Discover the 9 Most Historic Battlefields in Tennesse

Even though Tennessee was not one of the original 13 colonies, the state is still steeped in rich history. Tennessee is where country music was born. The state is where so much of our nation’s history happened. When it comes to battlefields throughout the country, many of them are located in the south. The reason behind that is that the Civil War took place in the eastern half of the United States. When you visit the battlefields throughout the country, you can still feel and imagine those gruesome battles taking place at those sites. Let’s go back in history and look at the nine most historic battlefields in Tennessee.

Shiloh National Military Park

Commemorating the Battle of Shiloh that took place in 1862 and later the Siege of Corinth, the Shiloh National Military Park is a whopping 4,000 acres. There are several activities that you can do at this battlefield including visiting the grounds, as well as touring the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. There is also a cemetery and the Shiloh Indian Mounds Site.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park

A whopping 9,000 acres, the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park commemorates the battle of Chickamauga and the Chattanooga campaign that was fought in the summer of 1863. There are many things that you can do at this National Military Park which actually encompasses several battlefields and historic sites including Lookout Mountain Battlefield, Moccasin Bend, and Missionary Ridge.

Lookout Mountain Battlefield

Part of a larger national military park, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield is a total of 3,000 acres. There are so many things you can do throughout the grounds of this battlefield including trails and other prominent landmarks. Because Lookout Mountain Battlefield is on top of a mountain, you will also see a fantastic scenic landscape of the Tennessee River and the city of Chattanooga below you.

Stones River National Battlefield

The battlefield sits along the Stones River, which commemorates the Battle of Stones River. The battle, which is also called the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, took place near the New Year holiday between 1862 and 1863. The battlefield is a total of 750 acres, where you can walk its ground, visit the national cemetery, and even go on various hikes on its trails.

Fort Donelson National Battlefield

The national park, astonishing 1928, is a battlefield that encompasses 1,000 acres. The Fort Donelson National Battlefield sits on the sides of two Confederate forts —  Fort Donelson and Fort Heiman. Union General Ulysses S. Grant captured these two forts in 1862 which remained in Union hands until the end of the war, signifying a great victory for Lincoln and the Union Army. There are various things you can do at the park — walk along its grounds, visit the cemetery, and look at the exhibits at the visitor center.

Fort Granger

Back during the Civil War, Fort Granger used to be a Union fort. Today, Fort Granger is a park where you can see the grounds of where the fort was. You can also see the trenches that were dug by Union soldiers because Fort Granger was one of the sites of the Second Battle of Franklin in 1864. Fort Granger comprises about 20 acres and is called Franklin City Park today.

Eastern Flank Battlefield Park

Comprising 110 acres, the battlefield was the eastern flank of the Confederate Army during the Civil War and played a pivotal role in the Second Battle of Franklin in 1864. What used to be a golf course, is now a historic park that has walking trails that you can walk around to imagine yourself in Civil War times.

Nashville Battlefield

During the Civil War, the Battle of Nashville took place in Nashville. Unfortunately, as the city expanded after the war, much of where the battlefield took place was filled up by buildings. There are historical sites that still exist, for example, Shy’s Hill, Fort Negley, the Nashville National Cemetery, and the Peace Monument. All of these historical landmarks provide history aficionados with information about the two-day battle that took place here.

Franklin Battlefield

The Franklin Battlefield commemorates the Second Battle of Franklin which took place in 1864 and was one of the worst battles in the Civil War. It was a bloody battle that lasted only 5 hours, though. The battlefield is a total of 15 acres and is part of the larger Eastern Flank Battlefield Park. Fort Granger is also located near the Franklin Battlefield. During your time here, you can visit the Carter House, which played an important role in the war.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Pez Photography/iStock via Getty Images