The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a brutal and decisive conflict fought on April 6-7, 1862, in southern Tennessee during the American Civil War. The battle was one of the bloodiest and most pivotal of the war, resulting in over 23,000 casualties and marking a turning point in the struggle for control of the Western Theater.
In the spring of 1862, the Confederate Army of Mississippi, led by General Albert Sidney Johnston, launched a surprise attack on the Union Army of the Tennessee, commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant, which was camped near the small church of Shiloh in Hardin County, Tennessee. The Confederates had hoped to defeat the Union army before it could be reinforced, but Grant's forces were able to hold their ground and ultimately counterattack, driving the Confederates back and securing a crucial Union victory.
The Battle of Shiloh was a watershed moment in the Civil War, as it marked the first major conflict in the Western Theater and set the stage for the Union's eventual victory in the region. The battle also saw the introduction of new tactics and technologies, including the use of artillery and the deployment of troops in defensive positions. The heavy casualties suffered by both sides at Shiloh also led to a greater awareness of the need for improved medical care and sanitation on the battlefield.