Shiloh

Shiloh National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Use a “short-hand” version of the site name here (e.g. Palo Alto Battlefield not Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Site) set in 29/29 B Frutiger bold. Shiloh National Military Park Tennessee-Mississippi Memorial Day at Shiloh This is a main head, labeled “Head-A” in the styles menu Introductory text is labeled “Introduction-text” in the styles menu. It is set in 11/15 NPS Rawlinson as a single column that measures six inches wide and begins .08 inches below the bottom of the image. Italics and bolds are set in NPS Rawlinson, italicized and NPS Rawlinson Two, bolded. Three-point (3 pt) horizontal rules are used to separate text sections and are eight inches wide. The distance from the rule to the next text block is .08 inches. The distance from the preceding paragraph to the Main Head set in 11/13 Frutiger 45 Light, bolded A gathering of Shiloh veterans on Memorial Day History Repeats Itself History repeats itself… What goes around comes around… The more things change, the more they stay the same… Continuity These pedantic phrases are often used flippantly, but they carry a great deal of truth to them. They particularly seem relevant when describing the Memorial Day activities at Shiloh National Cemetery. Through the decades of memorialization and remembrance at Shiloh National Military Park, people have changed, sites have been altered, and the calendar has advanced. Yet, in all the change, the Memorial Day services at Shiloh have remained amazingly constant. The Memorial Day service is one of the long-standing traditions at Shiloh National Cemetery. Since before the park was established in 1894, locals and veterans have met each year at the cemetery to remember and memorialize. Although different in makeup, each service through the years has included the basics of well-known speakers, patriotic songs, and nationalistic poetry. The 1914 Memorial Day services ended with a moving rendition of “Home Sweet Home.” as today, have often been spotlighted for their services. On Memorial Day in 1907, sixty-five aged members of the 21st Missouri returned to the battlefield and were honored guests. And just as today, orators ranging from governors to judges to former generals have spoken eloquently about the need to remember the sacrifice of our nation’s war dead. Another of the marks of continuity in the Shiloh services is the emphasis on people. Event organizers as far back as the 1890s tried to use people to provide an interesting, informative, and moving service. Local church choirs have almost annually sung at the event. Veterans, just Honor Guard representing America’s wars Main Head This is sample text type, labeled “Text” in the styles menu. Text type is 9/12 NPS Rawlinson. Text type runs in two columns, with .17 inches between columns. Text paragraphs are separated by a skipped line which is automatically inserted at the end of each paragraph with a hard return. This is an example of a “Head-B” Sub heads are set in 9/12 NPS Rawlinson Two, bolded and are labeled “Head-B” in the document’s styles menu. There is no line space after a sub head. Italics and bolds must be set manually as NPS Rawlinson, italicized and Shiloh National Cemetery Decoration A similar tradition is the decoration of the graves. As far as records show, which date back to the 1890s, American flags have been placed on each grave in the cemetery. Although responsibility for the placement of flags has changed through the years from veterans’ groups to political organizations to today’s National Park Service, the simple gesture of individually recognizing each serviceman’s sacrifice still remains. Similarly, the United States flag has traditionally flown at half-staff on Memorial Day from sunrise until noon. There is even a custom, dating back as far as the park’s establishment, of decorating the Confederate mass graves in the park. Rain, Rain Go Away Despite the continuity, one particular tradition has hopefully changed. In the first years of the park, rain dampened (literally) the festivities on Memorial Day. Almost each year, the park’s daily event ledger book records the similar words “rain occurred,” “the usual 30th of May rain fell,” or “the 30th of May brought the customary rain.” The crowds of course were smaller during rainy days, but sunny holidays would easily attract fivethousand people, with estimates of as many as twelve-thousand in 1906. Continue to Remember Times have changed, participants have been replaced, and the United States has many more war-dead to remember, but the basic idea of remembrance at Shiloh has remained the same, and the way it has been accomplished at Shiloh has remained amazingly constant through the years. May we always continue to hold this day and the sacrifice it memorializes dear to our hearts. EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA