Shiloh Military Park

I have always wondered and still do, how Americans could fight and kill other Americans?!  I think everyone should see Shiloh... a sad place...will remembering the past help the future?....

We were struck by how spread out the area was........ huge and lots of wooded areas where fierce battles took place... like the one the Confederates named the Hornet's Nest because it was from there that they felt the “Stinging shot & shells” from three Federal Divisions who stubbornly defended this dense woods. Many other battles took place in wide open fields.   As we drove around it seemed amazing that they didn't kill their own men.... so confusing as to where each unit was located..and how on earth did they get messages back and forth?...... I found out that one solider was a cuban female! Part of her job was to carry those notes from commander to commander.

We first went into the museum and after walking around there we saw the excellent 49 minute reenactment movie. This made it easier as we toured the battle field to understand where the battles took place.

This is where 62 cannons were lined up that delivered 180 rounds a minute! This sounds impossible, right? But that is what the sign said!

This bloody battle started April 6, 1861 and lasted only 2 days.....Shiloh's casualties (both Confederate & Union soldiers) were 23,746! There are 5 known mass graves on the property, one has 1,728 dead buried there.

This is the church, Shiloh Methodist church, from which the battle got it's name.  It means “House of Peace”!

This is John Clem age 10, one of the youngest to serve in the army.  He started as a drummer boy for the troops......just think of the carnage his young eyes saw!  However, he retired as a major general.

Some of the young boys that serve would live and later, before they died, would help to establish this military park. 

You can probably imagine what I was thinking when I took this photo of the beautiful red leaves on the grounds of this battle field... oh! The blood spilled here!

The Tennessee River played a major role in this battle allowing thousands of fresh Federal troops to be quickly moved up stream to Pittsburg Landing at Shiloh just when it seemed Grant would be defeated.

Rivers have played a big part in so much of American life:  a water source for growing crops, fishing, moving food (barges) to cities, recreation and so much more, AND for bloody wars!

War is never pleasant to talk about but our day was a good one with beautiful fall weather and not one cloud in the sky.