Decisions at Shiloh: The Twenty-Two Critical Decisions That Defined the Battle

by Dave Powell

The Battle of Shiloh took place April 6–7, 1862, between the Union Army of the Tennessee under General Ulysses S. Grant and the Confederate Army of Mississippi under General Albert Sidney Johnston. Johnston launched a surprise attack on Grant but was mortally wounded during the battle. General P. G. T. Beauregard, taking over command, chose not to press the attack through the night, and Grant, reinforced with troops from the Army of the Ohio, counterattacked the morning of April 7th and turned the tide of the battle. Decisions at Shiloh  introduces readers to critical decisions made by Confederate and Union commanders throughout the battle. Dave Powell examines the decisions that prefigured the action and shaped the contest as it unfolded. Rather than a linear history of the battle, Powell’s discussion of the critical decisions presents readers with a vivid blueprint of the battle’s developments. Exploring the critical decisions in this way allows the reader to progress from a sense of what happened in these battles to why they happened as they did Complete with maps and a guided tour,  Decisions at Shiloh  is an indispensable primer, and readers looking for a concise introduction to the battle can tour this sacred ground—or read about it at their leisure—with key insights into the battle and a deeper understanding of the Civil War itself. Decisions at Shiloh  is Powell’s second contribution and the fourteenth in a series of books that will explore the critical decisions of major campaigns and battles of the Civil War.

277 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2023

Reviews

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is good for anyone who knows Shiloh and wants a consideration of the battle's key command decisions. It works because Powell is one of the best in the business. The writing is not flashy but it is clear and concise, hurt only by a lack of maps. My only issues are Sherman's choices on April 4-5 are not examined and nor is Buell's actions in the march to Pittsburg Landing (and the controversy over if he was slow) and his decision to fight from the front on April 7 (which had positive results overall but it did hamper coordination between divisions). Indeed, Powell recites the old tale that Buell considered retreat, something Buell denied and of which I have found no evidence outside of postwar jabs from Albert Richardson, Grant, and to a lesser degree Sherman.

Otherwise, this is among the best books on Shiloh.