Experiencing America > Road Trip Year...2003 > Deep-South & The Mountains > Day 2
Day TWO...
Monday, June 23rd, 2003
For our first day on vacation we thought we would see the sites of Nashville and Middle-Tennessee. Some places of interest we though we would see was the Saturn Car Factory...they were not making cars that week... Possibly Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, The Hermitage: Home of President Andrew Jackson, and The Parthenon, all of which are closed on Monday's.
A light rush-hour on Interstate 24/40 near Nashville.
One that is open, are the Civil War Battle Sites provided by the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. First on the list...the Fort Donelson National Battlefield, near Dover, Tennessee.
Guide marker on WB U.S. Rt. 79.
The sign out from of the main site.
This site is at the Battle of Fort Donelson which took place in Mid-February, 1862. The fort was a Confederate one. This was a Union victory. It gave the Union control of the Cumberland River and the Tennessee River splitting the Confederate forces in half.
Tour Stop #1...The Confederate Monument.
Tour Stop 1
The monument.
The plaque in front of the monument.
A lizard near the monument.
Tour Stop#2...Fort Donelson.
Tour Stop 2
The trail entering the fort.
A cannon in the fort.
A plaque in the fort.
Tour Stop #3...Log Huts.
Tour Stop 3
A plaque explaining this stop.
These were the winter quarters for the troops. Almost 400 of these log huts use to stand.
The inside of the hut.
A trench in the fort near the huts.
Tour Stop #5...River Batteries
Tour Stop 4
The plaque explainging the river battery.
This is a look at one of the first postions of the Confederate forces.
These are 32 Pounder Guns and 10 inch Columbiads.
The plaques explaining the guns in the picture above.
Lookin out over the trenches at the waterfront.
A jail at the waterfront.
Tour Stop #5...Buckner's Final Defense.
Tour Stop 5
A plaque explaining the events at the field below.
The field where Buckner's Final Defense happened.
Tour Stop #6...Jackson's Battery.
Tour Stop 6
A plaque about Jackson's Battery.
A cannon at the stop.
Tour Stop #7...Smith's Attack.
Tour Stop 7
This stop contained a plaques explaining how the Union's Gen Smith "took Fort Donelson".
The above tour stops are all located in the main part of the battlefield. Tour stops eight and nine are in a leg of the battlefield. Stop number 10, Dover Hotel, is located in Dover along the Cumberland River and Lake Barkley. This is where the Union set up a hospital after the generals from both sides met here to set up the terms of the surrender. The last stop of the Fort Donelson is the National Cemetery.
Tour Stop #11...Fort Donelson National Cemetery.
Tour Stop 11
A guild marker near the cemetery.
The trail leading to the site.
The main gate at the parking lot.
This use to be the home of the grounds keeps.
A plaque about the lodge.
Inside a small building this marker explained the head stones found in the cemetery.
A early marker for unknown soliders.
A marker for known and unknown soilders around the turn of the century.
The current headstone that is used.
A look at the cemetery.
Now it was time to head back to Nashville and figure out what the afternoon would bring. Once back at the hotel we decided to take one more trip back into history. That took us to Murphysboro, Tennessee. That is located down Interstate 24 about a half hour. Being our hotel was located Interstate 40 we headed west down I-40 to Tennessee State Route 840. That led us directly into Murphysboro. The Civil War site in this town in Stones River. Another National Park Service, United States Department of Interior site.
A plaque on a stone marker at the entrance.
The main sign out front.
The Battle of Stones River was another Union victory. It took place December 30th, 1892 to January 2nd, 1863. The main prize here was control over the Nashvile Turnpike (Nashville Pike) and the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad (now CSX). Even though out numbered near the end, and having more casualties, the Union never lost control of the pike or railway.
Tour Stop #1...Eve of Battle.
Tour Stop 1
Marker leading the way.
Looking at the field where the Union set-up the lines the night before the battle.
A plaque explaining about Parson's Battery.
Looking back onto the field from the other side as the picture above.
Tour Stop #2...The Slaughter Pen.
Tour Stop 2
A plaque erected by the State of Michigan for their solider that fought here.
A plaque explaining the events of December 31st, 1862.
Some abandon cannons in the woods.
A sign indicating your at the Slaughter Pen.
Attack after attack failed at this point, but the Union eventually had to give way and realign at the pike.
Tour Stop #3...The Cotton Field.
Tour Stop 3
A plaque explaining the Cotton Field.
The Union established a line along the railroad tracks across the field. The Confederate Troops held at the edge of the woods. Anything in between was shot.
Tour Stop #4...Defense of the Nashville Pike.
Tour Stop 4
A plaque for the Chicago Battery.
A cannon at the site. This was a stand to deffend the pike.
Tour Stop #5...Fight for the Round Forest.
Tour Stop 5
A plaque about Hazen's Artillery.
A cannon on the site.
The plaque at the trail leading to the Hazen Monument. This is the oldest Civil War Monument.
Looking up at the monument.
Grave markers inside the monument.
The main monument in the center of the stone wall area. Each side has writings on it. Over time it has been weathered off. That is what is on the plaques in front off each side.
These head markers are located outside the monument.
After the battle site was seen we drove around Murphysboro to see what the town had to offer. This town has a college and is the county seat of Rutherford County.
The Rutherford County Courthouse in Murphysboro.
No it was back to the hotel in Nashville for some rest before dinner. We were heading back into Nashville on Interstate 24 right at the afternoon rush hour.
A billboard for "The Big 98 WSIX". WSIX-FM, Nashville.
We decided to take in some fine dinning at the Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown Nashville.
WKDF in Nashville.
Day THREE...