Blog - Page 26 of 28 - Battle of Nashville & Beyond

December 11, 2015 By Bob Henderson 4 Comments

Hood’s Crossing

Hood crossing of the Tennessee River:

Where did Gen. Hood cross of the Tennessee River on his escape out of region in late 1864? Bainbridge is the location mentioned in the official records, but after the river was damed, it is now a lake. On December 27th 1864 at 3:00 am Hood’s retreat of the Army of Tennessee began a two day evacuation across the river. U.S. Navy gunboats were just a few miles downstream, but due to the turbulent river at Muscle Shoals, were unable to reach the crossing and do any harm.

Hood’s Retreat from Nashville

Looking north towards the location.

#hoodsretreat

Recommended Reading:

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December 10, 2015 By Bob Henderson

Gunboat Vessels of Nashville

Gunboats that fought in The Battle of Nashville:

These are some of the United States “Brown Water Navy” vessels that fought on the Cumberland River in December 1864, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Le Roy Fitch. There were six separate engagements from December 2 to the 15th of that year.

City Class U.S.S. Carondelet Ironclad Gunboat

Seven city class gunboats were built by James B. Eads at a cost of $89,000 each. With 13 guns, from 30-pdr. Parrotts, up to 100-pdr., they were powerfully armed. Their 2.5 inch plating, plus wood backing, was not impenetrable, however. The sister ship Cairo was sunk by torpedo in December 1862. She was raised in 1964 and is on display at the Vicksburg National Military Park. The Carondelet was also involved in many other river battles including Forts Donelson and Henry, Island #10, and the siege of Vicksburg.

U.S.S. Neosho Ironclad Gunboat

December 6, 1864 aboard the U.S.S. Neosho, Quartermaster John Ditzenback, and Pilot John H. Ferrell received the Medal of Honor for retrieving the United States flag which had been shot away. Under heavy enemy fire, they left the safety of the armored pilot-house, and tied it to the main signal staff. This drawing was featured in Harpers Weekly.

The river monitor Neosho was hit more than one hundred times in one of the, many engagements at this site, severely damaging her stern house and chimney. It narrowly escaped destruction when an unexploded shell lodged near her powder magazine. 78 years latter, her namesake would not be so lucky. She was sunk by the Japanese in the Battle of Coral Sea, May 11, 1942.

U.S.S. Silverlake Tinclad Gunboat

This tinclad sternwheeler gunboat fought here. She had a crew complement of 150 men. The boat carried eight 24 -pdr. brass guns. She also participated in action at Florence, Alabama, Palmyra, Tennessee, and the pursuit of Morgan’s raiders on the Ohio River

U.S.S. Fairplay Tinclad Gunboat

This tinclad was a Confederate transport captured by the Union Navy at Milliken’s Bend, Louisanna on 18 August 1862. It was the initial command vessel in the battle of Bell’s Bend for the Navy flotilla. After the second engagement with the Confederates the tinclad was severely damaged. Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Le Roy Fitch then decided to transfer his flag to the more heavily armored U.S.S. Neosho.

The U.S.S. Moose and U.S.S. Brilliant tin clad was also part of this flotilla, but no know photo exists of her.

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#gunboats #nashville #civilwar #usn

December 9, 2015 By Bob Henderson Leave a Comment

Johnsonville

Johnsonville in the Civil War:

Nashville was the spring board for the North in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. Johnsonville was the logistic supply base that was it’s life-line. Due to the unpredictable water level of the Cumberland River at certain times of the year, a rail line was built to connect Nashville to the Tennessee River. This logistics infrastructure ran as far as South Carolina to Gen. Sherman. Gen. Hoods invasion of Tennessee in the fall of 1864, set out to disrupt and destroy it.

“During the Civil War, Johnsonville was the location of a Union supply depot that moved food, guns, uniforms and everything else needed to supply an army. Steamboats brought supplies up the Tennessee River to the Johnsonville Depot. The supplies were transferred on to railroad cars and transported along the 78 mile Nashville & Northwestern Military Railroad to Nashville, Tennessee and on to General William Tecumseh Sherman’s army in Georgia”…read more

This historical site was the location of the audacious raid by Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest in November of 1864. This was the commencement of Lieutenant General John Bell Hood’s Tennessee champaign. Forrest’s raid here captured the U.S.S. Undine and resulted in the burning the 6 other naval warships and over 6.7 million dollars of U.S. Army supplies. The 2500 Johnsonville man garrison included the 12th, 13th, and 100th United States Colored Troops (USCT). These African American soldiers would go on to fight valiantly in the Battle of Nashville, having 5 consecutive color bearers shot down on Peach Orchard Hill.

Johnsonville State Historic Park, is located 3 miles north of Highway 70 in New Johnsonville, and has a new interpretive center (2013). The 527 wooded park offers some of the most well preserved earthworks in the country. Across the river near Camden, Tennessee, the Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park offers a commanding view of the area, located where the Confederate force attacked from.

Note: get the full screen mode by clicking the icon in the lower left of the video frame. A zoom option is available also. This virtual tour also includes other cavalry battle sites.

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#johnsonville #virtualtour

October 30, 2015 By Bob Henderson Leave a Comment

Mass Grave Mystery

Ed Miles Interview about a mass grave in his old back yard:

Ed Miles interview in 1997 about a mass grave in West Nashville: He grew up on this property and describes a burial site they discovered when his father sold off some of their adjacent land, and it was being developed. A bulldozer operator unearthed a human scull while cutting the road, which is now called Alfred Drive. Evidence strongly suggest they are Civil War soldiers.

I’m sad to hear that Ed has passed away. I’m glad I filmed this, because nobody would believe it. Many still don’t. His impressive obituary adds even more credibility to the story. This site was categorized as a Native American burial site. Evidence here, suggests otherwise.

UPDATE: 2019

A Green Beret friend of mine suggested the straw and hay was used for insolation in their jackets.