Shiloh, Hardin County, Tennessee facts for kids

Shiloh is a small community in Hardin County, Tennessee. It's mostly known for being the place where a very important battle happened during the American Civil War.

Before the Big Battle

Before the Civil War, two main areas made up what we now call Shiloh: Pittsburgh Landing and Shiloh itself.

Pittsburgh Landing: A River Port

Pittsburgh Landing, Tennessee was started by a person named "Pitts" Tucker. He built a tavern, which is like a restaurant and inn. Soon, a small town and a port grew up around it. This port was important because it was on the Tennessee River, making it easy to transport goods and people.

Shiloh: An Old Settlement

The history of Shiloh is a bit of a mystery, but we know that descendants of the Iroquois people lived here a long time ago. They built large Indian mounds in both Shiloh and nearby Savannah, Tennessee. Later, as more people moved west, a man named Lewis Wicker bought a lot of land in the area. He sold most of it but kept some important parts, like Perry Field, Wicker Field, and the Peach Orchard. Lewis also built a special house called the "Cabin at Shiloh." This cabin was the only building that survived the big battle that happened later. There was also a church in Shiloh, which means "place of peace" in Hebrew. This church was destroyed during the battle.

The Battle of Shiloh

The Battle of Shiloh was one of the bloodiest and most important battles of the American Civil War. In just two days, more soldiers were killed or wounded than in the American Revolution, The War of 1812, and The Mexican-American War combined!

The battle began early on April 6, 1862. Union General Ulysses S. Grant was getting his soldiers ready in nearby Savannah, Tennessee and Adamsville, Tennessee. At the same time, Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston was preparing his troops from Saltillo, Tennessee and Corinth, Mississippi.

The fighting was fierce for two days. On the first day, the Confederates seemed to be winning. But on the second day, the Union army fought back hard and won the battle overall.

After the Battle: Rebuilding Shiloh (1862-1935)

After the battle, Shiloh and Pittsburgh Landing were completely ruined. They were so damaged that they had to join together and become one community called Shiloh just to survive.

From Ruins to Restoration (1862-1885)

In the years after the battle, people worked to rebuild. The famous Wicker Cabin, which survived the battle, was moved by James Mansfield George. Because of him, it's now often called the "Manse George Cabin." Later, around 1885, Lewis Wicker's son, Alvis Wicker, bought the cabin. It was known as the "Wicker Cabin" again until he moved out around 1890, and it started to fall apart.

Shiloh National Military Park is Created (1895-1903)

By 1895, the "Manse George Cabin" was in very bad shape. But things changed in 1901 when Theodore Roosevelt became President of the U.S. President Roosevelt loved nature and history, and he helped create some of the first national parks, including Shiloh National Military Park.

The cabin was fully repaired by 1933. The area known as Downtown Shiloh was rebuilt with new buildings, and a new visitor center made of brick was built at Pittsburgh Landing. Many new monuments were also put up to honor the soldiers who fought there.

The Shiloh Tornado of 1903

In the spring of 1903, a very strong tornado, called an EF3 tornado, hit Shiloh. It destroyed the new visitor center, many trees, and some of the monuments.

Marking History (1903-1935)

After the tornado, people continued to work on the park. They marked the places where many Confederate soldiers were buried. Two new cemeteries were also built: the Shiloh Church Cemetery and the Shiloh National Military Park/Pittsburgh Landing Cemetery. For the first time, walking trails were officially marked, and a famous path called the "Sunken Road" was made to look like a farm road from the 1860s. The military park grew much larger during this time.

Shiloh Today (1935-Present)

Growing the Park (1935-1980)

This period saw a lot more growth for Shiloh National Military Park. The "Manse George Cabin" was renovated again. The original entrance to the park was removed, and a new entrance was built at Perry Field.

Modern Expansion (1980-Present)

The park has continued to expand and improve. By 2021, it had at least five more places for tourists to visit than it did in 1990, making it an even better place to learn about history.

Geography of Shiloh

Shiloh is located along Tennessee State Route 22 and Tennessee State Route 142.

The area around Shiloh, including nearby Savannah, Tennessee, was once home to Native American tribes like the Iroquois, Cherokee, and Chickasaw. These tribes built large mounds and lived alongside early English families, such as the Wicker family.