Shiloh NMP –

From the early morning hours of Sunday, April 6th, 1882 through late in the day on the 7th of April 1882, on the fields and woods surrounding a little wooden church, on the banks of the Tennessee River,  23,746 men and boys lost their lives on the land that is now Shiloh National Military Park, Tennessee. 

After leaving Graceland and the hustle and bustle of Memphis, I decided to stop by Shiloh National Military Park since it was only a couple hours down the road and basically on my way back to Alabama, and my brothers place.  Driving up to the welcome center, I passed by several monuments and cannons out in a field and along the side of the road and woods.  I made a mental note to make sure I stopped and took pictures on my way out.  I was very impressed with the staff at the welcome center, who took time to explain just how the park was laid out.  A 13.4 mile driving tour with 20 scheduled stops all indicated on the map.  However, I was free to walk around as much as I like. They were getting ready to show a 45 min film Shiloh: Fiery Trial which would explain how the battle was fought.  Excellent film, well worth the time.  It was filmed on site so it was easy to envision how it looked back then during the tour.  With the sun shining and the heat hitting around 89 F. , and humidity in the 90’s, I started out on the tour.   Each stop along the way has an area to pull off the road and get out.  I could have walked around for 2 days and I don’t think I would have seen everything.  The best part is that they have placed large plaques on pedestals with significant information about which regiment or group of men, the number killed in that location and approximate time during which day of the battle.  These plaques are in fields, woods, along creeks, every where.  The actual tour stops were comprised of the significant portions of the battle.  As I drove from spot to spot it was hard not to imagine what the place looked like 135 years ago.  Almost all of the fields that were in use back then are still planted to this day, the Peach Orchard, is being replanted, and the Old Shiloh Church has been reconstructed in the same spot it was.  It was a very good day, the feelings you experience while there are unexplainable.  Of the many National Military Parks throughout the United States, I highly advise visiting as many as possible.

“The more you know about the past, the better you are prepared for the future” – Theodore Roosevelt…….

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