Mortuary Monuments at Shiloh

Ole Miss

Major
Forum Host
Silver Patron
Regtl. Staff Shiloh 2020
Asst. Regtl. QM Stones River / Franklin 2022
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Location
North Mississippi
Shiloh National Military Park has Mortuary Monuments located on the grounds honoring the 5 general officers who were mortally wounded and killed during the battle on April 6th and 7th​, 1862. I know Antietam National Military Park has Mortuary Cannons but I believe Shiloh is the only Park with mortuary monuments to deceased general officers.

I have copied the Annual Report to the Secretary of War sent by Cornelius Cadle, the Chairman of the Shiloh National Military Park Commission which describes each monument.

I am going to post my personal photos of each mortuary monument but would certainly welcome other members photos as well.
Regards
David


“MORTUARY MONUMENTS.

Five mortuary monuments, of the design made by our engineer (Atwell Thompson) and approved by the Department, have been erected during the past year.

These mark the spots where W. H. L. Wallace, Julius Raith, and Everett Peabody, commanders of the Union Army, and Albert Sidney Johnson and Adley H. Gladden, commanders of the Confederate Army, were killed, or mortally wounded. A square concrete base 18 feet 6 inches by 18 feet 6 inches supports a 30-pounder Parrott rifle, and also has a square pyramid of 8-inch shells at each corner, the guns and shells resting on subsidiary bases. A bronze tablet, molded to fit the gun at its trunnions, bears the inscription for each monument. The cost of these monuments, including the bronze tablets, was $250 each.”*


*Annual report of the Secretary of War, August 30, 1902
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b2980431&view=1up&seq=29&size=125
Page 23
 
Brigadier General Adley Hogan Gladden, was seriously wounded by shrapnel which caused his left arm to be amputated. His command, the 1st​ Brigade of the 2nd​ Division of the 2nd​ Corps, was furiously engaged with segments of Prentiss’ and Wallace’s Divisions on the South part of the battlefield early on Sunday morning. His Mortuary Monument is located where he was wounded, ironically about a ¼ mile from Peabody’s Monument. Gladden was moved to Corinth, MS where he died of gangrene on April 12, 1862
Regards
David

1604612371931.png


A close up of the bronze tablet on the 30 pounder Parrot
1604612570115.png
 
I believe the more views we share the better it is for others not fortunate to have visited Shiloh
If y’all will let me know when you are next coming I will show the 3 other mortuary monuments as well as Park jewels.
Regards
David
 
DSC06130.JPG


Despite having made several visits over the years, Johnston's is the only one I ever photographed, either because they're all so alike, or possibly because his has always been the only one that was an official NPS Tour Stop. Gladden's is in an especially out-of-the-way location, and although I've seen it, it's only been once or twice.
 
General Albert Sidney Johnston was mortally wounded at about 2 pm just East of Sarah Bell’s Peach Orchard. He had been leading Confederate troops from just behind the front line of troops when he was struck just behind his right knee which partially severed his poplitel artery. His volunteer aide, Tennessee Governor Isham G. Harris discovered him reeling in the saddle and lead him into a small ravine where Johnston died from the loss of blood.
Regards
David



A close up of the brass plaque

1604699439785.png


This is the sign at the bottom of the ravine where Johnston expired.

1604699987245.png


1604699276269.png
 
Colonel Everett Peabody is remembered by some historians as the man who saved the Union army at Shiloh. Peabody despite orders from General Benjamin Prentiss, commander of the 6th​ Division, to not bring on battle ordered a heavy reconnaissance party to scout the area of a suspected Confederate attack. After contact was made with the enemy, he ordered his 1st​ Brigade into line of battle. He received 5 wounds with the last one being fatal.
Regards
David

Peabody's Monument is near the Southern boundary of the Park. You will notice the Star on the monument as he died where his headquarters/camp was located and the only mortuary
monument with one.

1604711372736.png


The brass plaque

1604711648679.png


Close up of the Headquarters Star

1604711802652.png
 
Great Info. I didn't know there were 5 of them. I have only seen 3 so I guess I'll have to find the other 2 when I go up this winter to hunt the hospital site at Michie.
 
Colonel Julius Raith while leading the 3rd​ Brigade of Major General John McLernand’s 1st​ Division was mortally wounded on Sunday, April 6. After being wounded in the leg, he lay on the field overnight till the Federals recovered the ground on Monday, April 7. He was
transported to the steamer Hannibal but died on April 11 from complications after his leg was amputated.

Raith has been become the forgotten man of Shiloh, as little is known about him by most Park visitors, and his monument is little noticed though it is located at the “Crossroads” of the battlefield on the Union right flank where some of the heaviest fighting occurred on both days of the battle.
Regards
David

1604764403906.png


The brass plaque

1604764522637.png
 
As we have seen, two of the men honored with these monuments were not general officers; Peabody and Raith. The monuments were for those men commanding brigades or higher who died in the battle.

Here is a look at the Wallace monument as it was originally constructed.

card00318_fr.jpg
 
Tom you are correct and I apprecite the photo of the original Wallace monumnet. When was the walk up removed and why?
Regards
David
 
1604768833953.png

Great Info. I didn't know there were 5 of them. I have only seen 3 so I guess I'll have to find the other 2 when I go up this winter to hunt the hospital site at Michie.
As I indicated, Gladden's is probably one you haven't seen due to its location. It's really not in an obscure place and is very close to what was once the south entrance to the park before the creation of Tenn. 22 as the main N-S route. On the ABT map above, it's in the vicinity of the yellow rectangle which was then immediately outside the original park boundary. What's labeled as the Bark Road connected directly into the park through a stone gate (which is still there) and Gladden's monument is just a little north of it. I don't know how many times we passed Col. Raith's which is right at the Crossroads intersection but paid it little attention because of the nearby Water Oaks Pond, Confederate Burial Trenches, and Tennessee and Illinois Monuments:

DSC07328.JPG
 
Back
Top