swelling roar of multitudinous musketry； rose the thunder of the first big guns。 〃Note the hour； please； gentlemen；〃 said Johnston； and a member of his staff wrote down： 〃5：14 A。M。〃
Johnston's admirable plan was； first； to drive Grant's left clear of Lick Creek； then drive it clear of Pittsburg Landing； where the two Federal ironclads were guarding the ferry。 This； combined with a determined general assault on the rest of Grant's line； would huddle the retreating Federals into the cramped angle between Owl Creek and the Tennessee and force them to surrender。 But there were three great obstacles to this： Sherman on the right； the 〃Hornet's Nest〃 in the center； and the gunboats at the Landing。 Worse still for the Confederates； Buell was now too close at hand。 Three days earlier Johnston had wired from Corinth to the Government at Richmond： 〃Hope engagement before Buell can form junction。〃 But the troubles of the march had lost him one whole priceless day。
The Confederate attack was splendidly gallant and at first pushed home regardless of loss。 The ground was confusing to both sides： a bewilderment of ups and downs； of underbrush； woods； fields； and clumps of trees； criss…cross paths； small creeks； ravines； and swamps； without a single commanding height or any outstanding features except the two big creeks； the river； and the Pittsburg Landing。
At the first signs of a big battle Grant hurried to the field； first sending a note to Buell； whom he was to have met at Savannah； then touching at Crump's Landing on the way； to see Lew Wallace and make sure whether this； and not the Pittsburg Landing； was the point of attack。 Arrived on the field of Shiloh； calm and determined as ever； he was reassured by finding how well Sherman was holding his raw troops in hand at the extremely important point of Shiloh itself； next to Owl Creek。
But elsewhere the prospect was not encouraging； though the men got under arms very fast and most of them fought very well。 The eager gray lines kept pressing on like the rising tide of an angry sea； dashing in fury against all obstructing fronts and swirling round the disconnecting flanks。 The blue lines； for the most part； resisted till the swift gray tide threatened to cut them off。 Half of Prentiss's remaining men were in fact cut off that afternoon and forced to surrender with their chief； whose conduct； like their own； was worthy of all praise。 Back and still back the blue lines went before the encroaching gray； each losing heavily by sheer hard fighting at the front and streams of stragglers running towards the rear。
Sherman； like others； gave ground； but still held his men together； except for the stragglers he could not control。 In the center C。F。 Smith's division； with Hurlbut's in support； and all that was left of Prentiss's； defended themselves so desperately that their enemies called their position the Hornet's Nest。 Here the fight swayed back and forth for hours； with ghastly losses on both sides。 C。F。 Smith hi