As the Hornet's Nest fell, Grant formed a three-mile defensive line near Pittsburg Landing. The river made this position fundamentally different from the ground the Confederates had hoped to force him away from: gunboats Lexington and Tyler protected a flank, artillery concentrated behind them, and new Union divisions crossed or arrived. Sherman, McClernand, and other commanders conducted an organized fighting withdrawal rather than allowing the army to dissolve. Nelson's men joined the left while Lew Wallace's division arrived behind the line, replacing much of the combat power lost during the day. A final Confederate charge under Withers was repulsed, and Beauregard called off another attempt after 6 p.m. The Confederates had inflicted severe losses but had failed to sever Grant from his maritime lifeline.
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Gunboats anchor the Pittsburg Landing defence
Grant's final river line combined veteran artillery, reinforcements, and the gunboats USS Lexington and USS Tyler to deny the Confederate flank attack.