Shiloh Battlefield - Southwestern Tennessee - July 22, 2006

Another battle over the control of the railroad. The union and confederate forces both wanted control of the railroads at Corinth, Mississippi - "Crossroads of the Western Confederacy". Corinth was the location about 25 miles south of Savannah, Tennessee which had "the junction of the two important trunk railroads. These roads constitute the vertebrae of the Confederacy" advised Confederate Secretary of War - LeRoy Pope Walker.


General Grant had moved into Savannah, Tennessee and General Johnston had his confederate troops protecting Corinth. Wanting to control the waterways as well as the railroads, Gen. Grant positioned his units at Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River. This was about 5 miles NE of Shiloh Church. Gen. Johnston wanted to push the union back, before reinforcements arrived, and pulled a surprise attack on Grant's outposts on the morning of April 6, 1862. This occured at Shiloh Church and the union was initially pushed back to an area called the "sunken road (or hornets nest)". The union held the charges at the Hornets Nest all day long. That night union reinforcements arrived and when the confederates charged again the next morning, they were pushed back and forced to withdraw from the field of battle. After two grueling days of battle, almost 24,000 men became casualities of war. Neither side gained any territorial position. Both were at about the same location as before the battle begin. The confederates retreated to Corinth and the union units stayed at Shiloh. Here are a few of the highlighted pictures of the battle area.

Signage at Park Entrance

Local Family

One of many cannons - Artillery was used extensively

during this battle.

Shiloh Information Center

Flag Raising at 8:00 AM

Union drummers

Union drummer was 10 years old. He served until he

retired as a Major General many years later.

Confederate soldier's uniform.

Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River

Shiloh Church

Old Corinth Road at SW Corner of Battlefield

Open field between Shiloh Church and the Hornet's Nest.

Almost all of the major fighting during the two days took

place in this location. Changed hands many times and

was the site of large artillery shellings.

Signage at the Hornet's Nest (Sunken Road)

Position of the Sunken Road!

Peach Orchard - Manse Cabin in Background

Peach Orchard

Confederate Calvary Demonstration

Confederate soldiers were buried in 5 separate mass graves.

A total of about 700 men were in each grave.

Confederate Gravesite

Federal Cemetary

Found in the Cemetary