orked near the landing, one branch of it passing by
Shiloh Church, the other keeping nearer to the river, but both
reuniting five or six miles out. The position selected thus, gave ample
room to camp an army, was absolutely protected on the sides of the
river, Snake Creek, and Owl Creek, while from its south face a ridge
gave open way to Corinth. The open way to Corinth was also an open way
from Corinth to the landing. This accessible front could easily have
been turned into a strong defence, by taking advantage of the rolling
ground, felling timber, and throwing up slight earthworks. But the army
had many things yet to learn, and the use of field fortification was one
of them.

[Footnote 1: The names Oak Creek and Brier Creek are obtained from
Colonel Charles Whittlesey, who made a study of the field every day for
two weeks succeeding the battle.]

In pursuance of General C.F. Smith's instructions to occupy the landing
strongly, General Sherman ordered General Hurlbut to disembark his
division and encamp it at right angles to the road about a mile out. The
Corinth road designated was the one lying nearer to the river. About
half a mile beyond the position selected for the camp the road forks,
one being the Corinth road running southwest, the other running nearly
due west, passed about four hundred yards north of Shiloh Church,
crossed Oak Creek and Owl Creek immediately above their junction, and
continued to Purdy. General Hurlbut the same day issued a field order in
minute detail, and the First and Second Brigades being all of the
division at hand, marched to the prescribed point, Burrows' battery
being posted at the road; the First Brigade at right angles with the
road, with its left at the battery; the Third Brigade at right angles
with the road, its right at Burrows' battery, and Mann's battery at its
left. The Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel Veatch, subsequently
arriving, camped to the rear and partially to the right of the First
Brigade, so as almost to interlock with the camp of General C.F. Smith's
division.

On the 18th, Sherman's division of four brigades landed, and moved out
a few days later to permanent camp. The Second Brigade, sent to watch
some fords of Lick Creek, was posted in the fork of a cross-road running
to Purdy from the Hamburg road. The Fourth Brigade, commanded by Colonel
Buckland, camped with its left near Shiloh Church, and its color-line
nearly at right angles with the Corinth road