Open Thread Wednesday
Today is the anniversary of the battle of Shiloh. It’s one of the few major battle sites that I have yet to visit.
Is there a Civil War battlefield—even a specific spot on that battlefield—where the war comes alive for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below and tomorrow I will share mine.
Gettysburg, and specifically Devil's Den and Little Round Top did it for me. I was only a kid during my first trip there and being in those spots and being able to visualize the battle over that terrain really ignited my interest in US history. It started with wars, and everything I've learned since (including other wars as well as expanding away from them) has helped me understand and contextualize the world we currently inhabit.
Kevin, I have a couple. Standing at the Surrender Site at Vicksburg. It really evokes the immense sacrifices the Soldiers the Army of the Tennessee made to take Vicksburg for 6 long months. Snodgrass Hill at Chickamauga. It is the battle in way back in 1987 which generated my interest in the Civil War. Before that I was mainly a World War 2 guy. What got me there was I was a captain in 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry, The Rock of Chickamauga. The 19th served in King's Regular Brigade of the AOC and stood with Thomas on Snodgrass Hill. Finally, the Breakthrough Point at Pamplin Historical Park where the VIth Corps broke the line of the Confederate forces defending Petersburg on 2 April 1865. It ended the 10 month Siege of Petersburg.