Revisiting the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee: A Civil War Sesquicentennial Event
The site of the 1862 Battle of Shiloh, the Shiloh National Military Park, cannot help but attract large numbers of tourists, history buffs and reenactment enthusiasts in 2012 as the national celebration of the Civil War sesquicentennial continues and the spotlight moves to Tennessee.
The Battle of Shiloh took place over a period of two days, April 6-7 in 1862, near a small Methodist Church named "Shiloh". The spot itself, located near the Tennessee River and adjacent to Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, might seem inconspicuous enough and hardly worth a battle. But the area around Shiloh, though otherwise non-descript, was the gateway to Corinth, MIssissippi which in turn opened the way to Vicksburg and control of the vital Mississippi River. Indirectly then, Shiloh had considerable strategic significance, enough signifcance to draw both Union and Confederate troops in large numbers into sustained armed combat for control of the territory.
Over the course of the Battle of Shiloh, Union troops were led by U. S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman and Don Carlos Buell. On the Confederate side no lesser names directed the fighting than Johnston, Beauregard and Forest. At the end of the first day of fighting the contest seemed clearly to have been won by the Confederates. With exhausted troops and night approaching the Confederates determined to finish off Grant and his forces in the morning. Then as in a Hollywood western, during the night thousands of fresh Union troops arrived ready to turn the tide of battle. At dawn the strengthened Union forces surprised the Confederates sending them into a retreat that would take them more than twenty miles back to Corinth, Mississippi
After 2 days of battle both sides would have to agree on one thing - the war was not going to end quickly or with minimal losses. In this one battle alone, according to Geoffrey Ward in The Civil War , 3,477 lives were lost and one out of every four men in the combat were listed as casualties (dead or wounded) . The war was far from over. In fact three more years filled with countless battles and thousands of additional casualties would be endured by both sides before the Civil War passed into history.
The Shiloh National Military Park stands today as a memorial to the Battle of Shiloh and its participants. As the United States continues throughout 2012 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, this park and the land that surrounds it will be opened to all who chose to remember and reflect from both the North and the South. .
A featured event during the year will be the Shiloh Battle reenactiment to take place from March 29-April 1, 2012. Sponsored through the combined efforts of the "Blue-Gray Alliance of Reenactors",
the "Battle of Shiloh Association" and "Sons of Confederate Veterans", this reenactment will be held on land that lies just outside the grounds of Shiloh National Military Park, property first used in 1862 as camp grounds for Confederate troops.
Both military and civilian reenactors are welcomed to make reservations in advance to participate in the weekend long event. Registration, according to "Shiloh 150", is $20 per adult, children under 14 are admitted free of charge. Spectators of course are also welcome to come and see history brought to life.
The lure of Shiloh is not limited to this single reenactment weekend. For visitors coming to the park area throughout 2012 there will be plenty to see and do. The Shiloh National Military Park offers a 12 mile auto trail that leads tourists through some of the key combat areas like "the Hornets' Nest" and the " Peach Orchard". Also of interest on park grounds are rare Native American Indian Mounds. For those considering a visit to Shiloh, give yourselves plenty of time to tour in neighboring communities. After all Shiloh is located in the state of Tennessee. Because of the many Civil War battle sites and places of interest in Tennessee, Congress designated the entire state as a Civil War National Heritage Area. Now that's some serious Civil War sightseeing.
Sources: Geoffrey Ward. The Civil War. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York, New York.1990.
http://Shiloh150.org
www.nps.gov/shil/shiloh-150th-anniversary.htm -
.
The Battle of Shiloh took place over a period of two days, April 6-7 in 1862, near a small Methodist Church named "Shiloh". The spot itself, located near the Tennessee River and adjacent to Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, might seem inconspicuous enough and hardly worth a battle. But the area around Shiloh, though otherwise non-descript, was the gateway to Corinth, MIssissippi which in turn opened the way to Vicksburg and control of the vital Mississippi River. Indirectly then, Shiloh had considerable strategic significance, enough signifcance to draw both Union and Confederate troops in large numbers into sustained armed combat for control of the territory.
Over the course of the Battle of Shiloh, Union troops were led by U. S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman and Don Carlos Buell. On the Confederate side no lesser names directed the fighting than Johnston, Beauregard and Forest. At the end of the first day of fighting the contest seemed clearly to have been won by the Confederates. With exhausted troops and night approaching the Confederates determined to finish off Grant and his forces in the morning. Then as in a Hollywood western, during the night thousands of fresh Union troops arrived ready to turn the tide of battle. At dawn the strengthened Union forces surprised the Confederates sending them into a retreat that would take them more than twenty miles back to Corinth, Mississippi
After 2 days of battle both sides would have to agree on one thing - the war was not going to end quickly or with minimal losses. In this one battle alone, according to Geoffrey Ward in The Civil War , 3,477 lives were lost and one out of every four men in the combat were listed as casualties (dead or wounded) . The war was far from over. In fact three more years filled with countless battles and thousands of additional casualties would be endured by both sides before the Civil War passed into history.
The Shiloh National Military Park stands today as a memorial to the Battle of Shiloh and its participants. As the United States continues throughout 2012 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, this park and the land that surrounds it will be opened to all who chose to remember and reflect from both the North and the South. .
A featured event during the year will be the Shiloh Battle reenactiment to take place from March 29-April 1, 2012. Sponsored through the combined efforts of the "Blue-Gray Alliance of Reenactors",
the "Battle of Shiloh Association" and "Sons of Confederate Veterans", this reenactment will be held on land that lies just outside the grounds of Shiloh National Military Park, property first used in 1862 as camp grounds for Confederate troops.
Both military and civilian reenactors are welcomed to make reservations in advance to participate in the weekend long event. Registration, according to "Shiloh 150", is $20 per adult, children under 14 are admitted free of charge. Spectators of course are also welcome to come and see history brought to life.
The lure of Shiloh is not limited to this single reenactment weekend. For visitors coming to the park area throughout 2012 there will be plenty to see and do. The Shiloh National Military Park offers a 12 mile auto trail that leads tourists through some of the key combat areas like "the Hornets' Nest" and the " Peach Orchard". Also of interest on park grounds are rare Native American Indian Mounds. For those considering a visit to Shiloh, give yourselves plenty of time to tour in neighboring communities. After all Shiloh is located in the state of Tennessee. Because of the many Civil War battle sites and places of interest in Tennessee, Congress designated the entire state as a Civil War National Heritage Area. Now that's some serious Civil War sightseeing.
Sources: Geoffrey Ward. The Civil War. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York, New York.1990.
http://Shiloh150.org
www.nps.gov/shil/shiloh-150th-anniversary.htm -
.
Published by Nora Beane
I am a former high school history teacher and Director of Religious Education with a total of 27 years of active experience as teacher and administrator. I am now a semi retired freelance writer. I have two... View profile
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