Eastern TN sites

[Chrisinfp]

I'll be in eastern tn this summer. I know that the area was fairly pro-union but I'd like to know If there are any sites in the area worth visiting. I'll be in Smokey Mt Nat Park. Thanks

 

[Malingerer]

Unfortunately, most of the CW sites in East Tennessee have not been well preserved. Civil War Trails signs have been placed at a bunch of sites with associated CW stories. Since you'll be in GSMNP I would recommend a stop at the Pigeon Forge CWT marker and the one out at Cosby and just to the south is Coker Creek with its own CWT marker. Soooo...get yourself a CWT brochure before heading out and maybe go to their website to find the specific locations.

 

[James N.]

I'll be in eastern tn this summer. I know that the area was fairly pro-union but I'd like to know If there are any sites in the area worth visiting. I'll be in Smokey Mt Nat Park. Thanks

Knoxville was the scene of a memorable Union victory; a small park marks the site of the biggest battle and Gen. Longstreet's headquarters were in a preserved house museum. Of course that's not too far from Chattanooga where there are many things to see, particularly the National Military Park on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

I'll be in eastern tn this summer. I know that the area was fairly pro-union but I'd like to know If there are any sites in the area worth visiting. I'll be in Smokey Mt Nat Park. Thanks

Welcome to CWT from east Tennessee. Knoxville had probably the most important battle. A little farther south is Chattanooga. All of Tennessee furnished slightly over 31,000 men to the Union army. I would refer to upper east Tennessee as bitterly divided as opposed to "pro-union," at least in the beginning. Hearts and minds began to change after conscription, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg. I had several relatives on both sides. Some that even switched sides!

This map might help you out. Click on the battle-sights to bring up details of the battle. Hope you enjoy your trip !

http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/TNmap.htm

http://www.civilwartraveler.com/WEST/TN/E-Knoxville.html

http://www.civilwartraveler.com/WEST/TN/E-Other.html

 

[redbob]

Should you have the misfortune of ending up in the Fort Sanders Medical Center, you will have the somewhat grim satisfaction of knowing that you are in the site of Fort Sanders and have made it further than Longstreet did.

 

[ErnieMac]

It's not a battlefield site, but the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greenville TN contains a visitor center, his home and burial site.

 

[BelleBlackburn]

Should you have the misfortune of ending up in the Fort Sanders Medical Center, you will have the somewhat grim satisfaction of knowing that you are at the site of Fort Sanders and Longstreet's defeat.

I was born there. I know it is somewhere near UT but I still don't know where it is.

 

[Barnesville Blues]

There is a very interesting tombstone at the Baptist Church in Cades Cove that reads "Murdered by North Carolina Rebels"...I think it is the Primitive Baptist Church. Here is some information about the man:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/gosmokies/splintered-relations

The Unit I have been researching was active in East Tennessee but there really isn't anything preserved...you could go up to Cumberland Gap?...that is all I can really think of.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

There is a very interesting tombstone at the Baptist Church in Cades Cove that reads "Murdered by North Carolina Rebels"...I think it is the Primitive Baptist Church. Here is some information about the man:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/gosmokies/splintered-relations

The Unit I have been researching was active in East Tennessee but there really isn't anything preserved...you could go up to Cumberland Gap?...that is all I can really think of.

Probably the son, Charles Gregory was a member of the Thomas Legion

 

[richard]

It is true that not many locations are preserved. That said there are some interesting places that where the war raged in December and Jan 1863 and 1864. In that One location is in Jefferson City on the east side of town. The Battle of Mossy Creek took place along the rail road running east of town near the Chunkey Road. Most of the battle field is now a industral park but there is a base ball park where there is a marker. In that ball field is where the 18th Indiana Artillery made a 4 to 5 hour stand.
If you follow that road to the south east it will take you along the route that the Union took to Dandridge. The battle field there is a housing development. If you follow the railroad west you can find the remains of the bridge that ran from Knoxville to Richmond

If you travel north to Morristown , take Us 25 north to the Cumberland Gap. You will pass Lincoln Memorial University that has a very complete museum dedicated to Abe Lincoln. Cumberland Gap has a orginal log cabin that was head quarters to both Union and Confederate armies. Also one of the largest iron furnaces that was used during the war. Also the starting point of the wilderness road is located there. That is the Kirby Smith marched north to try and meet Brag in 1862.

I hope this helps.

 

[Barnesville Blues]

Probably the son, Charles Gregory was a member of the Thomas Legion

I agree...it is a very interesting story. I went to Cades Cove just about every year since I was born up until the time when I immigrated to Ireland. I still stop by when I am in the area. I usually take a picture of this tombstone every time I visit, it has become kind of a tradition.

The Unit I am researching was stationed in Greeneville Tennessee during the winter of 1861. They were technically under the command of Col. Danville Leadbetter who was working independantly in East Tennessee trying to repair damage caused by East Tennessee Tories. The unit I am researching was assigned to Leadbetter in order for Leadbetter to use them to guard bridges and such but Leadbetter used them to hunt down the Tories. They operated in the area around Greeneville and also in Cocke County which was full of Union Loyalists. They didn't fight any battle per say. Leadbetter had a few units under his command but I wouldn't really call it a brigade. Still, the Tories were in the process of raising a Regiment but based on everything I have read,it was not a Regiment yet. They finally managed to corner the lead of the Tory Regiment in the woods playing cards. He was so involved in the card game that he didn't even notice that he was being surrounded by Confederates until it was to late. He and the person he was playing cards with were taken back to Greeneville, trialed and hung. After that, Leadbetter's little command was disbanded and they were transferred to Stevenson's Brigade at Cumberland Gap. As far as I have been able to find, there is no historical marker or anything having to do with their little action in East Tennessee.

Richard makes some good recommendations but Cumberland Gap probably has the most to see when it comes to the civil war but it is a good hour and a half to 2 hour drive from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

 

[nitrofd]

Cades Cove is an intersting place even if your not into the civil war....worth the visit

 

[Barnesville Blues]

Cades Cove is an intersting place even if your not into the civil war....worth the visit

I second that Sir.

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Cades Cove is an intersting place even if your not into the civil war....worth the visit

I visited this venue in 2000 and there wasn't a lot to see (a couple of churches and houses).

We returned in 2012 and couldn't believe this was the same venue.

Nice park to visit but the traffic has gotten out of control.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

I agree...it is a very interesting story. I went to Cades Cove just about every year since I was born up until the time when I immigrated to Ireland. I still stop by when I am in the area. I usually take a picture of this tombstone every time I visit, it has become kind of a tradition.

The Unit I am researching was stationed in Greeneville Tennessee during the winter of 1861. They were technically under the command of Col. Danville Leadbetter who was working independantly in East Tennessee trying to repair damage caused by East Tennessee Tories. The unit I am researching was assigned to Leadbetter in order for Leadbetter to use them to guard bridges and such but Leadbetter used them to hunt down the Tories. They operated in the area around Greeneville and also in Cocke County which was full of Union Loyalists. They didn't fight any battle per say. Leadbetter had a few units under his command but I wouldn't really call it a brigade. Still, the Tories were in the process of raising a Regiment but based on everything I have read,it was not a Regiment yet. They finally managed to corner the lead of the Tory Regiment in the woods playing cards. He was so involved in the card game that he didn't even notice that he was being surrounded by Confederates until it was to late. He and the person he was playing cards with were taken back to Greeneville, trialed and hung. After that, Leadbetter's little command was disbanded and they were transferred to Stevenson's Brigade at Cumberland Gap. As far as I have been able to find, there is no historical marker or anything having to do with their little action in East Tennessee.

Richard makes some good recommendations but Cumberland Gap probably has the most to see when it comes to the civil war but it is a good hour and a half to 2 hour drive from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

Brigadier-General Danville Leadbetter


Brigadier-General Danville Leadbetter was a native of Maine,
born in 1811; was graduated at the United States military
academy in 1836 as second lieutenant, and was assigned at
first to the artillery and then transferred to the engineer
corps.

He served on garrison duty at Oswego Harbor, NY., 1839-45; was
in charge of the engineer agency in New York for the purchase
and shipment of supplies for the construction of
fortifications, 1845-48; as member of joint commission of
naval and engineer officers for examination of the Pacific
coast of the United States, also as superintending engineer of
the repairs of Fort Morgan, and the building of Fort Gaines, at Mobile, Ala.

The custom house at Mobile was built under his supervision.
Like many other officers of Northern birth his residence as an
army officer among the Southern people had caused him to
become identified with the South in sentiment. He regarded
Alabama as his State, and, upon her secession, determined to
espouse her cause.

Accordingly he resigned his commission as captain in the army
of the United States and, accepting from his adopted State the
commission of lieutenant-colonel, was placed in command of
Fort Morgan. Later he was made a brigadier-general in the
army of the Confederate States (February 27, 1862) and sent
into east Tennessee.

When the Union army was moving upon Chattanooga in 1862,
General Leadbetter was engaged in quite a spirited affair at
Bridgeport, in which, although the Confederates were worsted,
considerable delay was caused to the movements of the enemy.
His skill as an engineer caused him to be sent soon afterward
to superintend the construction of the defenses of Mobile.

In 1863 he was for a short time chief of the engineer
department of the army of Tennessee, and he served in this
capacity during the construction of the lines along Missionary
Ridge, while the army of General Bragg was investing
Chattanooga. A short while before the battle of Missionary
Ridge General Leadbetter accompanied the brigades of Bushrod
Johnson and Gracie on their march to reinforce Longstreet near
Knoxville.

They reached Longstreet on the 24th of November. As
Leadbetter had once been stationed at Knoxville he was
familiar with its fortifications, and for that reason had been
sent to give General Longstreet such help as might be expected
from an experienced engineer.

After three days spent in reconnoitering the position of the
enemy, an attack upon Fort Sanders was decided upon. The
result, however, was disastrous to the Confederates.

General Leadbetter continued to serve the Confederacy
faithfully until the close of the war, when he went to Mexico
and afterward to Canada. He died at Clifton, Canada,
September 26, 1866, at the age of fifty-five.

Source: Confederate Military History, vol. VIII, p. 424

 

[Buckeye Bill]

I received a "Civil War Driving Tour of Knoxville, Tennessee" brochure in the mail last May. Has any member taken this tour? It seems the majority of sites (ie : Fort Sanders) have surrendered to urban development.

Bill

 

[nitrofd]

If you are going to go to pigeon forge you must go to the old grist mill.great biscuits and sausage.we always buy a bunch of their stone groound grits and corn meal.interesting place.

 

[James N.]

I will add to the information about Leadbetter that he was in command at Chattanooga at the time of The Great Locomotive Chase or Andrews Railroad Raid and it was one of Andrews' "cover stories" that they were on their way ( with the stolen engine General ) to deliver a trainload of ammunition to Leadbetter. This fiction was hopefully to convince any Confederate authorities they might encounter to allow them to pass without interference or undue snooping, but it didn't work out the way they hoped it would.

 

[KLSDAD]

It's not a battlefield site, but the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greenville TN contains a visitor center, his home and burial site.

Also the site of John Hunt Morgan's death .

 

[Chrisinfp]

It's not a battlefield site, but the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greenville TN contains a visitor center, his home and burial site.

I was thinking about going there. Is it interesting?