Posts Tagged ‘Civil War history’

Revisit the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee

April 6th
2010
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast destinations

It might be known as the Battle of Pittsburg to some, but if you plan a visit to the Civil War battlefield by booking a Pittsburgh hotel reservation, you’ll be a long ways off. That’s because Pittsburg Landing is actually in Tennessee. Also known as the Battle of Shiloh, it was home to some of the most fierce fighting in the War Between the States, and featured some of the biggest names on both sides. Confederate Generals A. S. Johnson and P.G.T. Beauregard launched a surprise attack on Ulysses S. Grant and his Union forces, and nearly defeated him had reinforcements not arrived on the second day from Gen. Don Carlos Buell.

It was, at the time, the bloodiest battle in U.S. history, with nearly 25,000 casualties combined from both sides (including Gen. Johnson). On the 148th anniversary of when it was fought, it remains today a beautifully kept memorial to the brave men who battled on bothsides, and is a must see for any Civil War buff. And with its close proximity, it’s an easy drive for anyone on a Memphis vacation to step back in time and enjoy this historical place firsthand.
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Revisit the Battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas

March 9th
2010
by Matt Wilson
posted in:
U.S. Southeast destinations

Our nation is currently facing several crises. There’s the spiraling-out-of control national debt. Record unemployment. No health care reform. And the lack of any real talent on this season of American Idol. But the greatest crisis in America’s history has eventually become a booming niche in the vacation industry, so there is hope (except maybe for American Idol).

I’m talking of course about the American Civil War. The darkest days of a young nation were pitched in bloody battles between North and South, where even brother fought against brother. The cost of achieving “let freedom ring” for all people was definitely worth the sacrifice, but it left nearly 700,000 Americans dead, devastated the economies of the southern states, and led to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The places where many of these battles were fought have been preserved or restored, and attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. One of these storied sites includes the Battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas, which just celebrated its 148th anniversary.
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