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[144] and upon which the Federal authorities cast longing glances as soon as the present campaign had begun. However, it became clear to Beauregard that although his opponent did not immediately pursue, it would be impossible to hold Corinth. Soon after Shiloh the Union army was reenforced to more than double the strength it had been before. Four days after the battle, General H. W. Halleck arrived at the Landing and took command in person; ten days later General John Pope, who had captured Island No.10, on April 7th, joined his army to that at the Landing, and this, with other reenforcements, raised the number to a hundred thousand. Beauregard had been joined by Van Dorn and Sterling Price from beyond the Mississippi, but, although the rolls showed now a force of over one hundred and twelve thousand he could not muster much more than fifty thousand men at any time and he prepared to give up Corinth whenever the great Northern force should move against it. About the 1st of May the movement of the Federal hosts, reorganized and now consisting of the Army of the Tennessee under General Thomas, the Army of the Ohio under Buell, and the Army of the Mississippi under Pope, began. Grant was second in command of the whole force, under Halleck. Slowly and cautiously, entrenching at every night halt, Halleck moved upon Corinth, guarding always against attack. He arrived before the town on May 25th. He met with but slight resistance. But Beauregard, although he had thrown up entrenchments and was maintaining a bold front, stealthily prepared to evacuate the town and save his army. Troops, provided with three days cooked rations, manned the trenches confronting the Federal line, waiting for the order to advance. The Confederate soldiers had no inkling of the intentions of their leader. As the days passed and the command to attack was not given, the men behind the breastworks became restless. Meanwhile, the patients in the hospitals within the town were being hurried away, and with great trainloads of stores
Review of Reviews. New York. 1912.
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