Can anyone find me anything significant about the poem "Shiloh" by Herman Melville.?

Question

An small Analysis of each stanza would help, thanks. Or anything will be good that will get me on track of what I should say. Here is the poem:
A Requiem.

(April, 1862.)



Skimming lightly, wheeling still,
The swallows fly low
Over the field in clouded days,
The forest-field of Shiloh--
Over the field where April rain
Solaced the parched ones stretched in pain
Through the pause of night
That followed the Sunday fight
Around the church of Shiloh--
The church so lone, the log-built one,
That echoed to many a parting groan
And natural prayer
Of dying foemen mingled there--
Foemen at morn, but friends at eve--
Fame or country least their care:
(What like a bullet can undeceive!)
But now they lie low,
While over them the swallows skim,
And all is hushed at Shiloh.

Answer 1

The battle of Shilo (also called the battle of Pittsburg Landing) was fought in Tennesee during the Spring of 1862: the American Civil War. The Confederate forces tried a surprise attack that almost defeated Gen Grant, but the next day the tide shifted the other way and the battle became infamous as being the bloodiest battle in US history up to that time. It was also a wake-up call that the war was going to be far bloodier and last a lot longer than anyone had expected. Because many former friends found themselves daytime enemies, and so many had died, they stopped their fighting at night to recover the wounded and the dead. Melville, the author of Moby Dick, was 43 at the time of the battle and ended up writing over 70 poems about the war, none of which gave him any noteriety during his lifetime. Even Moby Dick was considered a failure until after his death. Knowing this background, reread the poem and you should be able to answer your own questions. The Civil War saw more American deaths than every other war the US has ever been in put together (American Revolution, War of 1812, Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, Somalia, Kosovo, Iraq, etc.), ...keep that in mind as well.

Answer 2

Significant??? You don't even know the Battle of Shiloh existed or where it was or what went on. Go read about that battle...there you will find your significance.

Answer 3

to me it sounds like their was a battle fought their between men who had at one time been friends... and then they were buried there in the church graveyard....
thats what i got from it

Answer 4

read the poem!