Our First Civil War Battlefield - Day 21 - Dover, Tennessee

Saturday's sunny skies and warm temperature (70's) contributed the 21st consecutive day of perfect weather since leaving Chicago on October 3rd. 

The morning began with a two hour walk with Kodi through Green Turtle Bay, which focused on the resort part of the facility.  My comment to Diana was that except for groceries and other basics, you literally never have to leave.  What is even more interesting is our cost.  For a 9 day stay, our average daily cost will be an unbelievable $46 and that includes access to the yacht club, health club and several courtesy cars (where all you pay for is the gas).  Click here to see the photos on this amazing facility.

The afternoon's adventure was a 88 mile round trip through the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, which was created by congress in 1966.  Our destination was Dover Tennessee, the site of Fort Donelson.  We departed at 12:30 PM.

The ride through the park's 44 mile highway, which gently winds through beautiful rolling hills, was enhanced by the rapidly emerging fall colors.  Along the way, we stopped at the Welcome Center and discovered that this weekend was their annual youth hunt (with a warning to stay off the trails).  Sure enough, a young man had shot a buck.  Kodi was with me when I shot this photo and she was surprisingly calm.

Recently shot buck by the Welcome Center.  Park Ranger looking on to the right of the photo

Coal blast Charcoal Furnace used to make iron (see explanation below)

After an hour's drive, we arrived at the Fort Donelson National Battlefield.  Our first stop was the Visitor Center where we watched an EXCEPTIONAL 15 minute video that provided a overview of the history and the details of the battle.  Then we proceeded to major park sites, which were well marked with great explanations.  The battlefield is beautifully maintained.

A little background on our desire to visit Civil War and Revolutionary War sites and on the battle that took place here.

Last summer and fall (2009), I read 9 books by Jeff Shaara and one by his father, Michael dealing with the Revolutionary Way (2 volumes), The Civil War (3 volumes), The Mexican War (1 volume), World War I (1 volume) and World War II (3 volumes).  Shaara writes fictional history and accomplishes his task by focusing on the key leaders, to show the view from the top, and several soldiers, to give you the view from the trenches.  What makes it fictional is the dialogue that Shaara creates to put you, so to speak, in the heads of the characters.  The characters are real as are the events.  The dialogue is invented from written accounts including historical novels and papers researched by Shaara. The revolutionary and civil war books have heightened my interest in visiting the battlefields.  Note: Michael Sharra's novel, The Killer Angels, was the basis for the 1993 movie Gettysburg starring Martin Sheen as General Robert E. Lee.  We will, most certainly, visit Gettysburg.

The Battle of Fort Donelson (click on the link for the full story) took place in February of 1862 and was the first major Union victory.  The photos below show the vital statistics.  The Union has 21,500 troops to the Confederate's 13,089.  After four days of battle, the Confederates surrendered.  A total of 757 Americans died.

The first part of battle was fought on the Cumberland river between the Confederate shore batteries and four Union gunboats.

Description of the batteries and the battle

One of three Confederate shore batteries


Another view of the guns looking down the Cumberland

A 32 Pounder looking right down the river



This is a formidable weapon.  Beyond the wall above are batteries on the high ground

Batteries on the high ground also looking down river

  

Description of the river battle

 There was also a battery looking over the river.  Here the fortifications are harder to see because they are earthworks.  Without the trees, which were not there at the time, the guns had a clear view of the Cumberland.

9 Pounder overlooking the river

Description of the River Battery

Earthworks and artillery piece

Kodi ever alert for the enemy (rabbits, squirrels or anything that moves)

Soldiers at the fort lived in small log huts like one in the photo below.  There were over 400 of these at the time of the battle. 



View of the inside.  Slightly better that a pup tent


The land battle commenced after the river battle failed.  Union General Smith pushed the Confederate troops back to the ridge in the photo.

Smiths attach and Bruckners defense.  Some soldier are buried her in unmarked graves

Confederate General Simon Bruckner, a West Point classmate and friend of General Ulysses S. Grant prior to the war surrendered on 13,000 Confederate soldiers at the Dover Hotel on February 18, 1862.  Grant's demand of an "unconditional surrender" earned him the nickname of Unconditional Surrender Grant.

We concluded with a visit to the Fort Donelson National Cemetery, which contains gaves from the Fort Donelson battle along with the graves of soldiers from all US wars.

Administrative building

Graves of Illinois soldiers who found at Fort Donelson

Overview of the cemetery

Soldiers' graves from other wars 

A more "recent" grave

Original grave

A philosophical view

A parting thought.  In the Civil War brother fought against brother and friend against friend.  Recall my comment that the 15 minute film was exceptional.  It started with a story about the meeting of two West Point friends and graduates, Ulysses S. Grant and Simon Boliver Buckner, in New York City prior to the war where Buckner helped Grant who was in need of money.  Years later, at Fort Donelson, the two friends now adversaries met at the Dover Hotel to negotiate the terms of surrender.  Twenty years later, when Grant was on his deathbed he was visited by Buckner, who 13 days later was one of Grant's pallbearers.

Another plan comes together.  We departed the battleground at 4:00 PM and drove the 50 or so miles back to Green Turtle Bay with the goal of having dinner and attending our second show at the Bladgett Playhouse, which required us to be in our seats by 6:55 PM (and we did with two minutes to spare). 

Our 200,000 plus mile courtesy car.  Total cost: $19 for gas

We and again dined at the Commonwealth Yacht Club and had a relatively unhurried excellent meal.

We dined at the table with the view

Then on to the Bladgett Playhouse for our next show, Variety, which they billed as a Branson style musical review.  Of course there's a story here.  Recall that we left Friday's performance of Smoke in the Mountains after 20 minutes.  Curtain up and we quickly discover several of the same cast members from the previous (sophomoric) performance.  We look at each other, laugh and without saying a word, know that we may be departing in minutes.  Surprise, surprise.  Tonight they were GREAT.  While they are not good actors, they did sing and dance well. 

Written by Les (one day after the events)