Leadership Lessons From Shiloh

Recently, I had an opportunity to visit the Shiloh National Battlefield. The battlefield is located at Pittsburg Landing on the west side of the Tennessee River just 22 miles north of Corinth, Mississippi. The Battle of Shiloh was fought on April 6 and 7, 1862 between the Union and Confederate armies. Each side was attempting to gain and maintain control of the critical railroads located nearby. Of the combined total of approximately 100,000 soldiers engaged in the 2-day battle, almost 1 in 4 were either killed, wounded, or missing by the end of the second day.

The Battle of Shiloh has been called the "Pearl Harbor" of the Civil War. The Confederates completely surprised General Grant and his Federal camps at Shiloh. Consequently, the Rebels dominated the first day of the conflict. Union General W. T. Sherman referred to the first day at Shiloh as the "devil's own day." The second day was a different story. After the Confederate Commander, Albert S. Johnston, was tragically killed in the afternoon of the first day, fresh Union reinforcements started to arrive late in the evening of April 6th, and all night long into the second day. By first light on April 7th, the refreshed and reinforced Federals were ready to retake their lost ground, and force the Confederates to withdraw all the way back to Corinth.

Historians have argued at length about many of the critical decisions made at the Battle of Shiloh. Here are a few of my own observations about what went right and what went wrong during those two days of desperation near the Pittsburg Landing.

Crossing to the same side of the river as the enemy without preparing to defend yourself. BIG MISTAKE: Grant, USA.

Designing a battle plan that doesn't consider the difficult terrain or the weather. BIG MISTAKE: Johnston, CSA.

Using cunning and stealth to surprise the enemy when and where they least expect it. SMART MOVE: Johnston, CSA.

Being responsible for controlling your own perimeter, and when in doubt, having the initiative to check it out. SMART MOVE: Peabody, USA.

When your brigades are spread out in long thin lines, overlapping command and control becomes a problem. BIG MISTAKE: Beauregard, CSA.

Sometimes making a heroic stand against incredible odds is exactly the right thing to do. SMART MOVE: Prentiss, USA.

It is futile to order repeated frontal assaults against rifled guns and artillery loaded with double canisters. BIG MISTAKE: Bragg, CSA.

That tournequet in your pocket is supposed to be used to stop bleeding, BIG MISTAKE: Johnston, CSA.

Rounding up 62 cannons to break a stalemate and flank a strong fixed position. SMART MOVE: Ruggles, CSA.

When confused by orders, and knowing your troops are critical reserves, don't march away from the sound of the guns. BIG MISTAKE: Lew Wallace, USA.

When retreating and fighting a rear guard action, charging your pursuers can have a stunning effect. SMART MOVE: Forrest, CSA.

Always assume that the enemy is every bit as tired and confused as you are. SMART MOVE: Grant, USA.

Always seize and control the high ground and make the enemy fight their way up the hill. SMART MOVE: Grant, USA.

It is really pretty easy to translate many of the leadership lessons from Shiloh, both military and political, into lessons that can be applied to modern times.

Follow the links I've highlighted if you'd like to learn more about the battle itself. And if you'd like to play the part of General Grant in an interesting broadband simulation of the Battle of Shiloh, check out the American Experience website by PBS.

For me, Shiloh was every bit as interesting and moving a place to visit as Gettysburg. Before Shiloh, many in the north naively thought that one big Union victory would end the war. After Shiloh, it has been written that the "south never smiled again." In two bloody days in April, 1862, both sides learned that a protracted war between the states would not be very civil.