General Grant's army came closest to defeat in the West as a result of a surprise Confederate attack at the Battle of
A. Fort Henry.
B. Shiloh.
C. Vicksburg.
D. Manassas
I'll be glad to check your answer.
The correct answer is B. Shiloh.
To find the answer, we need to understand the context of the question and the events of the American Civil War. General Grant was a Union general who led numerous campaigns in the West. The question asks about the battle in which his army came closest to defeat.
To answer this question, we can eliminate options A, C, and D by considering the events surrounding each battle:
A. Fort Henry: This battle took place in February 1862 and resulted in a Union victory, led by General Grant. It was not a surprise Confederate attack, so this cannot be the correct answer.
C. Vicksburg: The Siege of Vicksburg, which took place from May to July 1863, was a significant campaign led by General Grant to capture the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, Mississippi. While Vicksburg was challenging, it was not a surprise attack, so this cannot be the correct answer either.
D. Manassas: The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the First Battle of Manassas, occurred in July 1861. This was an early battle of the Civil War but did not involve General Grant, so it is not the correct answer.
Now we are left with option B: Shiloh. The Battle of Shiloh took place in April 1862 in Tennessee. It was a surprise Confederate attack led by General Albert Sidney Johnston on Grant's camp near Shiloh Church. The attack initially caught the Union forces off guard, pushing them back and causing heavy casualties. However, Grant was able to regroup and counterattack, eventually securing a Union victory in a bloody battle. Thus, the Battle of Shiloh is the correct answer.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is B. Shiloh.