“The Worst Colonel I Ever Saw”: Francis Quinn, the 12th Michigan Infantry, and the Battle of Shiloh
Service in the Civil War boosted some men to fame and glory. For others, it brought shame and ruin. Col. Francis Quinn of Niles led the 12th Michigan Infantry into action in the Battle of Shiloh, but his incompetence and quarrelsome personality led to disaster. Michigan Governor Austin Blair dubbed him "The worst colonel I ever saw." Follow Quinn and his command through one of the war’s bloodiest battles.
