Battle of Shiloh Facts, Details, and Timeline

April 6–7, 1862

Facts about the Battle of Shiloh, including dates, casualties, participants, who won, and more interesting details you might not know. This fact sheet provides a quick overview of the battle and is for kids doing research and students preparing for the AP U.S. History (APUSH) exam.

Ulysses S Grant, at Cold Harbor, Portrait

Major General Ulysses S. Grant’s career suffered temporarily in the aftermath of Shiloh because of rumors of his drunkenness at the time of the attack. Image Source: Wikipedia.

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Definition

The Battle of Shiloh was fought between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America from April 6 to April 7, 1862, during the American Civil War.

Quick Facts

  • Also Known As: The Battle of Shiloh is also called the “Battle of Pittsburgh Landing.”
  • Date Started: The Battle of Shiloh started on Sunday, April 6, 1862.
  • Date Ended: The fighting ended on Monday, April 7, 1862.
  • Location: The battle took place in Hardin County, in southwestern Tennessee.
  • Who Won: The United States of America won the Battle of Shiloh.
  • Civil War Campaign: The Battle of Shiloh was part of the Federal Penetration Up the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers.

Battle of Shiloh, Illustration, Thulstrup

This illustration depicts Union artillery at the Battle of Shiloh. Image Source: Library of Congress.

Interesting Facts

  • Ulysses S. Grant’s career suffered temporarily in the aftermath of Shiloh because of rumors of his drunkenness at the time of the attack.
  • The Battle of Shiloh resulted in the defeat of the Confederate army and frustration of General Albert Sidney Johnston’s plans to prevent the joining of the Union Army of the Tennessee and the Army of the Ohio in Tennessee.
  • Combined casualties at the Battle of Shiloh represented more than the American battle-related casualties of the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Mexican-American War combined.

Commanders and Forces Involved

Principal Union Commanders

  • Major General Ulysses S. Grant
  • Major General Don Carlos Buell

Principal Confederate Commander

  • General Albert Sidney Johnston
  • General P.G.T. Beauregard

Union Forces Engaged

  • Army of the Tennessee
  • Army of the Ohio

Confederate Forces Engaged

  • Army of the Mississippi

Casualties and Statistics

Number of Union Soldiers Engaged

  • Roughly 76,000

Number of Confederate Soldiers Engaged

  • Roughly 44,500

Estimated Union Casualties

  • 13,000 (killed, wounded, missing/captured).
  • 1,754 Union soldiers were killed at the Battle of Shiloh.

Estimated Confederate Casualties

  • 13,500 (killed, wounded, missing/captured).
  • 1,728 Confederate soldiers were killed at the Battle of Shiloh.

Results of the Battle of Shiloh

  • The outcome of the Battle of Shiloh was a Union victory.

Timeline of the Battle of Shiloh

This list shows the main battles and events that took place before and after the Battle of Shiloh, and how it fits into the chronological order of the Federal Penetration Up the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers.