Q: Are dogs allowed in the park?
A: Yes, as long as they are kept on a leash. The only exceptions are inside buildings and inside the national cemetery.
Q: Are bicycles, golf carts, or horses allowed?
A: Bicycles are allowed on paved surfaces in the park. Horses, golf carts, and four wheelers are not allowed.
Q: I thought Tennessee was a Confederate state. Why is Ulysses S. Grant's army named the Army of the Tennessee?
A: Union forces name their armies after rivers, usually after the river system on which the army is operating. Thus, the Union forces have armies named the Army of the Ohio, Army of the Tennessee, Army of the Cumberland, and Army of the Potomac.
Q: Are there camping facilities on the park?
A: No, there is no camping. There are several local campgrounds around, however. Ask for information at the visitor center desk or call ahead for more information.
Q: Where can I get information on Boy Scout hiking at Shiloh?
A: The park does not handle the Boy Scout hiking program. A scout group out of Memphis, Tennessee, does so. Their website is www.shilohmilitarytrails.org.
Q: Are there any restaurants on the park?
A: No, but we do have vending machines. There are a few local restaurants nearby. Ask for information at the visitor center desk or call ahead for more information.
Q: Is there a bookstore/souvenir shop at the park?
A: Yes, both the Shiloh and Corinth centers have well stocked bookstores, mainly focused on the western theater of the Civil War.
Q: Can veterans still be buried in the national cemetery?
A: The cemetery was closed more than two decades ago. We still have a couple of burials a year, mainly widows whose husbands have already passed away and thus already have the plot reserved.
Q: Where are the nearest hotels?
A: Savannah, Tennessee, is closest to Shiloh Battlefield, while Corinth, Mississippi, has a number of hotels, as does Pickwick, Tennessee. Ask for information at the visitor center desk or call ahead for more information.
Q: Does the battlefield look like it did in 1862?
A: The battlefield landscape appears much as it did in April 1862, in terms of location of roads, fields, and wood lines. One significant difference is there is far more undergrowth associated with the park forest today, on account of the forest at the time of the batte being at an advanced age (old growth), and that area farmers permitted their livestock to range freely (open range) within the forested areas, which greatly reduced the amount of understory vegetation.
Q: Are the cannons authentic?
A: All but 2 of the 229 pieces of artillery in the park are original Civil War pieces.
Q: Is the park handicap assessable?
A: Yes, we meet ADA standards.
Q: Can I get a fifth-wheel/camper around the tour route?
A: Yes. .
Q: How can I find if my ancestor fought in the Civil War?
A: You can look up names on the Civil War Soldier and Sailor System at https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm.
Q: Do you have a list of the soldiers that fought at Shiloh or were wounded there?
A: No. More that 110,000 soldiers fought at Shiloh and 23,746 of them became casualties. You will need to look at a soldier's Compiled Service Record to find information on a specific soldier. We do not have those records. Contact the National Archives at www.archives.gov.
Q: How can I find out if my ancestor was buried at Shiloh?
A: All but two of the Confederate dead are unknown while two thirds of the Federal dead are unknown. Thus we only know the identities of about a third of the Federals who are buried in the national cemetery. You can look these names up on our cemetery system at www.shilohbattlefield.org/cemetery/choice.asp.
