Battle of Nashville & Beyond

  • Home
    • Resources
      • Franklin
      • Shiloh
    • About the Author
  • Tour Routes
    • Tour Route – 2 hours
    • Tour Route – 3 Hour
    • Tour Route – 6+ hours
  • Gunships vs Cavalry
    • Naval Battle Timeline
    • Brown Water Navy
    • The Gunboats of Nashville
      • Nashville Gunboats Photos
      • U.S.S. Cairo Virtual Tour
  • Kelley’s Point
    • Kelley’s Point Map
    • Kelley’s Point Naval Battle
    • 1936 Aerial Photo
    • Inset Zoom of Kelley’s Point
    • People of Interest
      • Le Roy Fitch
      • Mark Robertson Cockrill
      • Col. David C. Kelley
      • Richard W. Johnson
        • Battlefield Simulator
      • Hood’s Retreat
  • Blog
  • Hood’s Retreat
  • Virtual Battlefields
  • Athens-South Virtual Tours

February 24, 2017 By Bob Henderson Leave a Comment

Gibraltar of the West

Columbus-Belmont Battlefield: 

Early in the war, troops under Confederate General Leonidas Polk fortified a strategic line on the bluff’s of the Mississippi River here. In September of 1861, it marked the South’s first move into Kentucky. To prevent passage of Union gunboats downstream, a huge chain was stretched across the river. Soon after it was deployed, it broke due to the shear force of the river. A section of the chain and massive anchor is on display in the park.

After the Federal successes in Tennessee at Forts Donelson and Henry, Confederates evacuated Columbus on March 2, 1862. U.S. Army troops moved in the next day, holding the fortress for the remainder of the war.

This was the northern most fortification held by the Confederates on the Mississippi River. It was literally the high-water mark on the Mississippi for the South. It was also one of General U.S. Grant’s first major operations.

Columbus-Belmont State Park: 350 Park Road, Columbus, KY 42032 

Take a 360º augmented virtual tour of the site below. Click on the full screen icon at the bottom of the panorama for a full size few.

This content requires HTML5/CSS3, WebGL, or Adobe Flash Player Version 9 or higher.

Google has mapped the trails here:

 

#columbus #belmont #civilwar

Share this...Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on tumblr
Tumblr
Share on google
Google
Share on reddit
Reddit
Share on stumbleupon
Stumbleupon
Share on email
Email

Filed Under: Forts, Kentucky, Parks, United States Navy

About Bob Henderson

I am a Certified Trusted Google Street View and Business View photographer. I shoot and produce 360º Virtual Tours in a variety of formats. Former Metro Historical Commission member. Native Nashvillian, served as an officer in the US Navy and Tennessee Air National Guard. Follow Bob on LinkedIn | Facebook

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Facebook

Battlefield Trust

CWPT Link

Tennessee State Museum

DSC02614_5_6_7_8_opt

Fort Negley

Negely

USCT Charge on Peach Orchard Hill

USCT Painting

Travelers Rest

Travelers Rest

Belle Meade Plantation

Belle Meade Plantation

Battle of Franklin

Franklin

Nashville Naval Battle

Kelley’s Point Video

Nashville MIA’s

Copyright © 2025 · Bob Henderson. All rights reserved.