Dr. Timothy B. Smith

Well, yes, it's never intended to be a battlefield. It's a staging area. But I've always said if you have to get surprised and caught and ambushed and play the defensive, Grant couldn't have picked a better place to do it because of the terrain in the battlefield. And so essentially the way the battle will play out on the first day, and it's a mirror image on the second day, but the first day,

Well, yes, it's never intended to be a battlefield. It's a staging area. But I've always said if you have to get surprised and caught and ambushed and play the defensive, Grant couldn't have picked a better place to do it because of the terrain in the battlefield. And so essentially the way the battle will play out on the first day, and it's a mirror image on the second day, but the first day,

Grant will fall back gradually from creek system to creek system, using those as defensive areas in an effort, basically the old cliche is to trade space for time. So he's falling back, trying to eat up daylight. He'll hold the initial major line at the initial camps at Shallow Church, for instance.

Grant will fall back gradually from creek system to creek system, using those as defensive areas in an effort, basically the old cliche is to trade space for time. So he's falling back, trying to eat up daylight. He'll hold the initial major line at the initial camps at Shallow Church, for instance.

Grant will fall back gradually from creek system to creek system, using those as defensive areas in an effort, basically the old cliche is to trade space for time. So he's falling back, trying to eat up daylight. He'll hold the initial major line at the initial camps at Shallow Church, for instance.

Then he'll fall back to the major line where we get the famous areas such as the Hornet's Nest and the Peach Orchard and the Crossroads, Bloody Pond, all of that. Eventually, he'll fall back behind another set of creeks called Dill Branch and Tillman Branch. These are huge ravines that the Confederates will have to go through if they're going to attack the last line of defense.

Then he'll fall back to the major line where we get the famous areas such as the Hornet's Nest and the Peach Orchard and the Crossroads, Bloody Pond, all of that. Eventually, he'll fall back behind another set of creeks called Dill Branch and Tillman Branch. These are huge ravines that the Confederates will have to go through if they're going to attack the last line of defense.

Then he'll fall back to the major line where we get the famous areas such as the Hornet's Nest and the Peach Orchard and the Crossroads, Bloody Pond, all of that. Eventually, he'll fall back behind another set of creeks called Dill Branch and Tillman Branch. These are huge ravines that the Confederates will have to go through if they're going to attack the last line of defense.

It's a much more compact line that allows Grant to defend this position. The reason the line is there, however, is that he still will hold Pittsburgh Landing as well as the Snake Creek Bridge on opposite sides of the battlefield. And that's the key. He's falling back, trading space for time, eating up daylight so that reinforcements can arrive.

It's a much more compact line that allows Grant to defend this position. The reason the line is there, however, is that he still will hold Pittsburgh Landing as well as the Snake Creek Bridge on opposite sides of the battlefield. And that's the key. He's falling back, trading space for time, eating up daylight so that reinforcements can arrive.

It's a much more compact line that allows Grant to defend this position. The reason the line is there, however, is that he still will hold Pittsburgh Landing as well as the Snake Creek Bridge on opposite sides of the battlefield. And that's the key. He's falling back, trading space for time, eating up daylight so that reinforcements can arrive.

And of course, Buell will come in at Pittsburgh Landing. Lou Wallace will march in over the Snake Creek Bridge. And so by the time nightfall comes and those reinforcements start coming in, Grant is in a position to win the battle. A lot of historians say he's won it at this point. He could have still lost it. He could have pulled a McClellan and retreated and thrown it away.

And of course, Buell will come in at Pittsburgh Landing. Lou Wallace will march in over the Snake Creek Bridge. And so by the time nightfall comes and those reinforcements start coming in, Grant is in a position to win the battle. A lot of historians say he's won it at this point. He could have still lost it. He could have pulled a McClellan and retreated and thrown it away.

And of course, Buell will come in at Pittsburgh Landing. Lou Wallace will march in over the Snake Creek Bridge. And so by the time nightfall comes and those reinforcements start coming in, Grant is in a position to win the battle. A lot of historians say he's won it at this point. He could have still lost it. He could have pulled a McClellan and retreated and thrown it away.

But the decision to stay and fight a second day gives Grant the victory.

But the decision to stay and fight a second day gives Grant the victory.

But the decision to stay and fight a second day gives Grant the victory.

Absolutely. He knows what he's doing. He lets his generals fight the tactical action while he gives the overall direction. And he'll trade space for time. And you get that very famous incident, of course, when Sherman and a lot of others are counseling retreat during the night. Let's put the river between us and them. We're beaten.

Absolutely. He knows what he's doing. He lets his generals fight the tactical action while he gives the overall direction. And he'll trade space for time. And you get that very famous incident, of course, when Sherman and a lot of others are counseling retreat during the night. Let's put the river between us and them. We're beaten.

Absolutely. He knows what he's doing. He lets his generals fight the tactical action while he gives the overall direction. And he'll trade space for time. And you get that very famous incident, of course, when Sherman and a lot of others are counseling retreat during the night. Let's put the river between us and them. We're beaten.