Were Grant's veteran batteries already near the river?

Had the guns at Pittsburg Landing withdrawn under pressure, or were they already positioned there?

The strongest clue is the concentration of experienced batteries near the gunboats. That supports a planned fallback as an interpretation, although the initial location of every battery is not established.

About three quarters of Grant's artillery and cavalry were veterans, alongside 36 of his 62 infantry regiments. Some of the most experienced batteries formed the final defensive line. USS Lexington and USS Tyler protected its river flank against Breckinridge. The placement of veteran artillery near the gunboats supports the proposed interpretation that Grant had considered a fallback position; it does not settle where every battery began the battle.