End of a Long, Hard Day

End of a Long, Hard Day. Grant's Last Line. The first day of fighting was disastrous for General Ulysses S. Grant's Union Army of the Tennessee. Despite his troops determined resistance, an early tactical surprise by the Confederates proved nearly unstoppable. Time and again, the hastily formed Union lines of defense broke and casualties multiplied. A few crucial stands and counterattacks bought time, but could not reverse the flow of battle. Around 2:30 pm, Grant instructed his chief of staff to supervise a reserve line to defend Pittsburg Landing. At sunset, Grant's bloodied army held this high ground, their last line extending nearly two miles west-northwest from the river landing. Although Union reinforcements began to arrive, darkness ended further fighting., (captions) , Although tested in the final minutes of daylight, this line was the one that finally held., 1 . Confederates launch a final but futile attack before retiring for the night, taking Union prisoners with them. , 2 . Lew Wallace arrives to reinforce Grant's right. , 3 . Buell's army arrives to reinforce Grant from the Tennessee River before battle concludes on the first day.