Fort Donelson /Shiloh National Military Park


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Published: November 25th 2009
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Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. - Seneca



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Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Shiloh National Military Park

Fort Donelson National Battlefield. Tennessee
November 1, 2009, Sunday Just a bit of history…“The morning of February 14, 1862 dawned cold and quiet. Early in the afternoon a furious roar broke the stillness, and the earth began to shake. Andrew H. Foote's Union gunboat fleet, consisting of the ironclads St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Corondolet, and the timberclads Conestoga and Tyler, had arrived from Fort Henry via the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers and were exchanging "iron valentines" with the eleven big guns in the Southern water batteries.

Both Confederate and Union soldiers fought furiously on the morning of February 15; the Union Army grudgingly retreated by the afternoon. Just as it seemed the way was clear, the Southern troops were ordered to return to their entrenchments—a result of confusion and indecision among the Confederate commanders. Grant immediately launched a vigorous counterattack, retaking most of the lost ground and gaining new positions as well.

With the capture of Fort Donelson and its sister fort, Henry, the North had not only won its first great victory, it had also gained a new hero—"Unconditional Surrender" Grant, who was promoted to major general.”

After viewing the video at the Visitor’s Center, we followed the hiking trail down to the water batteries. With a little imagination, one could almost hear the cannons firing. The day was cool and sunny. Our last stop was at Ft. Donelson National Cemetery which contains the remains of 670 Civil War burials and veterans from all other American wars.

November 2, 2009, Monday Shiloh National Military Park was our first stop. We followed the driving tour, on our bikes. It was just a perfect bike ride and we stopped at each site to read the information plaques.
The Battle of Shiloh was one of the most critical battles in American History. Some of the biggest figures of the Civil War--- Grant, Sherman, Johnston, Bragg—all fought here. In one of the more bitterly contested battles of the war, the Confederates were defeated after two days of carnage (Oct. 3-4) that claimed nearly 7,000 casualties.
After our tour we drove along the Natchez Trace Parkway before stopping at the Natchez Trace State Park for the night. A lovely park.



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Confederate Graveyard Confederate Graveyard
Confederate Graveyard

The winners got the National Cemetery


27th November 2009

Shiloh
I taught about Shiloh last year when I taught the book Across Five Aprils. Glad you included Bloody Pond!

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