Their resistance on the right hardened, and on the left they
held fast to the last chain of hills that covered the wharves and their
stores at the river landing. As they took position here two gunboats in
the river began to send huge shells over their heads at the attacking
Southern columns, maintaining a rapid and heavy fire which shook
assailants and strengthened defenders. Again the water had come to the
help of the North, and at the most critical moment. The whole Northern
line was now showing a firmer front, and Grant, himself, was directing
the battle.
Fortune, which had played a game with Grant at Donelson, played a far
greater one with him on the far greater field of Shiloh. The red dawn
of Shiloh, when Johnston was sweeping his army before him, had found him
at Savannah far from the field of battle. The hardy and vigorous Nelson
had arrived there in the night with Buell's vanguard, and Grant had
ordered it to march at speed the next day to join his own army. But he,
himself, did not reach the field of Shiloh until 10 o'clock, when the
fiercest battle yet known on the American continent had been raging for
several hours.
Grant and his staff, as they rode away from his headquarters, heard the
booming of cannon in the direction of Shiloh. Some of them thought it
was a mere skirmish, but it came continuously, like rolling thunder,
and their trained ears told them that it rose from a line miles in
length.
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