The Shiloh Military Trail Hike No. 3 is designed as another historical hike through the Shiloh National Military Park and will supplement the SMT #1 Historical Hike and SMT #2 Artillery Hike - both of which are recommended before making this SMT hike #3.
Read the booklet, "Shiloh National Military Park" by B.T Campbell. It may be ordered by mail from the Trail Committee.
Hike the entire specified SMT Hike #3 (approximately 14 miles long) on foot. All hikers must abide by the rules of hike safety, including those shown on Part B of the unit application. All hikers are reminded again to be courteous and be a credit to the high ideals of scouting at all times. Do not throw rocks, do not deface property, and do not throw paper and trash along the way.
View the Shiloh movie at the Visitor's Center. Unit leaders turn in Part B of your unit application here.
Write complete and correct answers on the attached credential card to all questions asked about historical markers and pint of interest along the way.
The route of this hike is shown on the map. This Hike #3 is approximately 14 miles long starting and ending on the south side of the park (by Ed Shaw's Restaurant) near the intersection of Tennessee State Highway #22 and #142. It follows the general route of the SMT #1 Hike and directs the hiker to many points of interest not included in the SMT Hike #1. A pencil will be needed to write answers to questions asked. A canteen is recommended. A compass would prove helpful but is not required. All Scouts should be in uniform.
A. All hikers must be under the supervision of a responsible adult leader at all times while in Shiloh National Military Park. Scout groups should wear uniforms.
B. Hike Safely, be especially careful when hiking along or crossing roads.
C. Do not leave any litter along the way. Be a good example for other park visitors. It is recommended that hikers do a good turn by picking up any litter observed on the route and placing it in trash cans located throughout the park.
D. Be courteous, orderly, and most cooperative when visiting indoor areas such as the Visitors Center, Ed Shaw's Restaurants, the Park Book Store, ETC.
A small colorful Hike #3 pin to attach to the blue and gray ribbon of the regular bronze trail medal is available to qualifying hikers. A SMT Hike #3 patch is also available. See SMT Unit Application for current prices. These awards may be ordered by unit leaders after hikers qualify by sending in the completed SMT Hike #3 credential cards, part C of the unit application, and remittances for the awards wanted.
The Shiloh Military Trail Historical hike #3 starts at the south side of Shiloh National Military park
by Peach Orchard restaurant. Start the hike by going north along the former route of Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road (this section now closed to automobile traffic). See Map!
Hike down Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road a short distance past Reconnoitering Road to reach a marker on your right for "Two Cabins" which was used by Confederate Commander General Johnston as temporary field headquarters for a while. Note the mound of earth where the chimney of the cabin was located.
At what time did general Johnston occupy this position while directing the attack upon Union Camps?
Now return southwards to Reconnoitering Road. Read the plaque for this Tour Point stop.
At what time did the Union patrol pass along here?
Farther on down Reconnoitering Road a short distance you will reach a blue plaque telling about the Union troops engaged here from 7:30 to 8:30 AM that eventful Sunday morning.
What was the name of the infantry unit engaged here at that time?
Continue on down Reconnoitering Road to reach Peabody Road. Near this intersection and in front of the Peabody Mortuary Monument (which also marks Col. Peabody's headquarters) find the marker for the camp of the 25th Missouri Infantry. Three companies from this brigade served as the Reconnoitering Party that fired the shots to open this great battle in Fraley Field.
What was the first position in line of battle for the other companies in this brigade (other than the Reconnoitering Party)?
Continue the hike on down Peabody Road to reach Eastern Corinth Road. Near the northeast corner of this intersection find a large square plaque telling about General Prentiss' Sixth Division.
How many men did this division have present for duty and what was their total casualties?
Continue hiking down Eastern Corinth Road, then east on Hamburg - Purdy Road to reach the monument by the State of Texas.
What are the names of the two colonels who commanded Texas infantry units at Shiloh?
Continue hiking down Hamburg - Purdy Road to reach the site of the Tent Hospital. Read the Tour Point Plaque located Here. Beside it you will see the marker for Col. David Stuart's brigade Headquarters. Continue eastwards along the path, then along a gravel road a short distance to find the 55th Illinois Infantry Monument. This part of Col. Stuart's 2nnd Brigade served as the far extreme left flank for Sherman's 5th Division.
What was the total casualties (killed, wounded, missing) for this unit?
Return now to the intersection of Hamburg - Purdy Road and Hamburg - Savannah Road and proceed north to reach Johnston Mortuary Monument. Beside the tree where Gen. A.S. Johnston was killed is a Tour Point Plaque telling about the Southern Commander's death. Hw is the only full general killed in battle in the history of our country.
Where was the location of Gen. Johnston's fatal bullet wound?
Across the Johnston's Monument is the famous Shiloh Peach Orchard. Here you will see a log cabin -- the only structure still standing which was on the Battlefield at the time of the battle.
How many doors does it have?
Read both Tour Point Plaques located by the parking area by the Peach Orchard.
How does the plaque here describe the beauty of the peach orchard?
Cross the Sunken Road to reach Bloody Pond, another famous Battle of Shiloh landmark. Read the plaque by the pond.
What use did soldiers make of bloody pond during the battle?
Continue down Hamburg - Savannah Road and just before you reach the Alabama State Monument (11) you will see a smaller monument honoring Joseph Wheeler. He was a Colonel at Shiloh but later served the Confederacy as a General. Still later during the Spanish-American War he served as a General in the U.S. Army.
What unit did he command at Shiloh?
Hike past Alabama State Monument and Riverside Drive to reach General Halibut's 4th Division Headquarters monument. Now go directly east across Cloud Field to observe four camp plaques, then down Riverside Drive a short distance (east) to see a fifth camp plaque. One of these five camp plaques marks the camp of an Artillery Battery.
Who commanded this battery and what state were they from?
Continue on down Riverside Drive to reach the Indian Mounds. Follow a foot trail to your left that leads to a tall mound with a blue burial plaque on top of it.
What infantry unit did these men represent and where were they reburied?
Read the Tour Point Plaque located by the large mound east of the road.
ABOUT WHEN DID INDIANS LIVE IN THIS AREA?
Read the Tour Point Plaque located by the large mound east of the road.
About when did Indians live in this area?
A short distance down Riverside Drive (at Dill Creek) you will approach a plaque telling about the two Union Gunboats which shelled the Confederate camps all Sunday night.
How often did they throw these shells?
Follow the trail from Dill Creek up the hill from the road to reach River Overlook point. Read the Tour Point Plaque located here.
At what time did the confederates make their last charge near here?
Now follow the trail downhill to reach Pittsburg Landing. Observe the Tour Point Plaque located here.
How many steamboats are shown in the picture there?
Go up the iron steps into the National Cemetery. Only two Confederate soldiers are buried in this cemetery. They died while being held prisoners and are buried in graves # 2783 and 2784 on the south side of the cemetery. Their headstones are slightly different from the others as they are pointed on top.
What are the names of these confederate soldiers?
Be sure to read the framed plaque just inside the main entrance to the National Cemetery. Here you can also see the grave of private J.D. Putnam, the soldier originally buried at Putnam's Stump. He is buried in Section R G, Grave # 558. About 3,700 soldiers are interred in this cemetery and approximately two-thirds of them remain unidentified.
Just east of the Visitors Center and by the parking area you will again see several plaques telling about the armies at Shiloh. See the one for the Union Army of the Tennessee.
Which two of Grant's six division commanders had the rank of Major General?
Now proceed to the Park Visitors' Center and Museum. There are numerous interesting displays in the museum. Take time to look around and observe everything. The saddle, holster, and sword of a Major from Ohio are on display.
What is the name of this Major from Ohio?
While here see the Shiloh movie again.
UNIT LEADERS TURN IN PART B OF YOUR UNIT APPLICATION.
Now hike west on Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road to reach Grant's Last Line. Read the Tour Point Plaque there.
What kind of guns are shown in this photograph which was made in few days after the battle?
Hike on down Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road until you reach Lew Wallace Road. Turn right and go a short distance to Cavalry Road and turn left. About 0.12 mile down Cavalry Road in the trees on your left (south) you will see a small Confederate Burial Trench.
When and by whom was the stone marker erected alongside this trench?
Return to Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road and continue to the U.D.C Monument. (20)
Across the road from the U.D.C Monument and near the culvert you will find a read plaque telling about General Prentiss surrendering to the 22nd Tennessee Infantry.
Who was in command of the Confederate unit?
Walk left to reach Center of Hornets' Nest.
What five states have monuments in this Hornets' Nest area?
An inscription on the south side of the Arkansas State Monuments tells about Arkansas Infantry regiments which fought a Shiloh. A private soldier named Stanley, Later to achieve world fame when he found Dr Livingstone in Africa, fought with the 6th Arkansas Infantry.
Who commanded this 6th Arkansas Infantry unit.
As you hike down the Sunken Road past eh Minnesota Monument the first unit monument which you will see on the left is for the 12th Iowa Infantry Regiment.
How many men from this unit died while being held prisoner?
Where Sunken Road reaches Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road read the Tour Point Plague located here.
What flag do you see in the picture on this plaque?
Cross Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road and continue straight ahead into Duncan Field and back to your right at edge of trees find the monument for the U.S. Army Regular Infantry units who fought at Shiloh.
What was the name of the major who commanded a regiment consisting of three battalions of A.S Army Infantry?
Now hike to Ruggles Batteries. Read the Tour Point Plaque located here. As you hike along this row of cannons read all of the plaques.
List the names of the six states from which these batteries came?
Turn right on Hamburg - Purdy Road: hike past the Superintendent's residence to reach the large Illinois State Monument you pass monuments erected by four different States.
What are these four states?
On the large Illinois State Monument you will find information about the number of regiments of infantry, batteries of artillery, and detachments of cavalry from Illinois that participated in the battle.
How many regiments of Illinois Infantry were here?
Now hike north along McClernand Road, past the Ohio Unit Monument (31) a short distance to find a red oval plaque for Anderson's Brigade, consisting of the Confederate Guards Response Battalion, plus units from three states that saw action here.
What were these three states?
Return back (southward) down McClernand Road and at eh Ohio Unit Monument (31) turn right (west ) into the woods to reach a Confederate Burial Trench (32). Approximately 130 feet south of the Burial Trench in the woods is a unit monument for the 22nd Ohio Infantry.
What was the former name of this unit?
Proceed now to the large Confederate Burial Trench (33).
Who wrote the eye witness account of the burying of the confederate dead quoted on this plaque?
Now follow McClernand Road toward the intersection with Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road. Before reaching the intersection you will pass a Tour Point Plaque on your left about Water Oaks Pond.
At what time did the confederates withdraw from the battlefield (as per this plaque?
Continue hiking southwest along McClernand Road and observe a red oval plaque on your left which tells about action occurring near Water Oaks Pond.
How many men fought with Wood's Brigade in this area Monday afternoon shortly before the South began to withdraw from the field of battle?
At the intersection of the roads you will see a small marker indicating General Beauregard's "Cross Road" Headquarters.
At what time and date did General Beauregard maintain Headquarters in this area?
Continue your hike on to reach General Sherman's Headquarters Monument. Go southeast from this monument thought the woods to find another Confederate Burial Trench. It is located just east of a service road and a short distance from a power line.
How many cannonballs surround this burial trench?
Now hike westward to reach Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road near Shiloh Church (36) or follow the power line to reach the church and road.
Across the road from Shiloh Methodist Church is a Tour Point Plaque containing a picture of the original Shiloh Church which stood here during this battle.
When was Shiloh Methodist Church started?
Across from Shiloh Church you will again see several large square plaques. Read the one about the Army Of Ohio. The arrival of General Buell's Army of the Ohio furnished life-saving reinforcements to Grant's weary and beaten army.
How many men did the army of Ohio have present for duty at Shiloh?
Hike southward along Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road for a short distance and you will see two culverts at Shiloh Branch. Between these two culverts and on your right (west) you will find a read plaque telling about Cleburne's Brigade. Information is given about the 6th Mississippi charging a position at Rhea House and suffering very heavy losses.
How many men did the 6th Mississippi have engaged and how many of them were either killed or wounded?
Now turn left off Corinth - Pittsburg Landing Road onto Peabody Road. A short distance down this road you will come to the scenic Rhea Springs area on your left and Rhea Field on your right. Turn right into Rhea Field and find the 53rd Ohio Infantry Monument. A very short distance south of this monument is another Confederate Burial Trench.
How many cannonballs surround this trench?
Continue hiking down Beauregard Road and Shortly before reaching the turn-off into Fraley Field you will find another small Beauregard's Headquarters marker on your fight.
At what time and date did General Beauregard have his Headquarters in this area?
Now hike through Fraley Field and Wood Field to reach your starting pint and you have completed the Shiloh Military Trail Hike #3.
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