Yes, Celia and I love our history

On Friday after Thanksgiving, we dived into some local history. What would a trip with two History majors be without that. How many of you knew that Tennessee had so much Civil War History? I knew from the last trip here about 10 years ago, but didn't get to see to as much as I would have liked. So on Friday, we ventured down to Murfreesboro, TN to see the battlefield down there. Tennessee had quite a bit of fighting during the Civil War. It was a Confederate border state and many cities went back and forth between Union and Confederacy. The battle outside Murfreesboro was called The Battle of Stones River. It was a big clash south of Nashville in 1862 into 1863 that saved a vital road and railroad line for the Union. While the South claimed victory, the south left the field first, leaving it to the North. Lincoln told Rosecrans that he gave the Union hope with his victory, after the war had been going badly for the North so far.





There was a place on the battlefield called the Slaughter Pen. The union forces retreated into this wooded area and tried to find cover behind the limestone natural to the area. But there wasn't much cover for the mass of soldiers who ran into there. And it was so rocky the cannon couldn't make it through so many broke down.

There is a cemetery across from the battlefield for the Union soldiers. It is pretty dramatic the amount of headstones there.

We also drove by the headquarters for the Union general.
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So, we did get in some history. Wait for it...there is more on Saturday:)