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The 43rd​ Illinois was in McClernand’s 1st​ Corps, Raith’s Brigade of the Army of the Tennessee. They were engaged for an hour from 8:30 am to 9:30 am fighting against Cleburne’s Brigade about ½ mile from Rhea’s Field and near the Shiloh Methodist Church. The regiment’s Burial Trench (#BG08 located at C08) contained 35 bodies till they were removed to the National Cemetery in 1866.

43rd​ Illinois
Present for Duty500
KIA 50, WIA 118, MIA 29Total Casualties 197
Percentage of Loss39%

The Confederate Burial Trench (#24 located at C08) is about 12’ x 30’ and is far off the beaten path. The men buried there are likely from Cleburne’s division which swept up North towards the Shiloh Church.
Regards
David

43rd Illinois Burial Trench
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Confederate Burial Trench #24

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The Confederate Burial Trench (#24 located at C08) is about 12’ x 30’ and is far off the beaten path. The men buried there are likely from Cleburne’s division which swept up North towards the Shiloh Church.
Any record of the number or estimated number of Confederates buried there?
 
BD I do not have an idea of the number buried but I know the Federal soldiers were desparetly disposing of the dead as quickly as possible. I can only imagine it would have been done quickly with little consideration for the Rebels. Below is a quote from a soldier who participated in burying the enemy.

"On our immediate front, at least, the rebels were generally buried first, the Union dead being left longer, in order to afford surviving friends the opportunities to recognize them. A hundred yards from Company B's (6th Ohio) place of bivouac the burial party dug a trench about 50 feet long, six feet wide, and three or four feet deep toward which they continued bringing rebel dead nearly all the afternoon. I saw more than twenty bodies lying on the edge of the trench at one time... The bodies were laid, side by side, upon their backs, in the bottom of the trench and the earth being shoveled in on top of them a little heap of yellow clay was all that remained to mark the nameless sepulcher of our countries enemies."^

Hopefully this will give you an idea of the number of remains in this burial trench.
Regards
David

Here are additional pictures of this Confederate Burial Trench that might be of assistance

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Here is another description of burying Confederates that may be of assistance
Regards
David

"Tues (April 8) I was detailed with others to bury dead within our camp & a distance of 200 yd in advance. I was in charge of digging the grave 60 ft long x 4 ft wide. Soldiers gathered up bodies, placed them in wagons hauled them to the trench and piled them up like cord wood. All the monument reared to these brave men was a board nailed to a tree at the head of the trench upon which I cut with my pocket knife 125 rebels."
 
Here is another description of burying Confederates that may be of assistance
Regards
David

"Tues (April 8) I was detailed with others to bury dead within our camp & a distance of 200 yd in advance. I was in charge of digging the grave 60 ft long x 4 ft wide. Soldiers gathered up bodies, placed them in wagons hauled them to the trench and piled them up like cord wood. All the monument reared to these brave men was a board nailed to a tree at the head of the trench upon which I cut with my pocket knife 125 rebels."
That's way more than I would figure would fit in a trench that size.
 
BD the burial trench in the photo is about 30’ x 12’. If it was 4’ deep they could have laid 3 layers and have 1’ of soil covering.
If the dead were crammed 1’ apart then we are maybe looking at 30 bodies wide and 3 bodies deep. 90 men? Then add another 90 men as the grave was about 12’ wide
180 men? I don’t know if that is an accurate number or not but should be close
Perhaps @TomP, a Shiloh Ranger would have a better estimate
Regards
David
 
BD the burial trench in the photo is about 30’ x 12’. If it was 4’ deep they could have laid 3 layers and have 1’ of soil covering.
If the dead were crammed 1’ apart then we are maybe looking at 30 bodies wide and 3 bodies deep. 90 men? Then add another 90 men as the grave was about 12’ wide
180 men? I don’t know if that is an accurate number or not but should be close
Perhaps @TomP, a Shiloh Ranger would have a better estimate
Regards
David
I was going by the "60 ft long x 4 ft wide." and "125 rebels." statement in the soldier's account.
 
I was not clear on that post and I apologize.
Bobby remember that there at least 5 or more Confederate Burial Trenches that are not ID on Park property. The CBT (#24)mentioned with 125 bodies is not the same as it was 60’ wide as this one is about 30’
I am not an expert but merely a interested party and all my opinions are just that. I run across many quotes during my readings and always wished I had an opportunity to speak with them
Regards
David
 
I was not clear on that post and I apologize.
Bobby remember that there at least 5 or more Confederate Burial Trenches that are not ID on Park property. The CBT (#24)mentioned with 125 bodies is not the same as it was 60’ wide as this one is about 30’
I am not an expert but merely a interested party and all my opinions are just that. I run across many quotes during my readings and always wished I had an opportunity to speak with them
Regards
David
I know David. Perhaps I shoulda made it clear what I was talking about. :D
 
Bobby the quote regarding the "125 rebels" came from a veteran of the 45th Illinois who placed their dead a burial trench next to the largest known Confederate Burial Trench.
Regards
David

PS Y'all need to come back so we can show the Park off to all!

On Tuesday I was detailed with others two hundred yards in advance. I had charge of- digging the grave, if a trench over sixty feet long and four feet deep, can be called a grave. The weather was hot, and most of the dead had been killed early Sunday morning, and dissolution had already commenced. The soldiers gathered up the bodies and placed them in wagons, hauling them near to the trench, and piling them up like cord wood. We were furnished with plenty of whiskey, and the boys believed it would have been impossible to have performed the job without it. When the grave was ready, we placed the bodies therein, two- deep; the father, brother, husband and lover, all to lie till Gabriel’s trumpet shall sound. All the monument reared to those brave men was a board, nailed to a tree at the head of the trench, upon which I cut with my pocket knife, the words: ‘125 rebels.’ We buried our Union boys in a separate trench, and on another board were these words: ’35 Union.’ ” Wilbur F. Crummer 45th​ Illinois

Eyewitnesses at the Battle of Shiloh by David Logsdon

Page 101
 
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