Insert Clever Blog Name Here

...because of thunderstorms. Last night, here. So, we had the computer turned off and unplugged...

So, no new chapter of our trip today. *listens to the crickets*

Anyway, here's a couple of random pictures to hold you over:

Taken by me from the car, hubby reading one of the markers.


A closer picture of the Confederate Burial Trench.


I'll try to to a longer update later!

So, the next part of the battle and battlefield I want to tell you all about is called "The Hornet's Nest." Our little tour map says:
"At mid-morning on April 6 parts of three Union divisions occupied a dense oak thicket on this sector of the Federal front. For seven hours the Federals repulsed (eleven) Confederate attacks..." A book that Hubby bought at the bookstore explains further: "...5700 troops were...placed along a small half-mile of an old wagon road...which became known as the 'Sunken Road'...the infantry was supported by six batteries of artillery totalling twenty-five guns...in front of them was a large field..." ( The field. )
"...the center section of the union front ran through a dense thicket south of the field."
( The Union Center )
"General Grant ordered the division commanders to hold the position at all costs."

You can still see the track where the Sunken Road was. Over the years, it has filled in some, but it is still "high ground." When we looked out over the field, we were just amazed at the bravery of the men on both sides. And to think the Federals held off eleven charges of the Confederates...it's just mind-boggling.

Hubby and I walked along the Sunken Road, looking at the monuments, ( This one is in honor of the Minnesotans. )
enjoying the warm breeze and the hum of the insects as we quietly discussed what had happened at this beautiful place. We walked about a quarter of a mile down, turned around and headed back. We were about halfway back to the car when suddenly everything went quiet. I mean--everything. The wind died, the birds and insects stilled--it was as if someone hit the "mute" button. Hubby and I looked at each other and said--did you notice that? It was spooky, but not scary. Now, we've never heard of any "official" ghost sightings at Shiloh, but there was something. When we got back to the car, the breeze had picked up, the insects were buzzing and the birds were squawking once more. We were more excited than frightened--and we drove over to the next stop, talking excitedly about what we'd experienced.

( More info about the Hornet's Nest. )

Our next stop was on the Confederate side of the field. After eleven fruitless charges in which they lost hundreds of men and suffered grievious casualties, the division commander "sensed the futility of further attacks on the heavily defended "Hornet's Nest"...he instructed staff officers to collect artillery...the result of this...shifting and deploying cannon was...at least fifty-three cannon (although General Ruggles himself suggested it was sixty-two) stood ready to bombard the Union position."
( Line of cannon. )
Again from the book..."Under cover of the barrage, the Confederate infantry was able to outflank the Union position. After six hours of heavy fighting, the Hornet's Nest defense finally collapsed. However, the courageous Union stand at the Hornet's Nest gave Federal forces precious time...to build a last-ditch perimeter to defend the landing."

The next stop on our tour was a sad one, indeed. It was one of the burial trenches of the Confederate soldiers. After their defeat, General Beauregard sent a message to Grant, requesting permission to remove the Southern dead. But because of "weather and the deteriorating condition of the corpses" the Union commander had already assigned details to bury the almost 3500 dead. The majority of the Confederate dead were buried in trenches and large pits. ( Like this one. )

At first, the Federals were also placed in mass trenches, but beginning in 1866, their bodies were exhumed and reinterred in the National Cemetary on the river bluff overlooking Pittsburg Landing.


Which I think is kind of unfair. After all, they are ALL our boys, right? So, why are the Confederate bodies left in the pits and trenches but the Federals are relocated to a beautiful cemetary? A bit of Confederate prejudice? I'm not sure, but I know it made me feel very sad to see how the dead of both sides were treated so differently.

I hope this entry didn't bore you all too much with the history lesson. ;)

We had a fabulous time. Very relaxing, contemplative and at times hilarious. I'll tell more in another update--I just wanted to let you all know we're home and to post a couple of pictures...teasers for more to come.

( Click here to see! )

We took over a hundred pictures, but I promise not to post them all!