Shiloh: First mass slaughter at 'place of peace'

[Henry Moon]

Text on Monument at the Trench


Plaques to the "Unknowns" at the Monument's base.

[Henry Moon]

Another Confederate Trench Grave



Monument at the Trench (Erected 1935)

Statistics alone do not reveal the magnitude of human suffering and loss at Shiloh. In the battle's aftermath, the piteous cries of the wounded and dying filled the woods. Everywhere the ground was strewn with bodies.

Because of the warm weather, General Grant ordered the Federal troops to bury the dead immediately. Many were buried in large trenches. Union and Confederate separately.

In the mass grave above (top photograph) more than 700 Confederates soldiers were stacked in layers seven deep.

[Henry Moon]

John Clem
1851 - 1937
Photograph taken in 1863,
when he was 12 years old.

The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

After the battle of Shiloh, a song and a play called "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh," were produced describing the participation of a ten year old Union drummer in the battle. The play caused several people to come forward claiming that they were the Drummer Boy of Shiloh.

A study by Ray H. Mattison, former historian at the Shiloh National Military Park, proved that many of the claimants were ineligible for the designation. Based upon Mattison's study, John Clem, also called "The Drummer Boy of Chickamauga," has the strongest claim to the Shiloh title.   

[Henry Moon]

Confederate Monument
Placed by the U.D.C., May 17, 1917




A - Over eighteen feet high, the monument's central figures depict a "Defeated Victory." In front, the South surrenders the laurel wreath of victory to Death on her right, and night on her left. Death took away the commander-in-chief; while Night, having brought on re-enforcements for the Federals stands waiting to complete the defeat.

B - Below them, in low relief, appears the figure of General Albert Sidney Johnston, the southern commander. Johnston remains the highest ranking American officer ever to die in combat.

C - The panel of heads to the right represents the spirit of the first day's battle. Exuberantly, hopefully, courageously, fearlessly, the young Confederates rush into battle. The eleven soldiers portrayed equal the number of Confederate states.

D - The soldiers on the panel to the left, now fewer in number, represent the second day's battle. Driven back over ground they had gained the day before, Confederates are finally forced to retreat. The panel shows the sorrow of the men who fought so hard for a victory so nearly won, and so unexpectedly lost. The symbolically depicted "wave upon wave of soldiery" is now past its crest.

E - At the far right, the infantryman has snatched up the Confederate flag in defiance of the U. S. Army. In support by his side, the Artilleryman calmly gazes through the smoke of battle.

F - To the left, the Cavalryman spreads his hand in frustration. Although eager to assist, the cavalry could not penetrate Shiloh's thick undergrowth. The rear figure, head bowed in submission to the order to cease firing, represents the Confederate officer corps. At that point, on the evening of the battle's first day, Confederate victory had seemed imminent.

[Henry Moon]

[Henry Moon]

Alabama State Monument

FRONT OF MONUMENT

C. S. A.

ALABAMA
 
NORTH SIDE OF MONUMENT

C. S. A.

ALABAMA INFANTRY

 
   4TH BATTALION,
MAJ. JAMES M. CLIFTON

16TH REGIMENT,
LIEUT. COL. JOHN W. HARRIS

17TH REGIMENT,
LIEUT. COL. ROBERT C. FARISS

18TH REGIMENT,
COL. ELI S. SHORTER

19TH REGIMENT,
COL. JOSEPH WHEELER

21ST REGIMENT,
LIEUT. COL. STEWART W. CAYCE
MAJ. FREDERICK STEWART

22ND REGIMENT,
COL. ZACH C. DEAS (WOUNDED)
LIEUT. COL. JOHN C. MARRAST

25TH REGIMENT,
COL. JOHN Q. LOOMIS (WOUNDED)
COL. GEORGE D. JOHNSTON

26TH REGIMENT,
COL. JOHN I. COLTART (WOUNDED)
LIEUT. COL. WILLIAM D. CHADICK

31ST REGIMENT,
LIEUT. COL. MONTGOMERY GILBEATH


 



REAR OF MONUMENT

C. S. A.

ALABAMA

TO THE

LASTING MEMORY OF THE HEROES

FROM ALABAMA

WHO FOUGHT AT SHILOH

APRIL 6-7, 1862

-----

ERECTED BY THE ALABAMA

DIVISION

UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY

1907

 



SOUTH SIDE OF MONUMENT

C. S. A.

ALABAMA GENERAL OFFICERS
AT SHILOH

BRIG. GEN. JONES M. WITHERS, 2ND DIV., 2ND ARMY CORPS

BRIG. GEN. STERLING A. M. WOOD, 3RD BRIG., 3RD ARMY CORPS

ALABAMA CAVALRY

GEN. BRAGG'S ESCORT, COMPANY, CAPT. ROBERT W. SMITH

FIRST BATTALION, CAPT. THOMAS F. JENKINS

MISS. AND ALA. BATTALION, LIEUT. COL. RICHARD H. BREWER

FIRST REGIMENT, COL. JAMES H. CLANTON

ALABAMA ARTILLERY

GAGE'S BATTERY, CAPT. CHARLES P. GAGE

KETCHUM'S BATTERY, CAPT. WM. H.KETCHUM

ROBERTSON'S BATTERY, CAPT. FELIX H. ROBERTSON.

[Henry Moon]

Iowa State Monument

[Henry Moon]

On the steps, at the right of the monument, is a statue,
symbolic of "Fame". It is inscribing on the monument,
a tribute to the Iowa soldiers who fought in this battle


THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY THE STATE OF
IOWA IN
COMMEMORATION OF THE LOYALTY,
PATRIOTISM AND BRAVERY OF HER
SONS WHO, ON THIS BATTLEFIELD OF SHILOH
ON THE 6th AND 7th
DAYS OF APRIL, A.D. 1862, FOUGHT TO
PERPETUATE THE SACRED
UNION OF THE STATES.
--IOWA--
                                                                                                                                                    

[Henry Moon]

Texas State Monument

TEXAS

REMEMBER THE VALOR AND DEVOTION OF
HER SONS WHO SERVED AT SHILOH
APRIL 6-7, 1862.

HERE THE RANGERS UPHELD THE FAME OF
THE NAME THEY BORE, THE 2ND TEXAS
FOUGHT WITH GALLANTRY AND THE 9TH
TEXAS RESPONDED TO ANY DEMAND UPON
ITS COURAGE AND ENDURANCE.

GENERAL ALBERT SIDNEY JOHNSTON OF
TEXAS GAVE HIS LIFE IN THIS BATTLE.

TEXAS TROOPS AT SHILOH WERE:

9TH TEXAS INFANTRY,
COLONEL WRIGHT A. STANLEY,
(BRIG. GEN. PATTON ANDERSON'S BRIGADE,
RUGGLES'S DIVISION, BRAGG'S CORPS)

2ND TEXAS INFANTRY, COL. JOHN C. MOORE,
LIEUTENANT COLONEL WILLIAM A. ROGERS,
MAJOR HAL G. RUNNELS,
(BRIG. GEN. JOHN K. JACKSON'S BRIGADE,
WITHERS'S DIVISION, BRAGG'S CORPS)

8TH TEXAS CAVALRY (RANGERS),
COLONEL JOHN A. WHARTON,
(UNATTACHED)

A MEMORIAL TO TEXANS
WHO SERVED THE CONFEDERACY
ERECTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS 1964.

Texas State Monument Text

[Henry Moon]