Shiloh National Military Park to offer Special Ranger Led Tour

June 14, 2021 - SHILOH, Tenn. - Shiloh is pleased to announce a special ranger-led hike entitled: “Crittenden Pushes the Center” on Saturday, June 19.  Join Park Ranger Timothy Arnold on a hike which will provide a glimpse into the division’s advance, as they attempted to negotiate the tangled wilderness of the Hornets’ Nest, and drive the enemy from the Daniel Davis Wheat Field and the Hamburg-Purdy Road, where it halted as the battle drew to a close.

General Thomas L. Crittenden’s 5th Division of General Don Carlos Buell’s Army of the Ohio was the center of the Union line as it began its counterattack on April 7th, 1862. To the troops fighting their way through the center of the battlefield that morning, the severity of the previous day’s combat became readily apparent. When the Union Division commanded by General Thomas Crittenden approached the dense thicket, which the day before was dubbed, “The Hornets’ Nest”, they ran into very heavy resistance. Over several hours of fighting the Union advance ground to a halt.

The hike will take place from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm and hikers will meet at Tour Stop #2 (Confederate Monument). The distance of the hike is two-miles over moderate terrain passing through woods and crossing small streams. Participants should wear clothing and footwear appropriate for the weather. Insect repellent and water is recommended.

Pre-registration is required to participate in the hike. Please call the park visitor center at 731-689-5696 to register. For more information on this and other Shiloh events go to www.nps.gov/shil, find us on Facebook at facebook.com/ShilohNMP, and follow us on Twitter @ShilohNPS. 

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Chris Mekow

chris_mekow@nps.gov