Day Two
Fort Sanders, Tennessee
The battle of Fort Sanders was all apart of the Knoxville Campaign. Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet failed to break through the lines of Union Major General Ambrose Burnside. The result was mass casualties and the Siege of Knoxville.
The reason we visited Fort Sanders was because we wanted to visit a fort. Until now, all we had been to were battlefields and caverns, and we wanted to see the war from all angles. We chose this fort in particular because we didn't know much about the Civil War events that took place in Tennessee and we were interested in finding out more information. It cost $8 per adult to go, but we each had a $1 discount coupon that we found online.
The reason we visited Fort Sanders was because we wanted to visit a fort. Until now, all we had been to were battlefields and caverns, and we wanted to see the war from all angles. We chose this fort in particular because we didn't know much about the Civil War events that took place in Tennessee and we were interested in finding out more information. It cost $8 per adult to go, but we each had a $1 discount coupon that we found online.
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
The battle of Stone’s River had the second highest casualty rate, after Gettysburg. At the beginning of the battle, the Confederates had a strong plan against the Union. Major General John Breckinridge had received false reports throughout out the day about the Union’s battle plans. He was told they had retreated, when in fact they didn’t. Another thing that thwarted Confederate victory was the tension between Breckinridge and another Confederate officer Braxton Bragg. Bragg called on Breckinridge for assistance, but he was slow to respond. The reason there was tension between them was because Bragg was wrongfully executing one of Breckinridge's men. What Bragg believed to be desertion was really a soldier leaving to help his mom for a short time. At the end of the day, the Union won the battle.
This site was suggested to us by Mr. Welsch. We were headed toward Shiloh, and this was on our way and sounded interesting.
This site was suggested to us by Mr. Welsch. We were headed toward Shiloh, and this was on our way and sounded interesting.
Franklin, Tennessee
More Confederate generals were killed in this battle than in any other. This list included: Patrick Cleburne, John Carter, John Adams, Hiram Granbury, States Rights Gist, and Otho Strahl. The Confederate charge at Franklin was larger, longer, and deadlier than Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. During the battle, the Union line was weak at the center. Union General Emerson Opdycke saved the center by disobeying orders. If he had obeyed the orders, then the Confederates would have easily broken through the center line. This was a very close battle, the Union held strong and won, but it could very easily have gone the other way.
This battle part of the Nashville-Franklin campaign was near Murfreesboro, TN, and since it was so close to our last stop, we wanted to see this battle site as well. Mr. Welsch suggested it, and after more research, we decided that we wanted to include this on our trip. This was our last stop on the second day of our trip. We traveled about 209 miles, and saw a lot of great sites on our way!
This battle part of the Nashville-Franklin campaign was near Murfreesboro, TN, and since it was so close to our last stop, we wanted to see this battle site as well. Mr. Welsch suggested it, and after more research, we decided that we wanted to include this on our trip. This was our last stop on the second day of our trip. We traveled about 209 miles, and saw a lot of great sites on our way!