SHILOH NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
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SHILOH NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
33
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
REPORT SUMMARY loss of life was staggering: 23,746 soldiers had On April 6-7, 1862,
On April 6–7, 1862, Union and Confederate been killed, wounded, or were listed as missing. Confederate and
Union forces fought
forces clashed in what many consider to be the Fighting in May at nearby Corinth added nearly
each other at
first major battle of the American Civil War. At 6,000 more casualties, and the two-day Battle of Pittsburg Landing in
dawn on April 6, Confederate soldiers surprised Corinth, fought October 3–4, 1862, increased what came to be
Union forces encamped on the banks of the the carnage by 7,200 more soldiers either killed, known as the Battle
Tennessee River at Pittsburg Landing. The Battle wounded, missing, or captured. Americans on of Shiloh.
of Shiloh, as it came to be known, was named both sides of the conflict realized the war would
for Shiloh Meeting House, a log church in the not end quickly, and would claim more lives
area of the fighting. When the battle ended, the than anyone had imagined.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
34
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
Often referred to as the most secluded and Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, 23 miles
best-preserved battlefield in the United States, southwest of Pittsburg Landing. Currently, more
Shiloh National Military Park was established in than 4,100 acres within the park’s authorized
1894. It lies on the western bank of the boundary (which exceeds 7,000 acres) are feder-
Tennessee River near the unincorporated ally owned. The Park Service, with the assistance
community of Shiloh, Tennessee, protecting the of the Civil War Preservation Trust, is pursuing
lands where Union and Confederate forces negotiations to acquire 1,000 or more acres of
fought April 6–7, 1862. Located approximately the remaining nonfederal acres held within its
110 miles east of Memphis, the park includes legislated, authorized boundary at Shiloh
Shiloh National Cemetery as well as the new battlefield. Another 800 or more acres currently
Corinth unit, in Mississippi, which includes the owned by the Friends of the Siege and Battle of
Corinth are authorized to be donated to the SHILOH NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
Corinth unit (fee simple) sometime in 2009. In
addition, another 130 acres of authorized lands AT A GLANCE
at Corinth are under negotiation for future
addition to the park. • Historical markers: More than 800 monuments and markers,
Hundreds of monuments, markers, and 4,000 headstones, and 227 cannons are sobering reminders of
cannons commemorate the soldiers who fell at the historic events that occurred on the lands within Shiloh
Shiloh. Shiloh National Cemetery, as well as National Military Park.
mass Confederate burial trenches, serve as final
• Shiloh Meeting House: The battlefield is named for a simple
resting places for thousands killed in the Civil
log church, known as the Shiloh Meeting House, which was
War battle. The cemetery also contains the
located here in 1862. While the original church was destroyed 35
bodies of soldiers of later wars and their
during the war, it was later rebuilt. Four acres on which the
spouses. The cemetery and mass Confederate
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
church sits are privately owned by the Shiloh United Methodist
graves are not the only hallowed ground here;
Church and Cemetery. The church continues to serve an active
the park also protects the Shiloh Indian
congregation.
Mounds National Historic Landmark, contain-
ing a burial mound and extant cultural • Shiloh Indian Mounds: Designated a national historic land-
resources of a Mississippian culture that thrived mark in 1989, the prehistoric Mississippian village and temple
on the riverbank 1,000 years ago. mounds are archaeological evidence of a chiefdom that
The interpretive center located in Corinth, thrived on the banks of the Tennessee River 1,000 years ago.
Mississippi, is the most recent addition to the One of the finest effigy pipe artifacts in existence was
park. This state-of-the-art facility, opened in unearthed here. The landmark is unique on account of its pris-
2004, is the recommended orientation point for tine condition, having been protected by establishment of the
visitors to Shiloh and includes interactive national military park in 1894. It remains the only location in the
exhibits, a multimedia presentation on the world with an intact Mississippian village. The physical remains
Battle of Shiloh, and a video on the subsequent of more than seven dozen collapsed prehistoric wattle and
Siege and Battle of Corinth. In contrast, the daub houses are clearly visible within the site. Along with six
aging facilities and infrastructure of the Shiloh ceremonial or temple mounds, evidence of a defensive
Battlefield Visitor Center in Shiloh, Tennessee, palisade, and a burial mound, the site remains the finest repre-
struggle to meet visitor needs. sentative resource in the nation to interpret and preserve the
In addition to a wealth of cultural treasures, remnants of a prehistoric culture long deceased.
the park also protects six ecosystems that harbor
• Forests: Since the 1960s, the park has allowed approximately
hundreds of mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and
600 acres of land to return to native forest conditions. About
amphibian species. Lichen species in the park
200 acres of virgin bottomland oak/hickory forest (rare in
number more than 500, including a rare species
western Tennessee) remain in the park’s Owl Creek watershed.
for the region. The woodlands of the park are
These old-growth oak trees represent the last remnants of the
threatened primarily by natural events, such as
original forest cover from the time of the battle.
ice storms in winter. Biologists suggest that
mowing practices on the battlefield at Shiloh
require re-examination because they could be
reducing habitat for birds, reptiles, and amphib-
ians, and potentially injuring some species.
While the park benefits from a relatively
isolated setting, development just outside the
borders of Shiloh goes unregulated, and local
Note: When interpreting the scores for resource conditions, recognize that critical information upon which the ratings are based is not always
available. This limits data interpretation to some extent. For Shiloh, 97 percent of the cultural resources information was available and 63
percent of the natural resources information was available.
RESOURCE CATEGORY CURRENT
CULTURAL RESOURCES
Overall conditions 78 FAIR
Archaeology 81
36 Cultural Landscapes 75
Ethnography (Peoples and Cultures) N/A
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
Historic Structures 78
History 81
Museum Collection and Archives 75
R AT I N G S S C A L E 0–35 36– 60 61– 80 81–90 91–100
CRITICAL POOR FA I R GOOD EXCELLENT
NATURAL RESOURCES
Overall conditions 79 FAIR
Environmental and Biotic Measures 79
Biotic Impacts and Stressors 77
Air 67
Water 87
Soils 83
Ecosystems Measures 78
Species Composition and Condition 85
Ecosystem Extent and Function 74
R AT I N G S S C A L E 0–35 36– 60 61– 80 81–90 91–100
CRITICAL POOR FA I R GOOD EXCELLENT
The findings in this report do not necessarily reflect past or current park management. Many factors that affect resource conditions are a result
of both human and natural influences over long periods of time, in many cases before a park was established. The intent of the Center for State
of the Parks is not to evaluate Park Service staff performance, but to document the present status of park resources and determine which
actions can be taken to protect them into the future.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
To better interpret
historical events and
serve visitors, staff
would like to reno-
vate the existing
visitor center at the
Shiloh battlefield
(exhibit shown here)
or construct a new
facility.
37
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
commuters heavily use park roads as a route comprehensive assessment methodology (see
between neighboring communities. Managers “Appendix”). Unregulated development of adja-
at Shiloh have made acquiring privately held cent lands has prompted the park to make land
lands within the park’s boundary a high prior- acquisition a high priority, and local residents’
ity, to protect them from development. use of park roads as thoroughfares put natural
systems at risk. There are also concerns about
RATINGS the use of commercial grass seed and mowing
Current overall conditions of the known to maintain the historic landscape.
cultural resources at Shiloh National Military
Park rated 78 out of a possible 100, indicating ADJACENT LAND USE AFFECTS PARK
“fair” conditions. The scores for cultural The lands bordering Shiloh National Military
resources are based on the results of indicator Park are privately owned and mostly devoted
questions that reflect the National Park Service’s to agriculture, forestry, or residential use.
own Cultural Resource Management Guideline and Development on these lands has accelerated
other policies related to cultural and historical over the last decade, most noticeably along the
resources. Funding shortfalls mean that current northern boundary of the park near State
staff must juggle a variety of roles, at the expense Route 22, as well as along the southern bound-
of interpretation, protection, and maintenance ary near the Tennessee River. Because there are
of cultural treasures. no county zoning regulations in place to
Overall conditions of the park’s known control development in Hardin County, where
natural resources rated a “fair” score of 79 out the park is located, some of the development
of 100. Ratings were assigned through an evalu- that has occurred on adjacent land and along
ation of park research and monitoring data roads within the park’s authorized boundary is
using NPCA’s Center for State of the Parks ill-suited to the quiet, reflective tone of a
battlefield park. Examples include a one-time towns and local residential areas, the park has
amusement park (now gone, and the Park no formal gate system with which to close the
Service has acquired the property), taverns facility at night and thus limit local traffic to day
(with one currently being operated on a loca- use only. The Shiloh United Methodist Church
tion adjacent to State Route 22 directly north and cemetery, located on private land within the
of the main park entrance), and several trash park, has an active membership that also neces-
dumps. Residential development is increasing sitates open access to the park. Hamburg-
along the Tennessee River to the south of the Savannah and Hamburg-Purdy Roads are the
park and along the southwestern boundary in primary park roads used for thoroughfare and
the Shiloh community. meet to form the traditional heavy-use major
In addition to undesirable development, northern entryway into the Hamburg commu-
38 logging activities associated with the local nity southeast of the park. During periods of
Counce Paper and Pulp Mill, in Counce, flooding the park’s roads offer the only access to
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
Tennessee, occur within a mile of Shiloh. And the small hamlet known as the Bowden
recreational and commercial boats travel the community, bordering the southeast corner of
waters of Kentucky Lake (i.e., Tennessee River) the current Shiloh battlefield park boundary,
along the sector bordering Shiloh battlefield; because Lick Creek south of this community
recreational boaters can access the park at floods and closes the Hamburg Road. Park
Pittsburg Landing. management has considered plans to reconfig-
Shiloh’s enabling legislation originally ure park access and add gates, which would
provided for a park of around 6,000 acres. With limit opening this road only during periods of
the addition of the Corinth unit, the park’s high water (approximately five to ten days per
authorized size now exceeds 7,000 acres. To year); the park has also considered issuing gate
date, more than 4,100 acres within this author- access cards or keys to the area residents. When
ized boundary are federally owned. To serve as a these ideas were presented publicly in the early
buffer between the park and surrounding devel- 1990s, it was evident political support was
opment, park managers actively work to acquire lacking, and issues of emergency services, mail
the remaining land as is allowed under the deliveries, etc., blocked further attempts to
enabling legislation, with lack of funding and implement closing off night access to Shiloh
securing willing sellers presenting the chal- battlefield. Until solutions are found, managers
lenges. The park has acquired nearly 350 acres face challenges from increased road traffic, auto
within the authorized boundary since 1990, accidents, wildlife-vehicle collisions, oppor-
and with the assistance of the Civil War tunistic wildlife poaching from park roads,
Preservation Trust, is pursuing negotiations for vandalism, theft, overnight parking, noise, and
more than 1,000 acres of the remaining acres of pollution.
private land that occur within the park’s author-
ized boundary. Maintaining a ready source of LAND USE HISTORY AND PARK
funds for land acquisition is critical, because the ESTABLISHMENT
properties are in private hands, and the oppor- Since native peoples first set canoes in its waters,
tunity to purchase could occur at any time. the Tennessee River has been an important
The use of roads leading in and out of Shiloh travel route, and early societies thrived along its
by adjacent communities creates problems for riverbanks. The Shiloh Indian Mounds National
the park. Because local residents and travelers Historic Landmark area of the park was once the
have traditionally used roads within the park’s center of a Mississippian culture that occupied a
authorized boundary to access neighboring 20-mile-long stretch of the Tennessee River
Valley. Artifacts found at the mounds suggest historic Pittsburg Landing and the river valley.
that human settlement occurred as early as A.D. Work began immediately to locate the remains
300–400. The mound builders at Shiloh were of the Union soldiers scattered across the more
farmers, although hunting, fishing, and gather- than 6,000-acre site, as well as locations along
ing still provided a considerable amount of the Tennessee River as far south as the foot of
their subsistence, and corn (maize) was their the shoals near Gravelly Springs, Alabama, and
most important food crop. Archaeologists northward to Fort Heiman, Kentucky, and Fort
believe that the mound builders abandoned the Henry in Tennessee. By 1869, 3,584 bodies had
area by A.D. 1400. The Chickasaw, now located been reinterred from no fewer than 565 locali-
in Oklahoma, and other southeastern indige- ties. The mass graves containing the remains of
nous peoples may be descended from the the Confederate dead buried by the victorious
mound-building culture at Shiloh. Union Army in 1862, and originally numbering 39
Euro-American settlers arrived in Hardin perhaps nine to ten such sites, with only five
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
County, Tennessee—the area of present-day having been located and identified to date, are
Shiloh—in the early 19th century. By 1840 located elsewhere within the battlefield.
approximately 8,000 people, mostly immi- As more Shiloh veterans returned to recall
grants from Virginia and North Carolina, the battle and visit the new cemetery, desire to
earned a living farming and logging there. preserve the battlefield increased. While the
The Battle of Shiloh occurred in early April establishment of a park would preserve the site
1862. By 1865, the war had ended, and in 1866, as a gathering place for those who fought there,
Congress passed legislation establishing it would also serve future generations as a quiet
national cemeteries on several Civil War battle- place for reflection and commemoration. On
fields; Shiloh’s cemetery, then officially estab- December 27, 1894, President Grover
lished as Pittsburg Landing National Cemetery, Cleveland signed into law an act to establish
was located on top of the bluff overlooking Shiloh National Military Park.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The national ceme-
tery at Pittsburg
Landing was estab-
lished in 1866 for
the reburial of Union
dead from the Battle
of Shiloh and addi-
tional Union war
dead initially buried
at more than 500
different locations
along the Tennessee
River. The cemetery
also serves as the
final resting place
for several hundred
American service
men and women
from more recent
conflicts.
KEY FINDINGS construct an orientation shelter, a mile-
long interpretive trail, and several
• The primary threats to the park’s rural and wayside exhibits at the Shiloh Indian
secluded nature are encroaching devel- Mounds. In addition, it recommends
opment and adjacent land uses that are development of interpretive programs
not compatible with the park’s goals of focusing on participation of women in the
interpreting the battle that took place at Civil War, children and the Civil War, 19th-
Shiloh and preserving the associated century farm life, and the impacts of the
resources. Due to a lack of county zoning battle and war on the local rural popula-
ordinances, businesses that may be tion, using the historic William Manse
viewed as incongruous with the land- George Cabin as a primary component of
40 scape exist nearby. The Park Service is these programs. The plan also includes a
working to acquire key parcels within the proposal for a renovated or new visitor
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
park’s 1894 authorized boundary, in order center at the Shiloh battlefield.
to create a natural topographic border
• Interpretation of the Shiloh Indian
along Shiloh Hill. These properties are
Mounds has been lacking, due to road
currently privately held and could be sold
closures necessitated by riverbank
(and perhaps developed) at any time.
erosion. A long-term, multimillion dollar
• The orientation film shown to visitors at riverbank stabilization and highway
the Shiloh Battlefield Visitor Center was construction project was completed in
created in 1956 and is the oldest film of 2008, reopening visitor access to the
this type within the Park Service. A new mounds using the park auto tour route.
orientation film and rehabilitation of the Construction of a one-mile-long interpre-
auditorium at the existing Shiloh tive trail through the national historic
Battlefield Visitor Center will cost an esti- landmark site has begun, with targeted
mated $750,000. completion in fiscal year 2009.
• The Park Service recognizes the need for • The park uses commercial grass seed on
an updated general management plan historic fields instead of the natural vari-
(the current general management plan eties that would provide better forage
was written in 1980) to take into account and cover for native animal species. In
additional lands and resources that have addition, biologists suggest Shiloh’s
been added to Shiloh National Military mowing regime on some of these fields
Park in recent years. Completion of the may be damaging to bird, reptile, and
updated plan will depend on Park Service amphibian species. If grass is cut too
prioritization and funding. The park’s short, if it is cut at certain times of the
administrative history, written in 1954, is in year, or if it is cut in areas near wetlands
need of updates covering the years since and without natural transitions, wildlife
then. An updated historic resource study suffer from lack of or degraded habitat.
is currently under development. The park is cognizant of the wildlife
impacts associated with current manage-
• The park recently completed drafting its
ment techniques, but is also attempting
long-range interpretive plan, and it is
to provide visitor access and an expected
being prepared for publication. The plan
visitor experience (i.e., manicured land-
details the work now proceeding to
scapes), which requires such mainte-
nance. There is a desire to address the
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
topic of preservation maintenance and
wildlife when the park next updates its
general management plan.
• Staffing shortfalls affect visitor services
and resource protection at Shiloh. The
park has only seven permanent frontline
interpretation employees, insufficient to
provide daily, on-site programs to the
public at two park units in separate states
from September through May. The park 41
needs an additional four full-time equiva-
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
lent staff (two at each unit) to address this
need. Staff must take on additional duties
because of the lack of personnel. For
example, the park’s chief of interpretation
and resource management also serves as
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
park historian, cultural resource specialist,
volunteer coordinator, and a law enforce-
ment officer because positions are
vacant. Because park roads remain open
to use by commuters beyond normal
business hours, Shiloh remains at risk for
vandalism, looting, wildlife poaching, and
vehicular damage. In addition, the geog-
raphy of the Corinth unit places the
majority of parkland there within the city
limits, and thus at risk for the same types
of resource protection problems. At this
time, only two of three law enforcement
positions have been filled, and recent law
enforcement needs assessments indicate
that Shiloh requires three additional full-
time equivalent law enforcement posi-
tions to effectively protect visitors and Work on Brown’s Landing Road and Riverside
Drive was completed in 2008, restoring auto-
resources. The park has identified the
mobile access to the Shiloh Indian Mounds
need for an additional 2.4 full-time equiv- and Dill Branch ravine. The top photo shows
alent maintenance staff to care for and Riverside Drive before construction; the
repair the park’s thousands of head- bottom one shows the road now.
stones, markers, monuments, and cannon
carriages.
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
• Riverbanks stabilized. When the tence farming, and impacts the war had
Tennessee Valley Authority impounded on the surrounding rural community.
the Tennessee River to create Kentucky
• Visitor center at Corinth opened. The
and Pickwick Lakes in the 1930s and ’40s,
$9.5 million Corinth Civil War Interpretive
portions of the park’s shoreline suffered
Center opened in Corinth, Mississippi, in
severe erosion, blowouts, and landslides.
2004. Critically acclaimed for its exhibits
After landslides in 1997, the U.S. Army
on slavery, secession, and the nationally
Corps of Engineers proposed a new bank
significant Civil War events that unfolded
42 stabilization project, which finally
in the region, it is the suggested first stop
received much needed congressional
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
for visitors to Shiloh National Military
approval and agency action. The final
Park. The 15,000-square-foot center also
stabilization phase was completed in
features two audio-visual movie produc-
2008. The entire 1.75 miles of the park’s
tions.
eastern boundary/shoreline is now
protected from erosion by rock riprap. • Battlefield monuments repaired and
replaced. Since 2003, more than 30 troop
• Archaeological mitigation and excava-
position markers, missing from the park
tions completed. In conjunction with the
for several decades due to theft or
riverbank stabilization project, the park
vandalism, have been recast and erected
and the Southeast Archeological Center
at their proper locations on the Shiloh
recently completed a $1.6 million archae-
battlefield. An additional 50 missing
ological mitigation of a prehistoric
markers are currently under contract for
Mississippian period (A.D. 800–1200)
The preserved casting. Also, all historic cast-iron markers
temple mound threatened by erosion
William Manse (more than 650 of them) are repainted on
along the bank of the Tennessee River.
George Cabin, the a three-year cyclic program. Shiloh
only surviving struc- This five-year project constitutes the
acquired 47 new ductile iron cannon
ture of the nearly 70 largest and most significant archaeologi-
carriages to begin the task of eventually
buildings present on cal research at the park since the 1930s.
the Shiloh battlefield replacing all of the nearly 200 cast iron
These excavations are now complete,
during the battle, has carriages, which are more than a century
undergone several
with the volume of information recovered
old and have fallen into disrepair. At an
restorations since the contributing greatly to the understanding
average (and ever-increasing) cost of
park was established. of prehistoric Mississippian culture.
$13,500 per new carriage, this is a sizable
• William Manse George Cabin restored. financial undertaking that will take many
The only remaining building from the years to accomplish. In addition, all aerial
period of battle, the William Manse electrical transmission lines located on
George Cabin is a prime interpretive the battlefield were removed and
resource for the park. Restoration work, returned to underground transmission,
completed in 2004, included installation enhancing the scenic and historical view-
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
of a new chimney and roof. The park has shed in the park.
used the cabin to support interpretive
programs on civilian life, particularly in
regards to women and children, subsis-THE SHILOH NATIONAL MILITARY
PARK ASSESSMENT
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
43
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
CULTURAL RESOURCES— Cultural resources at Shiloh include exten- Monuments through-
BATTLEFIELD MARKERS AND sive, relatively undisturbed archaeological out the park, such as
the Minnesota
MONUMENTS HONOR THE FALLEN resources preserving the history of the battle on
Monument shown
Shiloh National Military Park scored an the ground where it was fought, hundreds of here, commemorate
overall 76 out of 100 for the condition of its monuments and markers on the battlefields, soldiers from various
cultural resources, which include archaeology, historic cannon tubes, original Civil War diaries states who fought in
and letters in the park’s archives, and the the Battle of Shiloh.
cultural landscapes, history, historic struc-
The park needs addi-
tures, and museum collection and archives. features and archaeological resources associated
tional staff to care for
This score indicates that the resources are in with the Shiloh Indian mound and village site. its thousands of head-
“fair” condition. Threats to the battlefield archaeology and stones, markers,
monuments, and
cannon carriages.markers and monuments in the park include Historic resource studies, which provide a
vandalism and looting of artifacts, as well as historical overview of a park and identify and
natural effects of weather and time. evaluate cultural resources within historic
Between 1991 and 2008, vehicle access to contexts, also identify the need for any special
and through the mounds site was closed to visi- studies and make recommendations for
tors due to riverbank stabilization issues, which resource management and interpretation.
involved closing a section of the tour route Shiloh completed a historic resource study in
north of the site. Threats to the mounds include 1993 that evaluated historic buildings, struc-
looting of artifacts, natural disturbances tures, and objects. An updated historic resource
(damage from falling trees during severe storms study has been funded and is currently being
and high winds), and the extremely low possi- developed, with a targeted completion date of
44 bility of future stream bank erosion, which from fiscal year 2010. Shiloh’s administrative
routine monitoring by the park and the U.S. history was written in 1954 and covers develop-
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
Army Corps of Engineers, appears to have been ment of the park from the 1890s to 1954. A
successfully checked by the recent stabilization considerable amount of the history focuses on
measures taken along the base of the bluffs the period prior to 1933, the year when
along the river. The stabilization measures management of the park passed from the
enacted have halted further catastrophic Department of War to the National Park Service.
blowouts at the base river level; however, given Research is needed to update documentation of
the elevation extremes found at Shiloh, the park management since 1933.
stabilization work does not eliminate the The most recent historical research in the
natural repose of the bluff line above the riprap park involved development of interpretive
level, areas which will slowly recede westward, exhibits for the Corinth Civil War Interpretive
with soils slipping down the bluff until the Center. The park collaborated with a multitude
formations attain the equilibrium dynamics of professionals, partner agencies, organiza-
representative of a natural river shoreline. tions, community planners, business leaders,
and stakeholders to develop state-of-the-art
HISTORY—HISTORIC RESOURCE exhibits that interpret Civil War issues through
DOCUMENTS NEED UPDATING relevant and provocative national, regional, and
The events that occurred at Pittsburg Landing, local war events and experiences. The 15,000-
Tennessee, during the Battle of Shiloh have been square-foot interpretive center also includes 175
documented and explored at length. Detailed commemorative features (monuments and
accounts from officers and soldiers who partici- bronzes), reproductions of earthworks, two
pated in the battle exist, among them reports by multimedia audio-visual productions, and
Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and other high- interactive multimedia exhibits.
ranking Union and Confederate officers. Shiloh’s chief of interpretation and resource
Journals, kept by women who assisted in management also serves as park historian,
makeshift hospitals in Corinth, have also been cultural resource specialist, and volunteer coor-
preserved. These memoirs, published regimen- dinator (overseeing the work of 500 to 600
tal histories, soldier diaries, scholarly works, volunteers annually); supervises and coordi-
historic maps, objects in the park’s museum nates all compliance, research, and science; and
collection, and documents in the archives help coordinates with the park’s cooperating associa-
the park staff interpret historical events by tion. This staff member also continues to
providing firsthand accounts of the grueling perform the duties of a field law enforcement
conflict and its aftermath. officer because a number of positions responsi-ble for performing these functions have been artifact, a large stone pipe carved in the shape of
vacant for years due to funding shortfalls. He a kneeling man, was found at “Mound C.” Now
has written and published numerous articles on display in the Tennessee River Museum in
and essays detailing the battles at Shiloh and Savannah, Tennessee, this effigy pipe is made of
Corinth, and he has produced a visitor’s guide the same distinctive red stone and is carved in
to the Battle of Shiloh and an audio tour for the the same style as a number of human statuettes
Shiloh Battlefield that is available on CD. The from the Cahokia chiefdom, located near East
park superintendent and the historian worked St. Louis, Illinois.
together to prepare an informative guide to the Survey work in the winter of 1933–34
Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. Recently, revealed numerous small, round mounds at the
a former staff member published a book titled Shiloh site, the remains of wattle and daub
This Great Battlefield of Shiloh: History, Memory, houses. These structures featured vertical post 45
and the Establishment of a Civil War National walls interlaced with branches (wattle), which
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
Military Park. were then coated with a thick layer of clay
The park has an extensive living history (daub). A palisade wall, also made of wattle and
program and also offers a variety of interpretive daub, protected the site. Because the land
bulletins dealing with topics such as women in containing the mounds has been protected
the Civil War, slavery and the causes of the Civil within the park for more than a century, and
War, slaves as soldiers, Mexican Americans as because the Shiloh site has never been disturbed From 2001 to 2006,
soldiers, and battle fortifications. by the plow, the daub of collapsed walls still the Park Service and
stands. Shiloh is one of only a handful of sites a host of partners
excavated “Mound
ARCHAEOLOGY—SHILOH INDIAN in the Eastern United States where remains of
A,” a temple mound
MOUNDS SITE TO REOPEN prehistoric houses are still visible on the threatened by
Shiloh National Military Park’s premier archae- ground’s surface. erosion. Data gath-
ological resources are the preserved Civil War Located along the Tennessee River, the site ered through this
battlefields and earthwork features comprising has suffered from extreme erosion. Since 1991, work continue to
enhance under-
the sites protected at Shiloh and Corinth, as well both riverbank stabilization and road construc-
standings of the
as the Shiloh Indian Mounds National Historic tion needs led to closure of the road to Shiloh park’s prehistoric
Landmark, evidence of a prehistoric Indian Mounds. In 2008, the park completed a Indian mounds.
Mississippian culture. The mounds are also
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The mounds represent what is left of a
town—known as a chiefdom, due to the pres-
ence of a political and spiritual leader—that
occupied the high Tennessee River bluff at the
eastern edge of the Shiloh plateau 1,000 years
ago. Six of these mounds, rectangular in shape
and flat-topped, probably served as foundations
for important buildings, which may have
included a council house, religious buildings,
and residences of town leaders. The southern-
most mound is an oval, round-topped mound
in which important people were buried.
The first archaeological excavation at Shiloh
took place in 1899, when the site’s most famousjoint riverbank stabilization and road construc- sufficient support for the park’s archaeological
tion project for the 1.3 miles of the park auto needs, given the lack of funding for projects.
tour roadway connecting Shiloh Indian Night-time looting threatens archaeological
Mounds National Historic Landmark to the artifacts at the battlefield, particularly metal arti-
visitor center area. The site is again part of the facts representing the Civil War period, with
park auto tour, augmented with an interpretive three dozen reported incidents from 1998 to
trailhead shelter and mile-long interpretive 2008. Only one attempted looting incident
hiking trail scheduled for completion in 2009. within the area comprising Shiloh Indian
In conjunction with the riverbank stabiliza- Mounds National Historic Landmark has been
tion project, the park and the Southeast documented, and this occurred in the mid-
Archeological Center (SEAC) also recently 1990s, involving a temple mound previously
46 completed a $1.6 million archaeological mitiga- excavated and completely restored during the
tion of “Mound A,” one of the temple mounds Frank H. H. Roberts civil works investigation of
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
threatened by erosion. The project team 1934. Thus, the damage from this one incident
included SEAC employees, contracted techni- only affected backfill material used to rebuild
cians, university students, and volunteers. This the mound at the conclusion of the earlier civil
five-year project (2001–2006) involved exten- works excavation. Resources within Shiloh are at
sive consultation with tribal leaders of the particular risk because the grounds are not
Chickasaw Nation and others. Considered one secured with gates at the close of park hours.
of the largest archaeological field projects ever Although the park staff maintains an aggressive
conducted by the Park Service, the excavations attitude in enforcing the Archaeological
are now complete, but study continues on the Resources Protection Act of 1979 and protecting
data recovered in this important mitigation the park, managers know looting is a constant
investigation. threat, with some incidents likely going undis-
In addition to the Indian mounds, the park covered and unreported. To address the
contains pristine historic archaeological sites problem, the park has requested an operational
that relate to the period of the Civil War. Of the funding increase to add three more full-time law
more than 70 buildings known to have existed enforcement rangers that would increase patrol
on the battlefield in 1862, only one remains— coverage by a minimum of 4,000 hours annu-
the William Manse George Cabin, which has ally. However, the request remains unfunded.
been restored and is maintained where it was Shiloh staff have gone to great lengths to
relocated shortly after the battle. All of the mitigate the threat of looting. By working with
remaining building sites save five have yet to be the Southeast Archeological Center, and by
positively identified and are unmarked on the including local and regional metal-detecting
battlefield. clubs in organized archaeological investigations
Funding is currently unavailable for further conducted in the park, managers involve the
archaeological research at Shiloh. Important community and members of the public in
projects—identification of missing Confederate archaeology projects while educating partici-
mass graves and other war burial sites, an pants about resource protection. Besides teach-
archaeological condition assessment of new ing sound stewardship principles, inviting
lands associated with the Corinth unit, and metal-detecting enthusiasts to participate as
further investigation to locate the unmarked park volunteers in events monitored by Shiloh
period home sites—remain undone. The park and the Southeast Archeological Center permits
does not employ a full-time archaeologist. the park to conduct significant research at
According to resource managers, SEAC provides minimal cost.NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The War Department
built this cemetery
lodge in 1911 to
replace a structure
destroyed by a
tornado 1909. It was
built to house and
provide an office for
the cemetery’s super-
intendent. Today this
historic structure
serves as the park’s
administrative head-
quarters. 47
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
HISTORIC STRUCTURES—MONUMENTS While the landscape at Shiloh today closely
THREATENED BY VANDALS, WEATHER, resembles conditions at the time of the battle,
AND NEGLECT virtually all of the structures that existed in April
Shiloh’s List of Classified Structures (LCS), an 1862 were destroyed during the battle. Three
inventory of prehistoric and historic structures, structures related to the battle remain: a farm
totals 226 and includes the prehistoric Indian road known as the Sunken Road, which defines
mounds, three original structures dating to the a line of battle occupied by Union troops;
time of the battle, park roads, structures that General Grant’s Last Line, which contains the
have been erected at the park since the battle, only surviving earthwork erected during the
including many associated with the national battle; and the William Manse George Cabin.
cemetery: the cemetery house, constructed by The cabin was moved from its original location
the War Department in 1911, the cemetery wall, in Perry field at the northern end of the battle-
headstones, a metal gate, and stairs. Of the field to its current site a short time after the
park’s 226 historic structures, 191 are in “good” battle, to replace the cabin the George family
condition, 34 are in “fair” condition, and one lived in prior to the battle (which was burned
structure’s condition is rated “poor.” The struc- during the battle). The park’s long-range inter-
ture listed in “poor” condition was actually pretive plan recommends that the cabin be used
documented and removed from the park in as part of an interpretive program on rural civil-
1996, though it still persists on the list of classi- ian life, focusing particularly on women and
fied structures. The park was placed in the children, farming, and the impacts the battle
National Register of Historic Places in 1966, had on the surrounding community. Evidence
and boasts 186 individual historic structure list- of additional home sites and structures (i.e.,
ings in the register. underground features and associated artifacts)NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The United
Daughters of the
Confederacy
provided funds that
allowed the park to
recast and replace
missing bronze
features on the
Confederate
Monument.
48
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
dating to the antebellum period also exists, but five years, and 12 have undergone major
at present, except for five of the more than 70 restoration, repair, and rehabilitation actions
cited to be on the battlefield in 1862, the since 2000, including the Sherman, Peabody,
remaining sites and structures have neither been Prentiss, Stuart, and Tuttle headquarters monu-
identified nor authenticated. ments; Gladden, Johnston, Raith, Wallace, and
The most prevalent historic structures at Peabody mortuary monuments; the Iowa State
Shiloh (162 of the total listed) are the many Memorial; and the Confederate Monument. In
monuments that commemorate states and the case of the Iowa State Memorial, the park
significant individuals who participated in the received funding from the Iowa legislature to
battle. These monuments not only memorialize recast and replace missing bronze features; the
the Battle of Shiloh, but also represent the United Daughters of the Confederacy funded a
period prior to World War I when state-spon- similar action for the Confederate Monument.
sored commissions and veterans worked A number of monuments have missing features
together to erect such monuments throughout that were broken or stolen decades ago. Some of
the nation. The park’s bookstores, operated by these missing features have been recovered in
Eastern National, offer visitors a map that details recent years: One of the two granite cannon
the locations of 156 monuments and 650-plus tubes from the 14th Ohio Battery Monument
markers that interpret the battle, and all monu- were found buried in a barnyard 50 miles from
ment details and locations are also organized in the park, and the inscribed iron brigade head-
a computerized, searchable database. quarters star from the Tuttle monument was
All monuments requiring joint and point discovered north of Nashville and has been
work have received this treatment in the past restored to the Tuttle headquarters structure.Although none of the park’s structures have and involved an unsuccessful attempt to remove
been documented through historic structures a tube from the carriage onto a pickup bed.
reports due to the costs associated with produc- Local residents use roads within the park
ing these reports, staff use myriad other (including busy State Highway 22) to access the
resources to guide the treatment and use of rural communities surrounding Shiloh. Two
historic structures. These reference materials nearby drinking establishments add to the
include the Southeast Cultural Resources problem, as customers drive to and from these
Preservation Center’s document titled businesses by passing through the park. In addi-
Preservation of Division, Brigade, and Mortuary tion to vandalism, incidents of damage from
Monuments, the Shiloh National Battlefield Park vehicular collision with monuments have
Historic Monument Survey Report prepared by occurred.
Middle Tennessee State University, and a 2004 Park visitors on foot can also damage 49
preservation plan for the William Manse George resources, although much of the damage is
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
Cabin, as well as other materials prepared by the unintended. For example, careless leaning on or
Park Service and university graduate students. To stepping on a monument may cause it to break.
further supplement reference materials, the park The park works to educate the public about
recently submitted a request for funds to inven- resource stewardship, but more rangers are
tory and document historic structures. needed to stem intentional and unintentional
Because the grounds are not secured with damage to monuments and markers. Three law
gates at the close of park hours, Shiloh is at enforcement and four interpretive rangers (two
particular risk for vandalism or theft of cultural for each unit) would permit an aggressive
resources. In the past vandals have painted or public contact program across the park.
marked (using blunt or sharp objects) graffiti The passage of time and the effects of
on monuments, torn down traffic and park weather also threaten monuments. Bronze
information signs, damaged or destroyed monuments and markers require annual clean-
picnic-area bathroom facilities, and purposely ing and cold wax treatments; masonry on state
shattered the glass on the front door to the monuments requires regular care; and plaques
visitor center. This type of behavior has also should be repainted every three years. The park
occurred, although on a far limited scale, at has had a difficult time implementing a regular
Corinth, where vandals scarred monuments in maintenance program, in light of its small staff
the Corinth center courtyard by climbing over and lack of a sufficient cultural resource mainte-
the wall after hours to ride skateboards in the nance budget. Given the other responsibilities
closed area. As for theft of resources, Shiloh has associated with park operations, the park has
experienced several incidents, including stolen been unable to devote any personnel solely to
position markers; bronze tablets and features care for monuments, markers, and cannons.
removed from monuments; cannon balls Instead, the park uses trained rangers, mainte-
removed from the Confederate mass graves and nance staff, and, in some instances, volunteers
the headquarters monuments; and on two occa- to maintain the monuments. Contractors
sions the actual theft of cannon tubes from their complete major preservation and rehabilitation
carriages. One of these thefts was completed at projects. Using contractors is often expensive, as
night and the gun was recovered through inves- evidenced by the $50,000 recently spent to
tigation, but only after the violators had ground paint all of the park’s historic markers. The park
off the cannon’s important foundry numbers has requested an additional 2.4 full-time equiv-
and inspection stamps. The other cannon theft alent employees to boost its ability to care for
incident occurred during a winter afternoon monuments, markers, and cannons.CULTURAL LANDSCAPES—ADJACENT men buried in these trenches remain nameless,
LAND USE THREATENS LANDSCAPE as swift disposal of the overwhelming number
CHARACTER of bodies took precedence over identification.
Cultural landscapes encompass natural and The trenches are marked by a simple row of
human-made features, illustrating the ways cannonballs.
people have altered and adapted to their The Shiloh Indian Mounds are another of
surroundings through time. Park staff, with the park’s prominent cultural landscapes. They
assistance from the Park Service’s Southeast are a group of nearly eight dozen prehistoric
Regional Office, are in the process of preparing Indian mounds and houses identified as some
a cultural landscape inventory for Shiloh of the most significant physical remains of pre-
National Military Park. Eight landscapes have Columbian culture in existence. Evidence shows
50 been identified so far. that the mounds date beyond 600 years ago,
The national cemetery is one of the park’s before the inhabitants of the area had contact
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
most visited and visible cultural landscapes. with European trade goods.
Established in 1866 for the burial of Union Due to the park’s isolated location and the
dead from the Battle of Shiloh, it contains 3,572 surrounding low population density, there has
graves of Union soldiers (identities of 2,370 are been little disturbance to the landscape. Park
unknown), as well as interments from recent staff work to maintain undisturbed areas and
The remains of more
than eight dozen military engagements, such as the Vietnam War. restore those that have been altered by farming,
houses, six large Park staff help family members locate ancestors construction that is incompatible with the
temple mounds, and buried at the cemetery. historic viewscape, or neglect. But outside the
one burial mound are The cemetery, while honoring the dead, also park, incompatible use of adjacent private prop-
evidence of a pre-
evokes a sense of sacrifice and tragedy, as do the erty threatens the character of the cultural land-
Columbian culture
that once inhabited mass Confederate graves in the park. The cruel scapes at Shiloh. (See “Adjacent Land Use
the Shiloh plateau. realities of war are particularly evident here; the Affects Park.”)
NATIONAL PARK SERVICENone of the cultural landscapes at Shiloh
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
have been evaluated through cultural landscape
reports, the primary guides for treatment and
use of cultural landscapes, though as with
historic structures, the park uses a host of other
reference materials to guide landscape preserva-
tion and use. Cultural landscape reports cannot
be done until the ongoing cultural landscape
inventory is finished. The park has established
landscape rehabilitation goals that include
restoring damaged or missing battlefield
markers and monuments; replacing defective 51
replica artillery carriages; re-establishing historic
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
roads, fields, and orchards; and removing non-
native vegetation. Funding for all of these proj-
ects has been requested. In the case of markers,
three separate castings have been funded during
the past six years, with the first completed, the MUSEUM COLLECTION AND This historic photo
second in progress, and the third awarded. ARCHIVES—PARK PROTECTS MORE shows steamboats
tied up at Pittsburg
These three projects will place seven dozen THAN 477,700 ITEMS
Landing a few days
markers back in the park (replacing original Shiloh’s museum collections are varied, and after the Battle of
markers lost to theft or simply damaged beyond include archaeological objects and field records, Shiloh. The boat in
repair by human activity, such as vehicle acci- as well as hundreds of items related to the 1862 the center is the
Tigress, which served
dents), as well as cast and erect a handful of Shiloh Battle, such as pocketknives, belt
as General Ulysses S.
markers the original park battlefield commis- buckles, combs, pipes, firearms, and a Civil War Grant’s floating head-
sion was unable to develop on account of artillery collection. Natural history items such as quarters.
funding constraints. an herbarium, insect specimens, and mammal
In addition to replacement of missing skins are also part of the collections. The park is
markers, all of the historic cast-iron markers also fortunate to have an extensive collection of
have been repainted (twice) since 2005. Shiloh documents, such as letters and diaries, written
acquired 47 new ductile iron cannon carriages by those involved in the battle. The Southeast
to begin the task of replacing the roughly 200 Archeological Center (SEAC) manages the
brittle, century-old, cast-iron carriages, which majority of the park’s archaeological items. In
have decayed over time. And in 2002, all aerial sum, Shiloh’s collections exceed 477,700 items.
electrical transmission lines on the battlefield The exhibit quality at the park has been
were removed and replaced underground, greatly enhanced with the addition of the new
enhancing the historic and scenic character of (2004) Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center.
the battlefield. Though both visitor centers (Shiloh and
While no historic architect is employed by Corinth) include displays of museum objects,
Shiloh, the park receives assistance from staff the careful attention that has been given to the
at the Park Service’s Southeast Regional Office. planning of the Corinth unit has resulted in a
As the park is still in the process of formally far superior storytelling experience. Currently,
identifying cultural landscapes, assistance Corinth is the recommended orientation point
from regional staff meets the park’s needs at for visiting Shiloh. The park’s long-range inter-
this time. pretive plan includes a proposal for a newvisitor center or rehabilitation of the existing at SEAC or at the park that chronicle the initial
facility at Shiloh, which would allow the park to Park Service administrative period at Shiloh
better interpret the significance of the battle in would help to fill in gaps in its administrative
the overall context of the war and display more history. Cataloging these documents is impera-
objects from its museum collections. tive for their ultimate use in this regard.
The park has met 97 percent of applicable While Shiloh does not employ a curator, due
standards in the Park Service’s Checklist for the to lack of funding and personnel, its versatile
Preservation and Protection of Museum staff step in as needed to serve as museum tech-
Collections, but deficiencies remain. The park nicians.
lacks a collection storage plan and an inte-
grated pest management plan for museum and ETHNOGRAPHY (PEOPLE AND
52 archival objects. Exhibit cases also show secu- CULTURES)—PARK CONSULTS WITH
rity and preservation vulnerabilities, such as CHICKASAW NATION
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
deteriorating seals that permit small insects to Historic records do not indicate that any
enter the interior of the cases. The park’s American Indian people inhabited the Shiloh
primary collection storage facility lacks a fire- area when European and American settlers
suppression system. arrived; thus, the park does not have an
Shiloh’s Automated National Catalog ethnography program. Due to the lack of an
This coat and gloves
worn by Captain System database is well on its way to being up- ethnography program, the Center for State of
Daniel Matson, who to-date, with 62 percent of the collection cata- the Parks did not assess or rate this cultural
served in an Iowa loged and entered into the system. The major- resource category.
infantry regiment at
ity of items that are entered in the database are The Chickasaw Nation, now completely
the Battle of Shiloh,
represent his later in “good” or “excellent” condition. Most of the located in Oklahoma, represent one of the
war service material remaining to be cataloged is stored off primary groups in existence today that share
commanding a site at SEAC, and constitutes the remainder of commonalities with the mound builders who
battery in the Fourth the artifacts, soil and carbon samples, and once lived at Shiloh. For this reason and
U.S. Colored Heavy
records and archives related to the recent because the land upon which the park sits was
Artillery. They are
part of the park’s Mound A investigation. ceded by the Chickasaw Nation through treaty,
museum collection. The park’s 1995 collection management plan the park has maintained a relationship with
recommends updating Shiloh’s scope of collec- the Chickasaw Nation and continues to
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
tions statement (SOCS). (The current SOCS, consult with them on matters relating to the
dated 1985, was prepared in a format no longer mounds, especially archaeological projects.
used by the park system.) The plan also places a The park has established a memorandum of
priority on inclusion of the Indian Mounds in understanding—one of the first of its kind
the SOCS. within the Park Service—with the Chickasaw
About 20 percent of the park’s 168,381 total council of elders that guides the handling of
archival items have not been cataloged. Most of any human remains discovered at the mounds
the backlogged items are stored at SEAC and are site. The park also presented the tribe with a
field records and reports associated with the replica of the remarkably intact effigy pipe
Mound A excavation, as well as some park discovered at Shiloh in 1899.
administrative documents representing early
Park Service interpretive efforts and resource
management of the park. SEAC staff will catalog
these items as the facility’s schedule and other
responsibilities allow. Any existing documentsNATIONAL PARK SERVICE
53
Tennessee’s Civil War National Parks
NATURAL RESOURCES—FORESTS noise, and the risk of collisions between The Shiloh battlefield
AND FIELDS HARBOR MANY SPECIES wildlife (e.g., deer) and vehicles. is located in a rural
setting. Part of the
The park supports a diverse array of plant
battlefield is
The assessment rated the overall condition of and animal species, and habitat conditions composed of historic
natural resources at Shiloh National Military are better than at times in the past. Even so, agricultural fields
Park a 79 out of 100, which ranks park researchers conducting surveys have noted present in 1862,
resources in “fair” condition. (The Corinth that certain field maintenance practices nega- roughly half of which
are currently
unit of the park was not included in the tively affect some wildlife. These practices
managed through an
natural resources assessment, due to its urban may be limiting the size of populations of agricultural hay lease
location.) species living in the park, and they may also program using local
The battlefield is located in a rural setting, be limiting the use of the park by additional farmers.
bordered by four small, unincorporated wildlife species.
communities totaling fewer than 125 people.
Although the population density is low, public
access to park roads contributes pollution,You can also read
