Shiloh National War Park

As I walked along the trails in the park it was hard to believe the destruction, fear, death and sorrow that took place on April 6 & 7, 1862. Today it was peaceful, quiet and beautiful in it's own way. While hiking around the "hornet's nest" area I felt the most unusual and peaceful quiet stillness, was almost eerie.

"The ground was strewn with the dead of the enemy and our own, mangled in every conceivable way"

 





Enjoy my photos, left click to enlarge.

 

Ruggles Battery, cannons along this ridge bombarded union troops in the Hornet's Nest

 

The state of Illinois lost more troops than any other state.

Shiloh total casualties of 23,746 are memorialized in over a 100 monuments.   

 

Shiloh Church

 

Small creeks ran red with blood from wounded and dying soldiers.

 

Today the creeks are surrounded by wild flowers and lush green foliage

 

 Fraley Field where the first shots of the battle were fired. Confederate soldiers engaged a Union patrol at 4:55 AM.

"Sunken Road" borders the Hornet's Nest. The Hornet's Nest is on the left and behind me in this photo. Named the "Hornet's Nest" by Confederate soldiers because of the stinging shot and shell they faced here. Sounded like a hornet's nest.

On the ridge across the field and through the trees is where Confederate cannons were lined up bombarding the Hornet's Nest 

 

Memorial for Union soldiers of Minnesota at Hornet's Nest.

 

Confederate Memorial for soldiers of Tennessee.

156 monuments, 217 cannons and 650 historic tablets decorate the 4400 acres overlooking the Tennessee river. 

 

W. Manse's cabin, farmers that left area during the battle and return afterwards to their destroyed home.

Albert Sidney Johnston, General of the Confederate army and considered by many to be the south top general was hit by a stray bullet near here and bled to death. He is the highest ranking American to ever be killed in combat. 

 

 

Bloody Pond. Throughout the battle, soldiers from both sides came here to drink and bathe their wounds. Both men and horses died at he pond, their blood staining the water.

 

Water Oaks Pond. Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard hurled several desperate assaults into Grant's counteroffensive through and around this pond. With chances for victory gone he withdrew his confederate army to Corinth. 

Looking down the bore of cannon at Ruggles' Battery

 

Tennessee River where Grant, with well over a 100 barges and riverboats, brought his army down to Pittsburg landing. Planning to attack Confederates at Corinth but was surprised at Shiloh.

Pittsburg Landing today with a barge being guided down the river by a tugboat.

 

 

1000's of soldiers rest here and there are many mass graves on the battlefield.

So sad to think of all the mothers, sisters, children and wife's that never heard from there loved ones again and couldn't even visit their grave site.