Shiloh National Military Park must be preserved for future generations

Tennessee was a geographically important location in the Civil War. As we remember those who gave their lives on the hallowed fields of Shiloh, we work to preserve the places where they fought and died.
 On Feb. 11, I will be testifying in support of the Shiloh National Military Park Boundary Adjustment Act for the 114th Congress. This legislation would incorporate some of the pivotal areas of the Battle of Shiloh that lack adequate preservation; including the battlefields at Fallen Timbers, Russell House, and Davis Bridge into the Shiloh National Military Park so that they may be preserved for future generations of Americans to experience.
 In early April of 1862, over 23,000 Americans gave their lives during the course of two days at the Battle of Shiloh - a pivotal battle that would have lasting effects on the course of the war, on Tennessee, and the nation as a whole. At the time, it was the bloodiest battle our country had ever seen, but it was only a sign of things to come for a nation that was struggling with itself.
At the end of two days of gruesome back and forth fighting, General Grant’s Union Army was victorious and Confederate forces withdrew towards Corinth, Miss. This defeat had a cascading effect that eventually led to the fall of Vicksburg in July 1863, permanently dividing the Confederacy and crippling the southern war effort.
In 2013, over 536,000 tourists traveled to Hardin Country to visit the Shiloh National Military Park. People travel from not only the United States, but also the World, to see where the Battle of Shiloh took place and walk in the footsteps of these troops. The Shiloh Battlefield does not leave them disappointed as it provides Ranger-led tours through the sites most historic areas and live demonstrations offer a glimpse into the hardships and courage of soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

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