April 7, 1862 (Sunday): Grant Retakes the Initiative

General Lew Wallace

PITTSBURG, April 7, 1862.

Yesterday the rebels attacked us here with an overwhelming force, driving our troops in from their advanced position to near the Landing. General Wallace was immediately ordered up from Crump's Landing, and in the evening one division of General Buell's army and General Buell in person arrived. During the night one other division arrived, and still another t-day. This morning, at the break of the day, I ordered an attack, which resulted in a fight which continued until late this afternoon, with severe loss on both sides, but a complete repulse of the enemy. I shall follow to-morrow far enough to see that no immediate renewal of an attack is contemplated.



U. S. GRANT,
Major-General.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Saint Louis, Mo.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 10, Part 1, Page 108.

The Confederates having taken their best shot against Grant at Pittsburg Landing, Grant counterattacked with reinforcements from Buell and pushed back the attackers.  The dilemma faced by Beauregard after the first days fighting was that, having failed to break the Union lines, he now was outnumbered without good defensive positions.  The General Wallace mentioned here is General Lew Wallace, who gained fame after the war as the author of "Ben Hur".