Event
164th Battle Anniversary Hikes
Fee:
Free. FREE!Dates & Times
Date:
Time:
Duration:
Type of Event
Description
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
General Lew Wallace Outflanks the Confederate Line
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Parking: Meet at the Visitor Center
Distance: Approximately 2 Miles Walking and 2 Miles Driving Terrain: Moderate
Major General Lew Wallace’s Division arrived late on the battlefield on the first day of battle but was ready to attack early the next morning. He started the Union advance on right and outflanked the piecemeal Confederate line forcing them to retreat back toward Shiloh Church. Although Wallace was blamed for not arriving as early as expected on April 6th, he redeemed himself with his actions on Monday. Join Charles Spearman and explore the battle action of General Lew Wallace’s Division against the left flank of the Southern resistance to begin the second day of battle at Shiloh.
“Find the Enemy and Whip Him”
9:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m.
Parking: Tour Stop #19 (Bloody Pond)
Distance: 3.5 Miles
Terrain: Easy to Moderate
At sunrise on April 7, 1862, Brigadier General William “Bull” Nelson advanced his division across Dill Branch and kept advancing until he found a fight. With his left flank anchored on ravines feeding the Tennessee River and his right protected by Brigadier General Thomas Crittenden’s 5th Division, Nelson’s untested soldiers slugged it out with Confederate veterans of the previous day’s fighting at notable locations including the Bloody Pond, the Peach Orchard, and the Davis Wheatfield. Join Ranger Anthony Killion for a hike examining the terrain, decisions, and combat that defined the eastern portion of Shiloh Battlefield on the second day of fighting.
Baptism of Fire: The Valor and Controversy of the 2nd Texas Infantry
10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Parking: Meet at Tour Stop #7
Distance: 5 Miles
Terrain: Moderate
From the coastal warehouses of Galveston to the bloody ravines of Tennessee, the 2nd Texas Infantry—the 'Texas Sharpshooters'—faced a baptism by fire at the Battle of Shiloh that would define their legacy forever. Join us for a three-hour walking journey as we trace their desperate route through the battlefield: from their dawn charge into Union camps and the climactic encirclement of the Hornet's Nest, to their final, exhausted stand near Pittsburg Landing. Join Matt McMillen, as we explore the stories of men like Sam Houston, Jr., who was wounded in the fray, and the leadership of Colonel John Creed Moore, while confronting the controversial accusations of cowardice that shadowed the regiment after the smoke cleared. Walk the ground where these Texans fought, suffered, and eventually earned a place of honor at a place called Shiloh. *Sunscreen, water, and insect repellent are recommended. Severe weather will cancel programs. *Space is limited to 45 participants per hike.
Crittenden Pushes the Center
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Distance: 2 Miles
Parking: Tour Stop #2 (Confederate Memorial) Terrain: Moderate
General Thomas L. Crittenden’s 5th Division of General Don Carlos Buell’s Army of the Ohio was the center of the Union line as it began its counterattack on April 7th, 1862. To the troops fighting their way through the center of the battlefield that morning, the severity of the previous day’s combat became readily apparent. When the Union Division commanded by General Thomas Crittenden approached the dense thicket, which the day before was dubbed, “The Hornets’ Nest”, they ran into very heavy resistance. Over several hours of fighting the Union advance ground to a halt.
Join Park Ranger Timothy Arnold on a hike which will provide a glimpse into the division’s advance, as they attempted to negotiate the tangled wilderness of the Hornets’ Nest and drive the enemy from the Daniel Davis Wheat Field and the Hamburg-Purdy Road, where it halted as the battle drew to a close.
Car Caravan
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at the Visitor Center
Distance: Entire Battlefield (Driving)
Park Ranger Laura Lee McKellips will lead a two-hour car caravan tour of the battlefield. This tour will allow visitors the opportunity to follow the battle in the chronological order as it developed. The tour will take visitors to the high points on the battlefield in order to interpret the story of the bloody Battle of Shiloh. While visiting historic sites such as Fraley Field, the Hornets’ Nest, and the Peach Orchard, participants will be afforded the opportunity to ask questions to achieve a better understanding of the epic battle.
Car Caravan
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at the Visitor Center
Distance: Entire Battlefield (Driving)
Park Ranger Laura Lee McKellips will lead a two-hour car caravan tour of the battlefield. This tour will allow visitors the opportunity to follow the battle in the chronological order as it developed. The tour will take visitors to the high points on the battlefield in order to interpret the story of the bloody Battle of Shiloh. While visiting historic sites such as Fraley Field, the Hornets’ Nest, and the Peach Orchard, participants will be afforded the opportunity to ask questions to achieve a better understanding of the epic battle.
A Fighting McCook at Shiloh
2:00 p.m.—4:00 p.m.
Parking: Tour Stop #2 (Confederate Memorial)
Distance: 4 miles
Terrain: Moderate
Join Ranger Anthony Killion to retrace the fighting that occurred on Brigadier General Alexander McCook’s front on April 7, 1862, as his inexperienced troops endured their own fiery trial in places like Stacy Field, Duncan Field, and the Crossroads. Explore the tactics that officers employed to protect their units and learn about how a cobbled-together Confederate line was able to punch back against the Union offensive on the second day at bloody Shiloh.
The Rest of the Story: Aftermath of Shiloh
4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Parking: Tour Stop #5
Join Park Ranger Timothy Arnold as we wrap up the second day of fighting. Both armies begin to realize just how much loss they endured and the psychological changes the soldiers experienced. In the days following the Battle of Shiloh, the Union Army regroups to continue their mission and the Confederates begin licking their wounds preparing for what comes next. Ranger Arnold will also cover the weeks following the battle leading up to the Siege of Corinth.
*Sunscreen, water, and insect repellent are recommended. Severe weather will cancel programs.
*Space is limited to 45 participants per hike.
Reservation or Registration: Yes
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