REPORT OF THE SHILOH NATIONAL MILITARY PARK COMMISSION. WAR DEPARTMENT, SHILOH NATIONAL MILITARY PARK COMMISSION, Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., August 30, 1902. SIR: The Shiloh National Military Park Commission has the honor to submit its report for the year ending August 30, 1902. ROADS. The Purdy road has been extended 250 yards, beginning at the point where it crosses the main Corinth road and running west to the intersection of the road leading north toward the Jones field. A road has been built leading from the main Corinth road at a point a little east of the intersection of the eastern Corinth road, and running in an easterly direction with what is called the Brown's Ferry road, to its intersection with the Savannah road near General Hurlbut's headquarters. This road is 361 yards long. Another road, 1,357 yards long, has been built. It starts at the "Two Cabins" (Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston's headquarters) on the main Corinth road and runs in a northeasterly direction, passing the old Seay field and O. H. P. Cantrell's house, to its intersection with the Prentiss road just in front of the Twenty-first Missouri camp. These three roads bring up the total mileage of roads in the park to 22.98 miles. During the winter of 1901-2 very trying weather visited this section. A rain, gradually changing into slushy snow, followed by a frost, then a thaw, and this repeated four or five times in quick succession, caused the surfaces of our roads to break under the heavy hauling of ties and lumber. It was necessary to order all heavy traffic suspended; the order was given and carried out, but still the roads were so badly injured by the severe weather and traffic that one foreman, with a squad of ten to twelve laborers, was kept several weeks repairing the damages. During this period the water courses on each side of each head wall were well paved with such conglomerate rock as can be obtained on the park. We have built rock dams at intervals of about 25 feet across the deep gully along the road leading to the landing. Similar dams were thrown across the deep gullies along the main Corinth road near Duncan's, and along the Glover road. These dams have caught the débris washed down by the rains, and, as a consequence, these gullies are rapidly filling up. On March 28, 1902, we had the heaviest rain that has visited this section for years. From 7 a. m. to 4 p. m. 5.42 inches fell. Every ravine became a torrent. Shiloh Branch swelled out of its banks and reached from "hill to hill." A number of washouts occurred, but fortunately all were small. The road and bridges over Shiloh Branch held and were not damaged at all. It was only those places where very small fills had been made that were injured. There is no remedy for this, because the surface of the ground must not be marred by larger fills and deeper cuts. It may be many years before such a rainfall visits the park again. All the damage done has been repaired. The head walls have all been completed, except on the new roads built this year, and these will be put in as soon as possible. Our last report shows that 183 head walls had been constructed; now 320 are in, 137 having been constructed during the year. About 4 miles of road are yet to be built. CUTTING UNDERBRUSH, ETC. At the time of our last repart we were engaged in cutting the sprouts which had grown up where the land had been cleared of undergrowth. This work was continued until the entire area cleared up at that time had been gone over. In this way 2,500 acres were sprouted during the present year. About 350 acres have been cleared of underbrush during the year, in addition to 2,500 acres of last year's sprouts and 500 acres of the current year's sprouts. TREES. Some of the young trees planted last year to define the boundaries of the old fields died. These were replaced by others during the past year. In addition, young trees were planted in the open ground around the landing. In all, about 300 trees have been set out this year and are growing vigorously A variety of nuts and acorns were planted in some of the fields, still under fence, that have been cleared since the war. These have come up very well and have received attention during the year by cutting the weeds and hoeing the ground around them. MONUMENTS. On March 3, 1902, the monuments for the State of Ohio reached here on barges. By April 3 all were in place except the monument for the Eighty-first Ohio Regiment, which still lies at the landing, awaiting the adjustment of its location. These monuments are made of faultless granite, have been cut with great care and accuracy, and have been erected in a masterly way. The foundations for the Indiana monuments-twenty-one in allhave been put in. They are made of concrete, similar to those of Illinois and Ohio, but are larger, being 8 feet 1 inch by 8 feet 1 inch square. A few of these monuments have arrived and the contractors are now setting them up. On July 14, 1902, work was commenced on the foundation for the Iowa State monument. This foundation is large, being 34 feet square, and is now completed. The work on the foundations for the eleven Iowa regimental monuments, the Illinois State monument, and the Illinois cavalry monument is now going on. The cost of the foundations for the thirty-four Ohio regimental monuments was $390. The foundations for the twenty-one Indiana regimental monuments cost $567 in each case, 14 cents per cubic foot. The foundation for the Iowa State monument cost $1,013.83, or 171⁄2 cents per cubic foot. The regimental foundations are made of concrete, using partly Louisville and partly American Portland cement. In the Iowa State monument foundation American Portland cement only is used. MORTUARY MONUMENTS. Five mortuary monuments, of the design made by our engineer and approved by the Department, have been erected during the past year. These mark the spots where W. H. L. Wallace, Julius Raith, and Everett Peabody, commanders of the Union Army, and Albert Sidney Johnson and Adley H. Gladden, commanders of the Confederate Army, were killed, or mortally wounded. A square concrete base 18 feet 6 inches by 18 feet 6 inches supports a 30-pounder Parrott rifle, and also has a square pyramid of 8-inch shells at each corner, the guns and shells resting on subsidiary bases. A bronze tablet, molded to fit the gun at its trunnions, bears the inscription for each monument. The cost of these monuments, including the bronze tablets, was $250 each. DIVISION HEADQUARTERS MONUMENTS. There have also been erected three division headquarters monuments, one for McClernand's, one for Sherman's, and one for W. H. L. Wallace's headquarters. These have a concrete base, on top of which is a pyramid of 8-inch shells, the whole reaching to a height of about 10 feet. The cost of these was $200 each, not including the shells or tablets, which will designate what each one is. TABLETS. At the time of our last report 3 sets of historical tablets, 75 camp tablets, 87 road signs, and 199 "first day" position tablets had been received, and most of them erected. Since then all have been erected, except on spots where the United States does not yet own the land. About 150 more historical tablets for the second day are being cast. GUN CARRIAGES. At the time of our last report 26 gun carriages had been received and put in position. During the current year 124 have been received. All have been painted, and we are now placing them in position. A contract has been entered into for 77 additional carriages, which, when received, will enable us to complete the marking of artillery positions upon the field. |