Story Behind The Song

April, 1862. In Tenessee was a great battle. The bloodiest of the Civil War up til then. The Union claimed victory by virtue of attrition(Union dead, 12,000 - Confederate dead, 13,000)...Fought at Pittsburg Landing(The Northern name for the battle). The South called it Shiloh after the nearby church.

Lyrics

it aint a question of right or wrong
both side are singin' the same 'ol song
glory and friendship drew us here
vanquished all our fears

grays tried to push us toward Owl's Creek
but 'ol Ullyses was not that meek
'stead of fighten he just laid low
waitin' on The Ohio

the baby waker's did shake
the ground beneath us did quake
and fellow friends they were laid so low
those April days in Shiloh

Pittsburg Landing would be the test
the south had stung us like a Hornet's nest
backed up and waitin' for the battle cry
calling my boys but none replied

no one could figure who'd lost or won
both North & South had damage done
some think that victory is worth the cost
of every mothers loss

the baby waker's did shake
the ground beneath us did quake
and fellow friends they were laid so low
those April days in Shiloh

more than 10,000 butternuts lie where i stand
still we kept fightin' under Grants command

the baby waker's did shake
the ground beneath us did quake
and fellow friends they were laid so low
those April days so long ago
in Shiloh