Event
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Multiple Days: 04/05/2018, 04/06/2018, 04/07/2018, 04/08/2018
Location:
Shiloh National Military Park,
Fee Information: FREE
Contact Phone Number: 731-689-5696
156th Battle of Shiloh Anniversary Hikes
Please register in advance for hikes by calling 731-689-5696
APRIL 5 Hikes:A Clausewitzian Interpretation of the Battle of Shiloh
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at the Visitor Center
Distance: 12 Miles
Terrain: Easy to Very Difficult
On War, an influential set of theories on the dynamics of politics and armed conflict was penned by Carl von Clausewitz from his reflections on the Napoleonic era. His writings are of particular interest to American Civil War students, considering the academic relationship between Bonaparte and Civil War command structures. Join Dr. Jeff Gentsch and explore the Clausewitzian maxims, such as leadership principles, and discover how they apply to the Battle of Shiloh.
APRIL 6 Hikes:
Fraley Field: The Bloody Battle Begins
Time: 5:15 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Parking: Meet at Visitor Center at 5:00 a.m.
Distance: Southern Hike – 1 Mile Roundtrip
Union Hike ------ 2 Miles Roundtrip
Terrain: Moderate
Join Park Volunteers, Dr. Jeff Gentsch and Bjorn Skaptason, on a two hour battlefield hike which will introduce visitors to the events surrounding the opening shots of the battle. These hikes will travel the approach routes of the Union and Confederate soldiers toward Fraley Field, whose landscape witnessed the first exchange of hostilities and the beginning of the epic Battle of Shiloh. These individual tours will both arrive in Fraley Field at sunrise. Visitors will decide which hike they will follow upon arriving at the Visitor Center. The choices are to follow the Union reconnoitering party ordered out by Colonel Everett Peabody, while the Confederates will approach Fraley Field through the position of the 3rd Mississippi Infantry Battalion.
The Division That Never Was: The Failure at Prentiss’ Divisional Camps
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Parking: Meet at the first right hand turn past Tour Stop #9
Distance: 3 Miles
Terrain: Moderately Difficult Including the Crossing of a Ravine
The newest division in the Army of the Tennessee was commanded by Brigadier General Benjamin Prentiss. The morning attack on April 6th found this division unprepared to fight a major battle, yet Prentiss’ rookies fought tenaciously to defend their camps. Join Park Volunteer Bjorn Skaptason and follow the defensive stands of this division and discover their eventual fate.
Sherman & McClernand: Holding Against the Confederate Onslaught
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Parking: Meet at Rhea Springs (Tour Stop #6)
Distance: Approximately 2 Miles
Terrain: Moderate
At Shiloh Church and along the Hamburg Purdy Road, Sherman and McClernand’s Divisions were hit by the bulk of the Confederate Army of the Mississippi on the morning of April 6, 1862, from 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Although suffering heavy losses and pushed back they would rally, counter-attack and hold the Confederate force back into the afternoon. Join Park Ranger Charles Spearman and follow this hike that will start at Shiloh Church and cover the lines held by these forces and their fall-back and counter-attack positions.
An Operational Account of the Battle of Shiloh
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at Tour Stop #6 (Rhea Springs)
Distance: 6 Miles
Terrain: Easy to Very Difficult
Operations, the art and science of maneuver and supply, greatly influenced military activity from the earliest recorded battles. In the Battle of Shiloh, operations had a profound impact, especially considering the nature of Civil War units, and the frequent lack of war material. Accompany Dr. Jeff Gentsch on a hike that will discuss the battlefield maneuvers of both sides, and will include focusing on the supply and resupply of frontline combatants with ammunition, food, and water.
The Desperate Drive for Confederate Victory
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at Tour Stop #17 (Bloody Pond)
Distance: Approximately 2 Miles
Terrain: Moderate with some Ravines
The Confederate objective at Shiloh was to drive in the Union left flank and cut their army off from Pittsburg Landing so they could not get supplies or reinforcements. By doing this, General Albert Sidney Johnston hoped to achieve a decisive victory over Grant’s army. General Stephen Hurlbut would fight a series of delaying actions on the Union left, which frustrated Confederate hopes of accomplishing their goal. Join Park Ranger Charles Spearman on this hike starting at the Bloody Pond, and explore the various positions held by Hurlbut as he faced off against General Johnston and his Confederate forces from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
A 360 Degree Look at the Union Center
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at Tour Stop #10
Distance: 5 Miles
Terrain: Easy to Difficult
Long considered the fulcrum of the battle, the Confederate and Union armies committed large forces to this titanic struggle, creating a deadlock that remained impervious to frontal assault until the Hornets’ Nest was eventually flanked. Join Dr. Jeff Gentsch in hiking around the central sector of the battlefield, providing a different perspective on how many of these disjointed events are connected in time and space.
The Confederate Left: The Neglected Flank
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Parking: Meet at Tour Stop #12
Distance: 2 Miles
Terrain: Very Difficult, with Off Trail Hiking over Ravines and Streams
(Please wear appropriate footwear for this rough terrain)
As morning turned to afternoon, the Confederate attack on the east side of the battlefield was attempting to follow General Johnston’s battle plan to turn the Union left flank. On the Confederate left, General Hardee attempted to keep pressure on the withdrawing Union forces. Join Park Volunteer Bjorn Skaptason and follow the assaults of Colonel Preston Pond’s force of Louisianans and Tennesseans through Tilghman Branch ravine.
APRIL 7 Hikes:
Lew Wallace’s Fight: A Decisive Lever
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Parking: Meet at the Picnic Area
Distance: Approximately 2 ½ Miles
Terrain: Difficult, through Deep Ravines and Forest
Major General Lew Wallace’s Division arrived late on the battlefield on the first day of battle. Wallace received criticism for actions at the Battle of Shiloh. Join Park Volunteer Bjorn Skaptason and follow the advance of Wallace’s Third Division on the morning of April 7th. This hike will explore the engagements on the western flank, and describe how well his division performed in combat in Jones Field, Sowell Field, and Crescent Field.
Battle of Shiloh: Battlefield Actions of Infantry, Artillery, and Cavalry With Comparisons to the Great War
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at Tour Stop #10
Distance: 5 Miles
Terrain: Easy to Very Difficult
There are many similarities between the American Civil War and the Great War, exemplified by battlefield instances from the two days of Shiloh, and the key engagements from 1914-1918. Join Dr. Jeff Gentsch and hike the center of the battlefield as he describes the battle action of the three branches of service. Discover through the description of the day’s battle, the progression of the combat. A comparison of actions of the First World War will also be put forth to the audience.
Crisis at the Crossroads: The Point of Water Oaks
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at the first right hand turn past Tour Stop #12
Distance: 2 Miles
Terrain: Moderately Easy, with a small amount of Off Trail Hiking
The crossroads of the Corinth Road with the Hamburg-Purdy Road were important geographic features on the battlefield. On both days of battle defending forces made desperate attempts to protect the roads, and attackers made equally desperate and bloody attempts to take them. On the afternoon of April 7th, General Sherman declared, “Here was to be the struggle” for the decision of the battle. Join Park Volunteer Bjorn Skaptason as he describes the fighting at the Crossroads before the Confederate army withdrew from the field.
Second Day Artillery at Shiloh
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Parking: Meet at Tour Stop #10
Distance: 4 Miles
Terrain: Easy to Very Difficult
Artillery was an important factor during the two day battle, especially on April 7th, when concentrating cannon was crucial to augment the lack of firepower caused by casualties and disorganization. General Buell’s army could not deploy much artillery for the counterattack, so it fell to the weight of the infantry fire to force Beauregard’s hand. Join Dr. Jeff Gentsch to discover how batteries, such as Mendenhall’s and Terrill’s, were deployed and engaged.APRIL 8 Hikes:
The Final Fight of Shiloh: Fallen Timbers Car Caravan
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Parking: Meet at the Visitor Center
Distance: 8 Miles Driving
Terrain: Moderately Easy
The Battle of Shiloh ended when the Confederates withdrew from the Union camps on the evening of April 7th, 1862. Yet there was still fighting, and much more suffering to take place. On April 8th, elements of two Union divisions embarked on a reconnaissance in order to determine if the Confederates had really retreated. Join Park Volunteer Bjorn Skaptason and visit the site of the engagement at Fallen Timbers and hear the description of the final fight of Shiloh.
The Spine of the Battlefield: Hamburg-Purdy Road Car Caravan
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Parking: Meet at the Visitor Center
Distance: Approximately 10 Miles Driving
Terrain: This car caravan is appropriate for visitors with limited mobility.
This program will include driving with frequent stops along the road side, and short walks on easy terrain.
Roads played a crucial role in the Battle of Shiloh. From a tactical point of view the Hamburg-Purdy Road may well be the most important line of communication on the battlefield. On both days of battle all three armies struggled for control of this road. Join Park Volunteer Bjorn Skaptason as he describes the importance of this country road and the bloody encounters between the Union and Confederate forces as they struggled to control this roadway.