U.S. Colored Troops are believed to have formed here before their assault on Peach Orchard Hill on Dec. 16, 1864, the second and final day of the Battle of Nashville. This sliver of land, near six-lane Interstate-65, is in a residential neighborhood. (CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.) |
Near downtown Nashville, Union General John Schofield's "jump-off" point looks much different than it did in 1864. |
Now in a residential neighborhood, remains of Confederate Redoubt No. 1 are preserved by the Battle of Nashville Preservation Society. |
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Attorney Jim Kay, president of the Battle of Nashville Trust, shows artifacts from the battle discovered on his property in the Oak Hill suburb of Nashville. |
Over the past several months, I explored many of the mostly forgotten sites on the massive battlefield. Here is what I found.
RESOURCES: Battle of Nashville Trust | Maps | American Battlefield Trust
Near Redoubt No. 1, a historical sign notes the site of Confederate trenches. |
“We have had sermons about how a battlefield was turned into a church,” says Dave Nichols. archivist of United Methodist Church, standing by remains of Redoubt No. 3. “This is a place where people were killed that has been turned into a place of peace.” (READ MORE.) |
The remains of a war-time wall along busy Hillsboro Pike. Near here Iowan Sylvester Hill, the 44-year-old colonel of the Union's III Brigade, was killed during the attack at Redoubt No. 3. |
Gary Burke, descendant of Peter Bailey of the U.S. Colored Troops, stands at Granbury's Lunette in industrial South Nashville. This was the extreme right of the Confederate line on the first day of the battle. Bailey fought here and at Peach Orchard Hill on the second day. (READ MORE.) |
This stone wall on busy Granny White Pike dates to the battle. Confederate Brigadier General Henry Jackson was captured along the wall on Dec. 16, 1864. The historical sign is in a residential area. |
On busy Franklin Road near downtown Nashville, few stop to read this Battle of Nashville historical sign. |
A battlefield "witness" tree frames the Battle of Nashville Peace Monument, dedicated in 1999. The original monument, located off Franklin Road, was toppled in a storm in 1974. Fighting occurred here on the old Noel farm on the first day of the battle. The monument is just off Granny White Pike. |
A stone wall snakes through the Oak Hill residential neighborhood near Nashville. On the second day of the battle, the Army of Tennessee fought from behind it. (READ MORE.) |
The only monument on Shy's Hill honors soldiers from Minnesota who fought here. |
The steep slope of Shy's Hill. The site is located in a residential neighborhood. |
A deer dashes across the crest of Shy's Hill, defended by Confederates on Dec. 16, 1864. |
Fierce, often hand-to-hand, fighting broke out on Dec. 16, 1864, during the Army of Tennessee's retreat from Nashville. The "Battle of the Barricade" occurred on or near the present-day site of Richland Country Club, off Granny White Pike. Here, Battle of Nashville Trust president Jim Kay stands near a replica cannon on the course. (READ MORE.) |
Glen Leven, a plantation house four miles from downtown, served as a hospital for Union wounded. |
Enjoyed it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteenjoyed it thanks.
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Great photos of what little is left
ReplyDeletethanks for this wonderful information. it makes me sad that so much development has taken place at these sites.
ReplyDeleteThanks
ReplyDeleteThanks Plan to visit once this virus ends
ReplyDeleteFantastic John!!
ReplyDeleteThere were some US Colored Troops from Cynthiana, Kentucky at the Battle of Nashville I documented in my book "Kentucky Rebel Town" (University Press of Kentucky 2016).
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