Tennessee’s Shiloh National Military Park, a masterpiece of Civil War interpretation and preservation, will hold the 150th commemoration of its strategic battle during a series of events taking place March 29 to April 8, 2012. The state’s 2012 Sesquicentennial Signature Event, “Invasions by Rail and River: The Battle of Shiloh,” will be held April 4 to 5 at Pickwick Landing State Park in Pickwick Dam.

The Signature Event begins with the Looking Back project hosted by Tennessee State Library & Archives and also features a teacher’s workshop, “Illuminating the Battle,” hosted by Middle Tennessee State University’s Center for Historic Preservation. There will be a red carpet film premiere of a documentary, “The Story of Shiloh: Fiery Trial,” on April 4.

The official opening ceremony will take place on April 5 and will feature a forum with historians on the battle of Shiloh, living history demonstrations, a special Sesquicentennial Civil War exhibit offering artifacts from the Battle of Shiloh and a musical performance by The 52nd Regimental String Band. The event will kick off with the firing of an official Shiloh cannon at Pickwick Landing State Park. The Shiloh National Military Park will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh with a "Grand Illumination" on the evening of April 7. Luminaries will be placed around the battlefield representing the 23,746 killed, wounded or missing at Shiloh.