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There are some main differences between the plans for the battle of Shiloh in Confederate high command, that is to say the minds of A.S. Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard.

Beauregard believed the plan was to be a widespread offensive using all four Confederate Corps (Bragg's, Polk's, Hardee's and Breckenridge's) against the poorly placed federal troops that would drive them back to the river and to ruin.

A.S. Johnston's plan was to attack in strength on the Federal left with three Confederate Corps (Bragg's, Polk's and Hardee's) and turn the left Federal flank driving them away from the river and the support of the Federal gunboats and into nearby creeks where they could be destroyed.

The ranking General - Albert Sidney Johnston - made one major mistake, he left the distribution of troops to Beauregard. While A.S. Johnston was in the front, enthusiastically and energetically driving his forces on Beauregard was at the rear sending the troops to battle as per his idea of the plan, not Johnstons.

In this regards the Battle of Shiloh was similar to the Battle of 1st Manassas when Beauregard was at the front, enthusiastically and energetically driving the troops on while Joe Johnston distributed the troops in the way he felt was most likely to succor victory.

The difference between the two battles is that at Manassas it was the Johnston who dealt with the overall picture of the battle while Beauregard acted as the driving force behind the attack while at Shiloh it was Beauregard who dealt with the overall picture of the battle while the Johnston there acted as the driving force behind the attack.

So the POD is this:

Albert Sidney Johnston stays at the rear at Shiloh and deals with troop distribution and the overall picture of the battle while Beauregard goes to the front and drives the troops on.

How does this change the outcome of the Battle of Shiloh?
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