- Joined
- Jul 29, 2013
Camp Nelson was established as a supply depot for Federal invasions into Tennessee in 1863. It was named for Major General William "Bull" Nelson, who had recently been murdered in Louisville, Kentucky by Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis. It was placed near Hickman Bridge, the only bridge across the Kentucky River upriver from the state capital (Frankfort, Kentucky). The site was selected to protect the bridge, to have a base of operations in central Kentucky, and to prepare to attack the Cumberland Gap and eastern Tennessee. The camp was also used as a site to train new soldiers for the Federal army. The Kentucky River's steep palisades contributed to the selection of the site—they would help defend the camp from Confederate attack. Camp Nelson may have been the best choice for a central Kentucky depot, but it was inadequate. When Federal Major General Ambrose Burnside attacked the Cumberland Gap and Knoxville, Tennessee, Camp Nelson's distance from the Gap and Knoxville, combined with lack of railroads and the weather, hampered the Federal advance. When overall Federal comander Major General Ulysses S. Grant visited Camp Nelson in January 1864, he was displeased, observing that "no portion of our supplies can be hauled by teams from Camp Nelson". The situation of the camp had not improved by spring of 1864, and Grant leaned toward abandoning it entirely. Major General William Tecumseh Sherman advocated that its role be diminished instead, which saved Camp Nelson. It took on the role of training black soldiers, who volunteered for the U.S. Colored Troops. * Wikipedia
* Vintage photo of Camp Nelson.
* Camp Nelson was named after Federal Major General William "Bull" Nelson.
* Kentucky State Historical Marker near the entrance to the park.
* The Camp Nelson Interpretive Center (Visitor Center).
* The White House (Officer's Quarters).
* The Northern Line of Earthen Fortifications.
* Graveyard Number 1 Monument.
* Graveyard Number 1 Monument Close-Up.
* Site of Fort Putnam.
* Site of Camp Nelson Prison.
* Camp Nelson Cistern.
* Camp Nelson National Cemetery.
* Photos courtesy of William Bechmann (2012)
* Vintage photo of Camp Nelson.
* Camp Nelson was named after Federal Major General William "Bull" Nelson.
* Kentucky State Historical Marker near the entrance to the park.
* The Camp Nelson Interpretive Center (Visitor Center).
* The White House (Officer's Quarters).
* The Northern Line of Earthen Fortifications.
* Graveyard Number 1 Monument.
* Graveyard Number 1 Monument Close-Up.
* Site of Fort Putnam.
* Site of Camp Nelson Prison.
* Camp Nelson Cistern.
* Camp Nelson National Cemetery.
* Photos courtesy of William Bechmann (2012)
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