Shiloh National Military Park

The good people at Grand Harbor Marina let us borrow a courtesy car for several hors so that we could visit this historic battlefield. It was about a twenty minute drive from the marina, but well worth it. For someone who is a Civil War buff or a serious historian, the park would take days to go through. For the normal tourist on a schedule (or with a borrowed car), the park service has made it easy to hit the highlights - which is what we did.

At the reception building, there are displays that outline the battle, the commanders, the equipment and interesting artifacts. There is a 20 minute movie, made in 1956 by a local professor using high school students to reenact the story and the battle. It was actually quite good, considering the technology available at the time. After the movie, we went on the driving tour. Shiloh covers thousands of acres, and numerous battle sites. The property is kept as it was in 1862 as far as wooded areas and fields. Placards are positioned to face each other in the direction of battle as the two days wore on. You can stand where each unit stood and face the opposing position. Where cannons were used in a particular fight, they are also arrayed in the direction of battle. It really brings the site to life. 

The battle for Shiloh was one of the first major battles of the Civil War. It was fought over a two day period in April of 1862. At this point, both sides thought that the war would be brief and easy. Very few of the soldiers, or the officers, had any military experience - much less experience in battle. Many of the commanders from both sides were West Point graduates, and some of them did have experience from previous military engagements in the west. Shiloh was a preview of things to come. It was not going to be easy. There were heavy casualties on both sides - and neither side gave up without a vicious battle.

There are beautiful and sad monuments all over the park. The land consists of open fields and thick forest, which goes down to the Tennessee River. The Federal army positioned wooden boats across the river to shell Confederate positions. The river was also used to transport wounded out of the battle area. For the first time, medics from each unit on the Federal side joined their efforts in a makeshift field hospital. Wounded from both sides were treated there and then evacuated by riverboat. The combined casualties (wounded and dead from both sides) numbered 23,746. Ironically, Shiloh is named for the small Methodist Church near the first skirmish - the name means "land of peace".

The reception center at Shiloh

Several years after the battle, an accomplished historian made up a map with the order of battle. The Confederate side won the first day, pushing far to the north.

The second day, the Federal side was reinforced by fresh troops and bombardment from the river. They retook the ground lost and the Confederate side retreated to Corinth, MS.

Much of the time, the guide-on was the only visible indicator of whether you were looking at friend or foe.

Drums and flutes signaled commands and provided cadence for marching.

The metal canteen on the right is riddled with holes.

The placard and cannons face the enemy position

The fields are kept cut, as they would have been in 1862

There is a placard here at the edge of the woods. These are placed all through the park at places where units held ground.

The Confederate side won the first day by massing all their artillery along a line.

This is the Shiloh Church cemetary. Some of the graves are very old, but most are not related to the battle

This is a replica of what Shiloh Church looked like

These boards were positioned along the tour route to describe the action.

As the weather was warm, many of the Confederate dead were buried quickly in mass graves.

This is the site of the consolidated medical tent, a precursor to field hospitals.