Rethinking Shiloh

Ulysses S. Grant once remarked that the Battle of Shiloh "has been perhaps

less understood, or, to state the case more accurately, more persistently

misunderstood, than any other engagement . . . during the entire rebellion."

In Rethinking Shiloh, Timothy B. Smith seeks to rectify these persistent

myths and misunderstandings, arguing that some of Shiloh's story is either

not fully examined or has been the result of a limited and narrow collective

memory established decades ago. Continuing the work he began in The

Untold Story of Shiloh, Smith delves even further into the story of Shiloh

and examines in detail how the battle has been treated in historiography and

public opinion.

The nine essays in this collection uncover new details about the

battle, correct some of the myths surrounding it, and reveal new avenues of

exploration. The topics range from a compelling analysis and description of

the last hours of General Albert Sidney Johnston to the effect of the New

Deal on Shiloh National Military Park and, subsequently, our understanding

of the battle. Smith's careful analyses and research bring attention to

the many relatively unexplored parts of Shiloh such as the terrain, the

actual route of Lew Wallace's march, and post-battle developments that

affect currently held perceptions of thatfamed clash between Union and

Confederate armies in West Tennessee.

Studying Shiloh should alert readers and historians to the likelihood

of misconceptions in other campaigns and wars--including today's military

conflicts. By reevaluating aspects of the Battle of Shiloh often ignored by

military historians, Smith's book makes significant steps toward a more

complete understanding and appreciation of the Shiloh campaign in all of its

ramifications.