Memorial Day in the South, 2013

Monument to First Memorial Day
Columbus, Georgia

Memorial Day has its roots in the South, where in the year or so after the close of the War Between the States, widows and wives and mothers and daughters went to cemeteries to place flowers on and care for the graves of their loved ones who had given their lives in the cause of the Confederacy.

It is still a special and moving holiday in the South today and this year there are many noteworthy events associated with it.  Here is a sampling:

Vicksburg National Military Park - Memorial Day 2013 falls during the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Siege and Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Events set for tomorrow include a Memorial Day Parade through downtown Vicksburg at 10 a.m., Memorial Day Program at 11 a.m. at the Vicksburg Civic Center and a Wreath laying at 12 noon at Vicksburg National Cemetery.

Chattanooga National Cemetery - A Decoration Day Torchlight Tour will be held at Chattanooga National Cemetery tomorrow night at 8:45 p.m.  The tour is free but be sure to bring water, a flashlight and to wear comfortable clothing and shoes. The cemetery is located at 1200 Bailey Avenue in Chattanooga.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park - There will be firing demonstrations by reenactors at the Visitor Center tomorrow at 11 a.m., 12 noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.  Kennesaw Mountain High School's Color Guard will perform at 1 p.m. and a moment of silence will be observed at 3 p.m.

Andersonville National Historic Site  - The Avenue of Flags will be on display at Andersonville National Cemetery and visitors can reflect at the Naitonal P.O.W. Museum.

Shiloh National Military Park - Ceremonies will be held tomorrow at the Confederate Mass Graves (near Tour Stop #13) at 11 a.m., followed by ceremonies at Shiloh National Cemetery at 11:30 a.m.

Pea Ridge National Military Park - Closed due to budget cuts, which I find to be a particularly sad way to observe Memorial Day.  Perhaps closing on a different day this week would have been more appropriate?

Cowpens National Battlefield - Memorial Day services will take place at the Visitor Center at 11:55 a.m.

Fort Pickens - Living history encampment all day, ranger led tours of the fort at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and a moment of silence at 3 p.m.

There will be many other events coordinated on a local, state and national level tomorrow.  If you can attend one, please do.  If you are unable to attend in person, I hope you will join me in observing a moment of silence at 3 p.m.

Battle of Shiloh - Shiloh, Tennessee

In April of 1862, Confederate and Union forces mauled each other for two days around a small log church that gave the battle its name - Shiloh.

The Battle of Shiloh was so violent and deadly that it send shock waves across both North and South. The massive battle in the woods of Tennessee left more than 23,000 men and boys dead, wounded or missing. It forever changed the face of war and began to make clear the horrendous cost in blood that the nation would pay before the conflict was decided.

Shiloh today is one of the most pristine Civil War battlefields in the nation. Preserved as Shiloh National Military Park, the battlefield is still in fields and woods just as it was in 1862. Cannon and monuments dot the landscape and visitors can see such places as the Hornet's Nest, where more than 60 Confederate cannon destroyed a Union force of 6,000 men; Bloody Pond, where soldiers of both sides bathed their wounds and turned the water red with blood, and Pittsburg Landing, the objective point of the Confederate army.

To learn more, please visit our new series of pages on the Battle of Shiloh by clicking www.exploresouthernhistory.com/shiloh1. Be sure to check out the additional links at the bottom of the page.

Spring Travel Part Seven: Corinth, Mississippi

This is part of a continuing series on some of my favorite spring travel spots across the South.

When one thinks of Civil War sites in the South, places like Vicksburg, Shiloh and Chickamauga usually come to mind. But in the northern Mississippi community of Corinth, a very impressive Civil War related heritage destination is developing.

Corinth was the location from which the Confederate army launched its campaign that ended at the Battle of Shiloh. Union troops subsequently raised siege works against the town and took possession of it, only to fight a bloody battle to maintain control of Corinth against a determined army led by Earl Van Dorn. Some of the bloodiest and most intense fighting of the Civil War took place on the hills and streets of Corinth.

In cooperation with state and federal authorities, the community is doing a really nice job of bringing its history back to life. Surrounding Corinth are miles of Civil War earthworks, the site of a major settlement where freed or escaped slaves gathered under the protection of Union guns and fields where heavy fighting took place during the siege and Battle of Corinth.

The community has developed both walking and driving tours that explore key points of historic interest. The driving tours follow different actions that took place around Corinth. In addition, Corinth is now the home of an outstanding new National Park Service interpretive center that details the community's rich Civil War history. In addition to a variety of indoor exhibits, the center offers a unique sculpture and reconstructed earthworks (seen above). The grounds were the site of heavy fighting during the Battle of Corinth.

To learn more about this fascinating community, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/corinth1.