Recommendations on Shiloh and Franklin Battlefield Tours

Shane Cavitt

Private
Joined
Jul 21, 2016
Location
Grand Prairie, TX
Like the title says, I am looking for recommendations on tours for Shiloh and Franklin. Who would you recommend as a guide for a basic overview tour? Thing is I am looking at going prior to the end of the year (2016). With that in mind, it seems like the NPS at Shiloh does not offer any ranger tours during this time of year. So who can I turn to? Are Timothy Smith or Stacey Allen available for tours this time of year? If so, how does one go about contacting them to set something up?

While in the general area I would like to try and see Franklin as well. I know I can book a battlefield tour through the Battle of Franklin Trust. I would definitely do the Carter house and Carnton tours, but was wondering if I should do the additional battlefield tour as well. The site doesn't list who leads that particular tour. Does Eric Jacobson do that tour? Any other tour through someone else other than the Trust I should consider?

Any help and assistance pointing me in the right direction is greatly appreciated!
 
Franklin is definitely more than just Carnton
and the
Carter House. I would actually encourage you to start at Spring Hill and visit Rippavilla, then on to Winstead Hill. There you can get an idea of what Hood saw that day. Franklin itself is more than just the two houses..in fact, you can get the Lutz house on a threefer deal. And Fort Granger is a great place to get your bearings.
 
Like the title says, I am looking for recommendations on tours for Shiloh and Franklin. Who would you recommend as a guide for a basic overview tour? Thing is I am looking at going prior to the end of the year (2016). With that in mind, it seems like the NPS at Shiloh does not offer any ranger tours during this time of year. So who can I turn to? Are Timothy Smith or Stacey Allen available for tours this time of year? If so, how does one go about contacting them to set something up?

While in the general area I would like to try and see Franklin as well. I know I can book a battlefield tour through the Battle of Franklin Trust. I would definitely do the Carter house and Carnton tours, but was wondering if I should do the additional battlefield tour as well. The site doesn't list who leads that particular tour. Does Eric Jacobson do that tour? Any other tour through someone else other than the Trust I should consider?

Any help and assistance pointing me in the right direction is greatly appreciated!

Tim Smith actually just did a walking tour for our Shiloh group at Fort Donelson last month, which is a yearly thing, although this year was a tad different seeing as it was not at Shiloh, but still a blast I'm sure, nevertheless. Stacey Allen is at the Visitor Center at Shiloh quite often, not aware if he does any special tours these days, though.

Eric Jacobson is usually always at Carnton Plantation most days, I know he might lead a tour there once in a while, any other tours that are outside of Carnton are normally announced in advance for people. Thomas Cartwright I know is involved now with the Lotz House and does tours of Franklin in advance. Him & Jacobson I believe are the two go-to historians for Franklin.
 
I took a personal tour last year of the Battle of Franklin sites with Thomas Cartwright and Jamie Gillum. I was very impressed with both men's knowledge of this brutal conflict. Contact J.R. at the Lotz House and inquire about a personal tour.

Bill
 
Hi Shane,

I'm guessing you've already made your trip. If so, I hope you enjoyed it. Otherwise, contact me at Carter House or Carnton (you can find me at one or the other) and I'll do my best to show you around or get you with one of about 3-4 different guides who know the Franklin battlefield like the back of their hand.
 
Neither Timothy Smith nor Stacy Allen perform individual tours of Shiloh. If you contact the Shiloh or Corinth visitor centers they can provide you with a list of names of individuals who can be privately contracted for tours.
Shiloh 731-689-5696
Corinth 662-287-9273
 
Thanks to everyone for the valued input. My original trip was postponed, but I hope to be able to reschedule very soon. All the information and suggestions will definitely help when I am able to make the trip.
 
I would reiterate Major Bill's comments in Post 6. For Franklin, Thomas and Jamie know more about the battle than anyone around. Thomas can quote the soldiers' words as though you are hearing it first hand. You will not be disappointed.
 
I am finally going to be at Franklin later this week. This time I will be accompanied by my youngest son (11 y/o). We plan on doing the Battlefield tour and visiting Carter House and Carnton. The tour starts at 11:00. My question is: Will we have enough time to do the Carter house tour prior to the Battlefield tour or should we wait to do the house tours after the battlefield tour?
 
I am finally going to be at Franklin later this week. This time I will be accompanied by my youngest son (11 y/o). We plan on doing the Battlefield tour and visiting Carter House and Carnton. The tour starts at 11:00. My question is: Will we have enough time to do the Carter house tour prior to the Battlefield tour or should we wait to do the house tours after the battlefield tour?
If the plan is to do the Carter House,Lotz House,Carnton Plantation,McGavock Confederate Cemetery and Battlefield Tour I would start at 9am doing whatever you can before 11am. I was there a little under 2 weeks ago and that is a full day itinerary .
 
I would reiterate Major Bill's comments in Post 6. For Franklin, Thomas and Jamie know more about the battle than anyone around. Thomas can quote the soldiers' words as though you are hearing it first hand. You will not be disappointed.

Actually, there are people right in Franklin this very day who know just as much, if not more.
 
Actually, there are people right in Franklin this very day who know just as much, if not more.
The young man who was our Franklin field guide on the HTBAR tour on June 8th was very good.
 
The young man who was our Franklin field guide on the HTBAR tour on June 8th was very good.

That was Brad Kinnison. This stuff about the old crowd being the "best" is rather tiresome. Btw the old crowd includes me. It is like people saying no one could ever be as good as Led Zeppelin. Nonsense. Times change - new bands come along and so do new tour guides who offer fresh insight, fresh perspective, and new energy. If you like the old stuff that's cool. But don't marginalize the new guys, especially when you've never heard them or listened to them.

With Brad, I think you got to see firsthand exactly what I am talking about.
 
That was Brad Kinnison. This stuff about the old crowd being the "best" is rather tiresome. Btw the old crowd includes me. It is like people saying no one could ever be as good as Led Zeppelin. Nonsense. Times change - new bands come along and so do new tour guides who offer fresh insight, fresh perspective, and new energy. If you like the old stuff that's cool. But don't marginalize the new guys, especially when you've never heard them or listened to them.

With Brad, I think you got to see firsthand exactly what I am talking about.
Thanks. I was trying to remember his name. Winstead Hill et.al., with him guiding, was quite a treat for this 58 year old guy. Tell him a HTBAR member said so next time you see him. In all the excitement,I'm not sure that I did that personally.
 
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