The Battle of Shiloh Hill / The Rebel Soldier

From the 1976 National Geographic album "Songs of the Civil War." Side B Tracks 5 and 6.

To my knowledge, this album is only available on vinyl, and as of 2015 nobody has put it on Youtube yet. I present the highlights here for those of you who do not have access to this great recording. It's too good to miss.

These two songs are one right after the other on the album, so I present them here as one track. "The Battle of Shiloh Hill" is especially good.

Credits:

The Battle Of Shiloh Hill
Vocals, Guitar – Mickey Clark
Banjo – Art Rosenbaum, Tommy Thompson
Clarinet – Peter Pride
Flute – Ellen Enquist
Percussion – Clem Richardson
Timpani – Lawrence Roberts
Trumpet – Jerry Kramer, Roland Breed

The Rebel Soldier
Vocals – Tommy Thompson
Guitar – John Townley

[christopherguidry]

My Great Great Grandfather fought for the 18th Louisiana Infantry, Company A. A cajun boy without much to his name fighting in a war he really had no stakes in. God bless all their souls.

[patb]

I used to listen to this song while growing up in Germany. Now I live within an hours drive from Shiloh and have spent countless hours on the battlefield. As soon as I enter the park this song will come into my mind. Thank you for posting this!

[kyriljordanov]

I'm a Mississippi boy although my family were CzechoSlovak and Gypsies and some didn't come to the Sip until the 1930:s but I still feel myself to be a Southerner and Mississippian. I have a thick Southern accent and am a Southerner. I've tried to see if I have at least one ancestor who fought in the war but it seems they all came over here post 1895. I pray for the souls of those who fought for freedom from the federal government nonetheless. May God rest their souls.

[ole_smokey_south]

There were Tennessee Confederates in my family who fought in the battle of Shiloh, they lived but I can’t imagine what it was like living life after it and after the war as a whole.

[karhu]

In memorial...Pvt, John L Woods, 3rd Iowa infantry, wounded 4/6 died 4/8 1862 ... Grave #396 Shiloh Nat. Cemetery

[felonee]

I love this version of this song so much

[Sturminfantrist]

Thx for upload, fine song and sad story,

 they were so near to victory

Greets from Germany to the south

[reddeaddude]

May the fallen find their eternal peace.

[bajonettm]

My condolences to all fallen comrades at the Battle of Shiloh Hill on that day, 161years ago. From Austria

[Dovid]

Such a beautiful song on the woes of war.

[phantomwriter]

There is a version of this Battle of Shiloh song that was apart of an old Civil War Documentary that came with sound effects underneath it that was extremely awesome.

Sadly I still haven't found it.

[WildBillCox]

From my perspective the power of this song lies in its conveying the loneliness of the singer. A ghost lamenting the creation of an historic battlefield. Where once men walked on grass and rock, now they walk upon the remnants of the the dreams of a generation.
Forgive my presumption but allow me to suggest you also do a version with just the banjo and singer. The song needs nothing else.

[jarrodkellogg]

Kick ass. My dad has this (on vinyl, of course) along with several other National Geographic albums they did around the same time. Good show for putting it up. Thanks!

[mate]

I can't believe this recording is from the 70's

[VirginiaSowell]

Thanks for adding this. I would LOVE to have entire album in CD or MP3. I've had the vinyl since the 80s.

[AKstewart]

Thank you for sharing this. I had always loved this version. I was introduced to this song through the Divided Union documentary ages ago. It's sad that it is only available on Vinyl.

[angelawheeler]

Wow 😳 I really love this beautiful song ❤️ and I love all the beautiful music 🎶🎼 too ❤️💕..

[Ilovechocolatelabs]

only one other youtube video with this version THANK YOU

[TurtleHermitWaspInatoR]

Come all ye valiant soldiers -- a story I will tell

About the bloody battle that was fought on Shiloh Hill.

It was an awful struggle and will cause your blood to chill;

It was the famous battle that was fought on Shiloh Hill.



'Twas on the sixth of April, just at the break of day;

The drums and fifes were playing for us to march away.

The feeling of that hour I do remember still,

When first my feet were tromping on the top of Shiloh Hill.



About the hour of sunrise the battle it began;

Before the day was ended, we fought 'em hand to hand.

The horrors of that field did my heart with anguish fill

For the wounded and the dying that lay on Shiloh Hill.



There were men from every nation laid on those bloody plains,

Fathers, sons, and brothers were numbered with the slain,

That has caused so many homes with deep mourning to be filled,

All from the bloody battle that was fought on Shiloh Hill.



The wounded men were crying for help from everywhere,

While others who were dying were offering God their prayer,

"Protect my wife and children if it is Thy holy will!"

Such were the prayers I heard that night on Shiloh Hill.



And early the next morning we were called to arms again,

Unmindful of the wounded and unuseful to the slain;

The struggle was renewed again, and ten thousand men were killed;

This was the second conflict of the famous Shiloh Hill.



The battle it raged on, though dead and dying men

Lay thick all o'er the ground, on the hill and on the glen;

And from their deadly wounds, the blood ran like a rill;

Such were the mournful sights that I saw on Shiloh Hill.



Before the day was ended, the battle ceased to roar,

And thousands of brave soldiers had fell to rise no more;

They left their vacant ranks for some other ones to fill,

And now their mouldering bodies all lie on Shiloh Hill.

[AKstewart]

I love this song. Especially this version