Mississippi State University Scholars Junction Theses and Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2011 A Terrain And Meteorological Analysis Of The Battlefield tA Shiloh, Tennessee Charles Blakely McClendon Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td Recommended Citation McClendon, Charles Blakely, "A Terrain And Meteorological Analysis Of The Battlefield tA Shiloh, Tennessee" (2011). Theses and Dissertations. 326. https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/326 This Graduate Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Scholars Junction. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholars Junction. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Template Created By: James Nail 2010 A TERRAIN AND METEOROLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BATTLEFIELD AT SHILOH, TENNESSEE By Charles Blakely McClendon A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Mississippi State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geosciences in the Department of Geosciences Mississippi State, Mississippi December 2011 Template Created By: James Nail 2010 Copyright 2011 By Charles Blakely McClendon Template Created By: James Nail 2010 A TERRAIN AND METEOROLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BATTLEFIELD AT SHILOH, TENNESSEE By Charles Blakely McClendon Approved: _________________________________ _________________________________ Christopher Dewey Charles L. Wax Associate Professor of Geosciences Professor of Geosciences (Committee Chair) (Committee Member) _________________________________ John C. Rodgers III Associate Professor of Geosciences (Committee Member) _________________________________ _________________________________ Mike Brown Gary Myers Associate Professor of Geosciences Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences (Graduate Coordinator) Template Created By: James Nail 2010 Name: Charles Blakely McClendon Date of Degree: December 9, 2011 Institution: Mississippi State University Major Field: Geosciences Major Professor: Dr. Christopher Dewey Title of Study: A TERRAIN AND METEOROLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BATTLEFIELD AT SHILOH, TENNESSEE Pages in Study: 67 Candidate for Degree of Master of Science A terrain analysis of the Shiloh Battlefield is presented in conjunction with a meteorological assessment of the conditions prevalent during the battle. The intent of the analysis was to ascertain the effect that conditions might have played upon the strategic and tactical actions prior to, and during the Battle of Shiloh, 1862. The significance of this study was to determine the influence of meteorological and geographical factors upon the two armies. Values for temperature and precipitation were estimated using the PDSI and data from NOAA. According to the model it was a very wet year. Weather and geography clearly played a role in how and when the Battle of Shiloh was fought. Due to the high number of casualties, however, the Battle of Shiloh would change how warfare would be conducted in the United States. DEDICATION This study is dedicated to my family. They are an old fashioned Mississippi family that are not use to letting one of the kids go away for too long, and seven years on my own has really taken its toll on them. This is for my Grandfather (Pop) and my Grandmother (Granny), who have always pushed me and done everything in their power to make sure I had the means to be in college and to complete a graduate degree. This is for my Mother, for always giving her all and to my Aunt Tina and Uncle Alan that have also treated me as their son. This study is also dedicated to the faculty and staff of the Department of Geosciences at Mississippi State University, from the ladies in the office who always helped with a smile to each instructor and professor that has taught a class and been there for their students. If it were not for Dalton Miller talking me into coming over to this department in 2006, I probably would have quit college and be working in a factory right now. This department does an amazing job for its students and should be recognized and thanked for its successful accomplishments. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express extreme gratitude to Dalton Miller and Dr. Christopher Dewey. If not for these two men I would have given up on my academic pursuits long ago. The pictures of the fields, weapons, and the meeting house within this document are also courtesy of Dr. Christopher Dewey. Also thanks to Dr. Charles Wax and Dr. John Rodgers for jumping aboard and offering much needed information. A special thanks also goes to Dr. Darrel Schmitz for giving the word to move forward with this thesis and for helping me get through these last couple of years. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION .................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. vi LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... vii ORDER OF COMMAND .................................................................................................. ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1 II. HISTORICAL REVIEW ...................................................................................7 Leading to Shiloh ...............................................................................................7 The Battle Begins .............................................................................................26 The Second Day ...............................................................................................39 III. METHODS ......................................................................................................41 Background (histories and accounts) ...............................................................41 Terrain analysis (geology and soil) ..................................................................41 Meteorological modeling .................................................................................42 Map renderings (geography) ............................................................................43 IV. RESULTS ........................................................................................................44 V. SUMMARY .....................................................................................................48 VI. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................51 iv REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................54 APPENDIX A SOIL TABLE FOR HARDIN COUNTY WITH THE MCNAIRY COUNTY OVERLAP .........................................................................56 B GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS OF THE SHILOH AREA ................................62 C TIME TABLE OF THE BATTLE OF SHILOH .............................................64 v LIST OF TABLES TABLE Page 1 Soils Classes of Hardin County, TN ..................................................................41 2 Recorded Monthly Minimum Rainfall (per inch) ..............................................42 3 Recorded Monthly Normal Rainfall (per inch) ..................................................43 4 Recorded Monthly Maximum Rainfall (per inch) ..............................................43 5 Climate Data for Hardin County ........................................................................43 vi LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE Page 1 A reconstruction of the Shiloh meeting house (Taken by Dr. Christopher Dewey). ....................................................................................................1 2 The Cumberland Gap (from: www.uky.edu). ......................................................3 3 Union Troops depicted marching through the Cumberland Gap (from: www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil- war/1863/october/cumberland-gap.jpg). ..................................................4 4 Forts Henry and Donelson (McDonough, 1977). .................................................5 5 Knoxville, TN (McDonough, 1977). ....................................................................7 6 Map of Southern Railway (McDonough, 1977). ..................................................8 7 Louisville, KY (McDonough, 1977). ...................................................................9 8 Opening to Corinth (McDonough, 1977). ..........................................................10 9 Fort Henry (Davis, 2003). ..................................................................................11 10 Fort Donelson (Davis, 2003). .............................................................................12 11 Map of the Union (Blue), the Confederacy (Red), and the Border States (Light Blue) (http://awesomestories.com/assets/map-depicting- border-states-us-civil-war). ....................................................................13 12 Movements during and after the Fort Henry Campaign (Daniel, 1997). ...........17 13 Confederate March (McDonough, 1977). ..........................................................23 14 Start of battle April 6th (McDonough,1977). ......................................................26