Table Of Content

Stones River Ican never forget... that about the end of last year and the beginning of this, you gave us a hard earned victory. Lincoln was worried as 1862 came toa close. Confederate attacks in Maryland and Kentucky had shaken Northern Confidence. Generals McClellan and Buel wasted victories ‘at Antietam and Perryville by refusing to advance on the Confederates. The Emancipation Proclamation was to take effect on January 1, bt military succes to enforce itseemed impossible. The Union war effort was stalled. Lincoln needed a victory soon, and he pushed his generals to strike a blow. In December Gen. Ambrose Burnside's ‘Army ofthe Potomac met with disaster at Fredericksburg, Virginia. General Grants Army of the Tennessee proved Unable to crack defenses north of Vicksburg, Missssipp Lincoln's only hope lay with Gen. William S. Rosecrans’ ‘Army of the Cumberland. (On December 26, 1862, Rosecrans led his army out of, Nashville to seek the victory Lincoln demanded. Their target: Murfreesboro and Gen. Braxton Braga's Army of Tennessee. From December 31, 1862, through Highlights of the Civil War Era 1860-1877 January 2, 1863, the armies ravaged each other. Each side lost nearly one-third of its men. The Confederates imped ‘away from the battlefield. Rosecrans marched his battered Union army into Murfreesboro and declared victory Union forces held Murfreesboro and much of Middle Ten- ‘nesseein an iron grip. Soon the earthen walls of Fortress Rosecrans protecting avast supply base loomed over the town, Murfreesboro became a launching point for cam ;palgns that slashed through the heart of the South and {dealt a deathbiow to the Confederacy. ‘The success at Stones River bolstered Northern spirits. Vie tory, and the Emancipation Proclamation, crushed Confed: trate hopes for international assistance and shifted the ‘War's aims from restoring the Union to remaking the nation. ‘A telieved and grateful Lincoln thanked Rosecrans and his. ‘men for a “hard earned victory, which had there been 3 defeat instead, the country scarcely could have lived over.” Stones River National Battlefield ‘tree pronged: gan onto ofthe Mi Spi River, dive 8 Georgia, ad lode de major ports River opened the ‘say into te Con ‘ederte hearin Union sdances to ‘Chattanooga Alan {a andSovannah {Fippled the Souths Sbity to sappy its Srmies and sapped pie a= Russo 299 stayedn com ae cneenet December 31, 1862 We were building fires and making coftee, for such permission had been granted jst before daylight. Sudden 2 sucerson tflong liner of Gray were swarming over the Confederate breartworks and oeping toword un Ser Wry, hi UA, 182 Bragg ried to re Confederates struck fist, asuting the ron ight wig at dwn, YOam hey 1 Chatanaoge Raoad: Ordered to “contest ‘ery inh of round” they bet back the Confederates, inti heavy casualties {he Union Ie inthe Round Forest oles, ‘rom tials Inna, Kentucky, and Oh. ‘ood ther ground and ef hundreds oF ‘Confederates hing dead or wounded on The bate ended at sk, but ew fet ike Celebrating New Yer Eve On Jonny 1 both arms rested and prepared forthe tmutanacd USCol- and Var MS ROSECRANS Tis offensive by striking January 2, 1863 “There was a hil... the left flank of the Peseta wich co eaten ond Be erzcaten of te Fedvalpestion 99 ordered 4500 men to ee the ‘The asaut began in late afternoon, the CBofederates gaining the crest Union solders Feveated down the backstop 1 arher (roning at McFadgens Ford There pursing Confederates encountered a desay supra, Life in Murfreesbere-and on the Battlefield Murreesboro Tennessee’ state capital from tors incuded am Houston Dany Crock td utre Pendents Andrew lato and ‘States and over 2000 whe eisents Many ‘ned endaved wore Splits were high in December 1852 Loca: here reunted with the fries. Conedeste Frendent Jefferson Dave vised Marrero ‘it the hope but icaret news that he Union army was staningin Ns Reser Union forces cccapied Murresbor after the estoyed churches. deserted cemeteries, nd conscated supplies Slaves Hocked to bundredeof arms unten Te Union se Baton ised beyond the wars end to 1877 In the Midst of Cotton Murresboros rh aeturl aati was the breadboscet of Middle Tene, Trn- kes and arood branching out rr tn ‘ried good to market Fly ferme worked by wntes and enslaved blacks produced Nags hoes corm wheat andcrton, Scenes of downtown Murfreesboro and the courthouse, 160s, et). GhatieoopscTN, ShermantepneMerch— BatiesofRenkin WaElncln Seer sen, Siegen. feos RedSci Sed. pte Captain Mendenhall supporting Union troops Scrom the ver had 3? cannon aimed athe into a deadly reveat. svat and 10.265 confederNy Bragg tt Murresbore and Rosecrans lai! ving. boosting norte morale, pgiden rca ‘hanked fonecars and yfagdrs fox thee ‘enduro, ge uring the war wor fnworkedn factories hospitals and choos They struggled to keep ther famies together whl huandrand ors fought and de. hn urreeoro wor fentormed 3 siders felt set) to sup. SQ BSSe Tiara toto Setirye pte Gontederate ater Union Univesy (above) Women took foo, Elothing, medine Sd the suppl to the ron ins They Inthe camps and hospitals sovng thomandeofines, OG50 = Stones River National Battlefield preserves a small part of the original battlefield. You can reach points of interest on the self-guiding auto tour (below and right). Numbered markers identify stops. Events are ‘explained along short trails and on exhibits. Please use caution when crossing highways. Cell phone tour: 585-797-0076. Go out the back door of the visitor center. Look across the field where Union and Confederate soldiers fought. Imagine opposing armies total- ing 81,000 men battling to control Middle Tennessee in one of the Civil War's bloodiest encounters. Union troops made their final stand here, defending the Nashville Pike and railroad—both vital lines of supply. Today's scene differs little from 1862. The railroad and pike are in the same place, and fields are now planted with native grasses between cedar thickets. Ove of Bate On December mater Rowe. @ Defending Machi Pke Thea of ‘Sass unten omy ere t Marresbore,__feventing Union oops bret rm th eat Tops ocpied hs ore long Mefassers ane. in font of ese canon, olomed by Confer Seles svogled sleepin the ezing madsen The Osage Sond of Trade tay sprang ‘without comptes knowing amojr bates toaclon a the Ronet Brie poured aly TnminetForthouands tt age woud beer vein the gray ra Caster hares ‘howl forced the Confederster bac othe cedar Concerned @ stoughtar Pen Union oder ire deen Round Forest Tis was the ont Union poston ‘ther poston here Confederates ound Datel hcughout he est ey Artery and ‘Stack aff stad causing Meany loses to nla hated the steak at 10am and best Sos sider oder pid up theo and bled tack tee mote he day wore on. By ek ‘caked the ground. Te Union reeted,btthe te lls He's Half cre were coveted wth ‘Sky gave her army tno trmanew ine” Confederate den and wounded { STONES RIVER, 4 ct aen rm ines i bind - NATIONAL {© coton Ftd On December 31 ion oops Stn and abreast 5 men fed cos the ‘Staisneda delerve in slong he Rawle ther shad by Confederates non canon Pike Pursuing Confederates entering the cotton fring trom above Meads or aed the Conferster it shot sa and canst [seemed tha thehaovers andthe ea were an hour hr war the bate’ fia acon, oming together At dark both ses dug in for rege Rnean ay ad bor pes Visitor enter The visitor center has inform Safty and Regulations Please be corfu ton mreum exhib afm and bookstore. Remember your safety & your epost FRisopen dab except Thanksgiing bay and” = Say on marked ask, Wah for exponed Dacre 35 For eta bot otek uneven ud pony sod q Sedat event, ons ourn contac poke sipery rao." heo must be ade and x ‘Svat one npe gow icc!» Do notch erst oncanon + We “eichanengonmsiagon errs sx Theres atte sete Youcanse potas ponte” Al atura on ur s GrrowentonecasinOu ortranconrigh=aentrere poteidbyfeal on For ‘toySe Redoubebranten won Went Ctege” fresnel ote reuse check the Park % Steet Pave traisiead tothe earhworkssiebute oak ranger, Stones River and tle Crek geermaya afer Emergencies cal 11 ‘lcs for acivibes andthe cance to sce Imporant atte stes Dont miss the Hazen More tnformation ‘ngade ad Artin monuments the Ne.” Stones River Nationa Battlefield tial Cemetery (Union or Evergfeen Ceme- 3501 Old Nash Highway, ro tery (Confederate. Ak at the vitor canter Murtresbore, TN 37125 3098 Shout storie stes and places tose in Crsassa501 Morteesboo (ce maph orn govt ae ner eee Accessibilty We sive to make our facies, Stones River National atid ane of over Sceaces, an programs accent al For” 380 parksin the National Park Sytem To leah ‘more infomation goto the vitor center ak more abou ations parks vt wp gov ‘ranger call or ack our webate. A Fortress Like No Other Fortress Rosecrans Black Men in Blue Uniforms ny 1963 Rosecrans army and hundreds of (Once lee the black man get upon hi {Cem eralaved men bat» depot a fort = eson te bas eters US ei [tMurtecibor to dette weapons fod Get an eagle on his button and Sndsuppies Forres Rosecran had tee = there no power on earth which cn ‘les of eororisenconing toehoves, tery that he har earned the ght to powder magarnes, nour terior eos Szenshpin the United Sater [iat or ining Redoubt Brannan “reser Dots ‘The 200. fort could sheer 15,000 ons, D 2 8) wars end United States oloced and its stores ould supp an army of 6.00 4 ‘Troops made up 10 percent a he ‘man for mont strategic cation {he Union ey to attack the Contederte ‘enter in Chattanooga and pit the Cnt Union Army. Over 20000 former ‘endaved men from Temes hese to " {ign for thet freedom Several units Se long ansportation routes Tennesse, é formed or served at Murtresiboro, Ths fort was the largest endosed earthen . forifiation but rng te war Keeping Memories Alive Hazen Brigade Monument Stones River National Cemetery Evergreen Cemetery ‘The Community of Cemetery _Touring by Rail Artillery Monument Colonel Wiliam Hazen men were the only After the battle most Union and Confederate About 2.000 Confederate are buried in___Aferthe war 111th US Coloredinfantry Sate stesbecame tout attractions after Artillery Monument marks the bate’ final Union soldiers who dan’ retest during” dead were quickly bused onthe field In T855 Confederate cle at Evergreen Cemetery insides including Wiliam Holand fomb- the war Nati, Chattanooga, and St Lou stack on lanuary 2. Here 57 Union canon ‘the ghting on December 31. They reeled Soldiers the TTHNUS Colored ifanty Murfresbor, For many fst buried onthe” ore below) and other formery esaved|__Ratway excursions to ston River ought fed upon the sporcuching Confederate, attads shorible that solders named the began the rim jb ofreburying Union dead atte this washer third restng pace. people stared anew ifein the fea around toursty-and much needed dolorsto. lingo wounding 800 men ma short place Hels Hatt-cre Over 00 of Hagens inthe new Stones Res National Cemetery {herational cemetery (esidents below) They Murfreesboro signs along the acks helped tine. tn 1906 te ray but thi 3 foo tll {toopsfellin the bate and thesurvers. Each moundin the 1856 photo (below) the In 1867 thor remains were moved to ceme- uit homes schoo, churches anda tore.” passengers magine the Bloody actors In monument (below 30 that passengers could ‘re want the world to forget Hazen grave ofa newly bred solder Ove 600" terysouthof Murfeesboro, inthe 1850rthey The ormmunity named Cemetery, endured "890 he allay publned Sothern Bale szelt rom the tam indowaan offered ‘men buit ths monumentin 183.fsthe Unionsodirs are buted bere, 2500 of them were mowed again tetme fo Evergreen” unt 1927 when creation ofthe national bat- flr wth bate accounts and mape sowing _ spec fars for Confedeate veterans ‘lest intact Civil War memorial elow). unknown, {Cemetery monument below gh) tefl park uprooted many resident begin. ral ines near bated felon nigh) hing a period of deine