June 23, 2010

June 23, 2010

From Pickwick Dam in southern Tennessee, we make the short drive to Shiloh National Military Park. Our northerly drive is unfortunately visiting a series of Civil War battles in reverse chronology. Ulysses Grant intent on taking the rail junction at Corinth, MS sailed up the Tennessee River and started assembling his army here at Pittsburgh Landing near a little log chapel named Shiloh Church. Grant made a crucial mistake of not protecting his beachhead here. The rebel general at Corinth took the offensive and in April 1862 made a preemptive strike at Grant. Caught with his pants down, Grant almost got wiped out. With some fortuitous luck and stubborn resistance by one of his units, he survived the first day. Expected reinforcements arrived overnight. To his credit, instead of retreating to regroup or playing defense, Grant struck back hard early the next morning and forced the Rebels to retreat back to Corinth.

We spent most of the day driving the auto tour of the battlefield and listening to several ranger talks. The Shiloh battlefield is special because it remains almost like it was nearly 150 years ago. And Shiloh was a bloodbath. The first big one of the Civil War. Over 20,000 troops were lost in 36 hours, more than all the wars the US had fought to that point. Both sides suddenly realized this war was no game.

From Shiloh we drove north stopping briefly at the Tennessee River Museum. Finding little of interest we made our way back to the Natchez Trace Parkway. Discovering that there are virtually no RV parks anywhere in the vicinity we drive late into the evening and stay at a park outside Nashville. We make one brief stop along the Trace at Meriwether Lewis’ grave and monument. On his journey back to DC from St Louis in 1809, he stayed at a tavern here overnight. He was mysteriously shot twice and died. Most believe it was suicide. A sad ending to the man who bravely led the Corps of Discovery.