Most important times

[Ozzy 839]

After a bit of deliberation, came up with the following as The Most Critical Times at Shiloh:

• 4:55 a.m.     First contact. (Some record this time as 5:15, probably due to watch error.)
• 9:05              Brigadier General Prentiss retires with most of his artillery (and the sturdy bits of his infantry) to what will become the Hornet's Nest.
• 10 a.m.        The "key time" for General Sherman: after meeting with General Grant, things start to fall apart on the Union Right.
•  2 p.m.          Buell arrives at Pittsburg Landing and meets with Grant (despair caused by "no reinforcements" evaporates, replaced by Hope.)
•  2:30             Colonel Webster begins assembling Grant's Last Line (from all available artillery.) General Albert Sidney Johnston dies.
•  5:29             The exact time recorded by General Prentiss that he, and those stalwarts with him, surrendered.
•  6:25 p.m.     Sunset. General Beauregard calls a halt to offensive operations.

Can you think of any other times on Sunday 6 April 1862 more deserving of inclusion on the above list?

 

[mona 299]

have you read where Grant did not have his time piece with him.I read this a few days ago.

 

 

[Stan Hutson 164]

I would say the time from when CS troops stopped in the Federal camps until the attacks resumed, esp. on the Confederate center and right.

[Stan Hutson 164]

Then again, I don't know how much that time mattered.  The Confederates were disorganized, thus part of the reason they stopped.  Had they continued on the attack, being so disorganized, I venture that the disorganization would have caused even more ill coordinated attacks, and potentially, disaster for the Confederates, if that makes sense.

[Ozzy 839]

Mona

In a Letter dated 3 APR 1862 to wife Julia, General Grant indicated "he sent his watch (an heirloom from his brother, Simpson) home, in trust of Mr. Safford of Cairo Illinois" [Papers US Grant, vol. 5 pages 7 - 8.] Although General Grant had sent for a replacement (a plain, silver watch) there was no opportunity for that timepiece to arrive before Battle of Shiloh.

Cheers

Ozzy

 

[Ozzy 839]

Stan

Part of the difficulty with tracking troop movements during Battle of Shiloh -- USA and CSA -- results from lack of a standardized time. Although the U.S. Navy (in form of two timberclads) possessed highly accurate Time, no use of that Time was made by the U.S. Army (content with setting watches by "meridian passage" i.e. "high noon.") Probably, Confederate soldiers set their time pieces by meridian passage, too.

It would be possible to "backward engineer" one correct time for actions and movements during Battle of Shiloh... except, allowance would still be necessary for "estimated time" and "fabricated time" (such as "Grant's arrival on Sunday morning at Pittsburg Landing.") Perhaps, a challenge too immense...

Regards

Ozzy

 

 

[mona 299]

14 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Mona

In a Letter dated 3 APR 1862 to wife Julia, General Grant indicated "he sent his watch (an heirloom from his brother, Simpson) home, in trust of Mr. Safford of Cairo Illinois" [Papers US Grant, vol. 5 pages 7 - 8.] Although General Grant had sent for a replacement (a plain, silver watch) there was no opportunity for that timepiece to arrive before Battle of Shiloh.

Cheers

Ozzy

 

Right..I didnt put all this in my comment.I guess Grant thought he didnt want that valuable timepiece to become lost/captured.