July 2021

Shiloh National Military Park and Battlefield actually covers parts of Tennessee and Mississippi. It is the site of a battle in 1862, the largest in the Mississippi campaign in the Civil War with over 23,000 casualties. The park itself is over 5000 acres, not counting the Corinth section in Mississippi. That part is where you can see the organized contraband camp for escaped slave families during the Civil War.

The visitor’s center boasts an award-winning film that you can view before you begin to explore the park. It has your usual monuments that are marked with cannons and their accessories:

And we were fortunate enough to view a park employee who was conducting a reenactment of what the soldiers wore and how they fired their weapons. They also do ranger-guided hikes at the park.

Fort Donelson National Battlefield is also nearby where Ulysses L. Grant was at the Union victory of this strategic spot where Nashville would fall into Union hands.

Log cabins that have been preserved:

You can drive up to the river to see where battle took place:

View the cemetery site:

And catch some wildlife if you’re lucky:

Mammoth Cave National Park is about 2.5 hours from here in Kentucky and worth a visit as well.

It was too late in the afternoon upon my arrival for the guided tour, and they limit the entry once it begins to get dark. But I still got to go into the front part of the cave, and it’s seemed scarier to me than Carlsbad Caverns!

The best part about Mammoth Cave is the hiking trails around it; there’s lots of wildlife and tall trees to let rays of sunlight break through.

As the day finished up, you can say hello to these plump guys who are not afraid to come near you!