Shiloh was the first great battle of America's Homeric Civil War. The broad outlines of the Battle are simple; the Union Army of the Tennessee under General Ulysses Grant  was bedded down near a Baptist Church, Shiloh Baptist Church. The Federals were attacked by Confederate forces under General Albert Sidney Johnston and Pierre G.T. Beauregard. During the first day, the  Confederates  made great headway but their General Johnston was killed; the next day, Grant aided by General Sherman counter attacked and won the field. Simple.....yet this is the Civil War, so it is all so Homeric. And being Homeric, the heroes and their fates are more important than the battles themselves. It is often said that Grant is the first modern General. This Blogger agrees; that being the case, the closest modern  General in comparison to Grant is the German World War I General,  Erich von Ludendorff; who was really good kicking the hell out of befuddled and backward Ru...