Confederate leaders realized they could soon be outnumbered. They had 42,000 men at Corinth, and 15,000 more on the way, while the not–yet–combined Union force could be as large as 75,000 men. Instead of waiting to be attacked by a larger force, they decided to surprise the Union Army on April 4 before the second Union Army arrived from Nashville. Inexperience and bad weather caused their 20-mile (32km) march north to be "a nightmare of confusion and delays", and the Confederate Army was not deployed into position until the afternoon of April 5. The army spent the night of April 5 on the south side of the Union campsites. The plan was to attack the Union left, pushing it northwest against the swampy land adjacent to Snake and Owl creeks. Confederate troops along the Tennessee River would prevent Union reinforcements and resupply.
confederate leaders realized they could soon be outnumbered they had 42000 men at corinth and 15000 more on the way while the not–yet–combined union force could be as large as 75000 men instead of waiting to be attacked by a larger force they decided to surprise the union army on april 4 before the second union army arrived from nashville inexperience and bad weather caused their 20-mile (32km) march north to be "a nightmare of confusion and delays" and the confederate army was not deployed into position until the afternoon of april 5 the army spent the night of april 5 on the south side of the union campsites the plan was to attack the union left pushing it northwest against the swampy land adjacent to snake and owl creeks confederate troops along the tennessee river would prevent union reinforcements and resupply