Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Shiloh...

Last weekend as I walked the hallowed ground at Shiloh National Military Park, I felt the presence of the very young men who manned the cannons on April 6, 1862, when the quiet countryside near Pittsburgh Landing on the Tennessee River exploded into one of the most devastating battles of the Civil War. 

Walking east toward the river, you'll find the The Iowa Monument.

The monument is 75 feet high and was placed on the battlefield in 1906. On the east side is the bronze sculpture, Fame. The female figure is twelve feet high and above her hand is the inscription: 

Brave of the brave, twice five thousand men
Who all that day stood in the battle's shock,
Fame holds them dear, and with immortal pen
Inscribes their names on the enduring rock.
Photo courtesy of Patricia Preston
From there it is but a short walk to the National Cemetery where 3,584 Union soldiers are buried. Of that number 2,359 are unknown.  To stand in the cemetery and see the American flag fly over the tombstones is one of the most awesome things I've ever done.



Seventeen hundred and twenty-eight Confederate soldiers died in the battle and are buried in 11 or 12 mass graves but only five have been located.  Near the Hornet's Nest stands the Confederate Memorial. 

The memorial's centerpiece depicts three figures: in the middle is the South, on her right is Death, and on her left is Night. If one looks closely, the center figure representing the South can be seen handing off the wreath of victory to Death on her right. More information on this interesting monument can be found at the Historical Marker Database.

I hope you've enjoyed our journey into Southwest Tennessee. Which of the monuments do you find the most interesting?

Patricia Bradley
www.patriciabradleyauthor.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/
@PTBradley1

Shadows of the Past from Revell February 2014

I asked God to teach me patience and He gave me a book to write

16 comments:

  1. I love historical parks, especially military ones. I'll have to put this on my list to visit. Thanks for such an informative post and beautiful pics!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Laura. Shiloh is a great park to visit, and if you go, come on to Corinth. We have a great Interpretive Center and a lot of history! Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  2. Although I hate the tragedy of war, I love US history. The Confederate Memorial center piece is so interesting. I'd love to see it in person. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by Tonya. The Confederate Memorial is the most interesting monument I've ever seen.

      Delete
  3. I love history too. Besides American Literature, it was my favorite subject in college.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love history, Sonya. Don't know why I don't write it. lol Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  4. Wow. Amazing. You gave me chills!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shiloh will give you chills every time you visit. You can feel the presence of men who fought there. Thanks for stopping by Cecy!

      Delete
  5. Interesting, I love to travel to old sites and cemetaries. I like the idea of the scribe writing their names. Too bad they haven't uncovered all the men.but that adds a bit of mystery.

    Tina Pinson

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Tina, it does add to the mystery. It was a sad time in our history, but brave men fought on both sides. Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  6. I've been interested in the Civil War since I was a child. This is fascinating. I'm going now to read more about the Confederate monument you described. Its symbolism is powerful.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rene, we have several Civil War sites around here. You need to come on down! There was an important battle here at Corinth...actually there were two--the Battle of Corinth and the Siege of Corinth. So glad you stopped by.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks, Patricia, for sharing your trip to Shiloh. So many died in the civil war and Tennessee suffered greatly. You can just imagine the grief of all those families whose young men didn't return home.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I know, Elaine. When I go to Shiloh, it's like walking on hallowed ground. Thanks for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I will never forget walking through Shiloh with you last summer. Hard to believe that underneath that tranquil setting flows the blood of brothers who fought and died for what they believed in. Truly, an experience I will never forget. Thanks for taking me then, and for taking me back through your blog post.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I thought about you as I wrote the blog, Reba. Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete