re: Today is the 158th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh

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The only reason the casualties are that high were unsupported, piecemeal attacks usually by companies in a tight formation attacking a fixed position. Suicide.

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This was the way things were at the beginning of the war because they were amateurs being led by officers who had never commanded large numbers of soldiers before. The total strength of the U.S. Army the day South Carolina seceded from the Union was only 16,000. Before the Battle of First Manassas the largest army any U.S. general had ever commanded in the field was 12,000 men. The armies at First Manassas were more than twice that number and were commanded by men who had been captains and majors in the regular army just months before.

At Shiloh just about everyone on the battlefield had never been in an engagement before. From the officers down to the lowliest private, the vast majority of them were green troops. Two years later, these same men would be some of best-trained, most battle-hardened soldiers on the planet.

One great-great grandfather killed at Shiloh. Great grandfather severely wounded. Numerous other relatives also at the site, some not related to each other, opposite sides of the family but all related to me.

Been there once. One of the most beautiful places in America. Truly is a place of peace...now.

I could feel the presence of my ancestors when I stood on that battlefield. Call me sentimental but I'm old as hell and don't care what you think.

Stay off my lawn and stay at least six feet away from me.

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Everyone is an expert.

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Bro, in 1862 they barely understood how to fight at the battalion and brigade level much less at division and above. Factor into account the terrain and you have little more than a brawl. They were rank amateurs. West Point did not teach fighting at this level of warfare.

Throw in the Seven Days to that equation.

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Anyone who hasn’t walked that battlefield doesn’t understand the issues with unit cohesion in an era before mobile communications and GPS.

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I've never been to Shiloh but I recently walked the Wilderness battlefield in Virginia. I would imagine Shiloh is very similar to that.

And from what I've read, the Wilderness was even more tangled and dense in 1864 than it is today. It was also really cool to see the remains of the Union and Confederate trenches there. After the horrors of 1862 and 1863, the Wilderness is where men on both sides began to value the spade just as much as the rifle.

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was a terrible battle plan from an overrated Confederate commander.

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Johnston's plan was fine. He was just killed.

Beaureguard was horrible after he took over though.