Nashville Fort Negley and the "Siege of Nashville"

Caught me raggin' on Larry and TerryB. If I don't, at least once weekly, rag on Larry, call 911. We go back a long time. Never mind that he's old and getting older, I'm especially proud to count him as one of my very best friends. So I claim the privilege of ragging on him. Without restraint.

And he reciprocates, in spades. Short story made longer, we do what I'd wish we'd all do ... disagree with a large dollop of knowing each other. And accepting the difference.

Ole

You're allowed to rag, Ole. I get a kick out of it.
 
See what happens when you let two guys from Nashville into the pool?

You have to wear a cork and a rubber band and take three showers if you're going to play in the drinking water. That's one reason it has a very thick membrane on the surface. It just looks a little odd being a big cylinder on top of a small steep pronounced hill covered in rocks from a civil-war era fort.
 
Here's a schematic.

neg_diagram.gif







This 1864 diagram of Fort Negley shows its complex design.

* 1. Stockade, made of 12-ft.-high cedar posts, with turrets and underground cisterns.
* 2. East Ravelin, or inner works
* 3. West Ravelin, or inner works
* 4. Casement No. 1. Housing a 30-Pounder Parrott Rifle, a cannon capable of hurling a 29-lb. shell 2.5 miles
* 5. Casement No. 2, with adjacent powder magazine.
* 6. South Main Work.
* 7. North Main Work
* 8. Main Entrance Gate
* 9. East Outer Parapets with redans allowing crossfire.
* 10. West Outer Parapets with redans allowing crossfire.
* 11. Southwest Bastion, a bombproof structure with multiple artillery.
* 12. Southeast Bastion, a bombproof structure with multiple artillery.
* 13. Bastion Tunnels.

As usual, nice post. I've got to learn to insert those larger images such as this diagram and some of the bigger photos that folks sneak in from time to time. All I get are the d i n k y thumbnails. Phooey on me. As you know, we should tell these guys that there are a few photos of the fort easy enough to find on various websites. The perimeter walls shown in the diagram are probably 99 per cent still in place. They just don't have the tops. The engineer that designed this fort paid particular attention to the storm water runoff. It still works extremely well. Entrances were secured rather well, and as you noted earlier, the points on the 'star' would have created a very efficient cross-fire had some poor bloke made it up the hill.
 
Larry, you can cut and paste a big picture by highlighting the whole thing, then control C it. Then you paste it to the place you want it to go.
 
You hit a couple of old brain cells that time. Regarding these two locations (I have the book), both of those sites are now Metro Parks, Fort Morton was on a highpoint and is known as E. S. Rose Park. The site was quarried when the interstate (I-40) was built through downtown and was used as a dumpsite before it became a recreation area. Belmont University has tried to strike a deal with the city for years to build their athletic fields there. The neighborhood won't let them. White folks and Black folks in the South still kick each other in the butt when the opportunity arises just for the chuckle they get. There is a middle and elementary school on the perimeter of the property as well. All of downtown is plainly visible from there. (Pardon me, I got carried away).

Here is a link to today's Nashville Tennessean article. Apparently Belmont has been successful in their appeal for the much-needed renovation of this facility. Both the neighborhood and the University will win from this effort:

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100105/NEWS0202/1050335/1009/NEWS
 
An editor friend sent me this not long ago. It's from the New York Times.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Capt. M. FORREST, of the rebel cavalry corps, was recognized by some of his former companions to-day taking observations of our works at or near Fort Gillem. He was dressed in citizen's clothing.
Another member of the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry was captured this morning while in the act of deserting to the rebels.
The rebel cavalry have possession of the residence of Mrs. A.V. BROWN, and are intrenching themselves on this side.
The rebels have also taken possession of a hill near the Hyde Ferry road, and are planting a battery upon it.
There has been heavy cannonading since 4 o'clock this afternoon.
The guns of Fort Negley are shelling a rebel force in their front to prevent the enemy erecting batteries.
Two of our men were wounded to-day by rebel sharpshooters, near the residence of Mrs. ACKIN.
The river is six and a half feet deep on the shoals, but is falling.


I was at Fort Negely yesterday having some CDVs scanned by the archivists. I noticed they had my Fort Negley article framed and on display in the room where they show the movie. Needless to say I was impressed.
 
Congratulations, Terry, on getting to see your article framed and hanging in an appropriate place. Kinda makes you feel good to know the right people appreciate your hard work. I knew I enjoyed reading your posts for a reason!
 
An editor friend sent me this not long ago. It's from the New York Times.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Capt. M. FORREST, of the rebel cavalry corps, was recognized by some of his former companions to-day taking observations of our works at or near Fort Gillem. He was dressed in citizen's clothing.
Another member of the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry was captured this morning while in the act of deserting to the rebels.
The rebel cavalry have possession of the residence of Mrs. A.V. BROWN, and are intrenching themselves on this side.
The rebels have also taken possession of a hill near the Hyde Ferry road, and are planting a battery upon it.
There has been heavy cannonading since 4 o'clock this afternoon.
The guns of Fort Negley are shelling a rebel force in their front to prevent the enemy erecting batteries.
Two of our men were wounded to-day by rebel sharpshooters, near the residence of Mrs. ACKIN.
The river is six and a half feet deep on the shoals, but is falling.


I was at Fort Negely yesterday having some CDVs scanned by the archivists. I noticed they had my Fort Negley article framed and on display in the room where they show the movie. Needless to say I was impressed.

Bi-montly in that very room Ft. Donelson Camp 162 SUVCW has their meeting. I'll be sure to point it out. By the way, should you be more southernly oriented, Sam Davis 1293 SCV meets next Thursday 7:00 p.m. at Woodson Chapel Church of Christ. Flagman Greg Biggs will be our speaker promptly about 7:15. You and anyone else are very welcome. I know the 'emcee'. You're lucky, this also coincides with annual dues and registration??? hint hint hint
 
Bi-montly in that very room Ft. Donelson Camp 162 SUVCW has their meeting. I'll be sure to point it out. By the way, should you be more southernly oriented, Sam Davis 1293 SCV meets next Thursday 7:00 p.m. at Woodson Chapel Church of Christ. Flagman Greg Biggs will be our speaker promptly about 7:15. You and anyone else are very welcome. I know the 'emcee'. You're lucky, this also coincides with annual dues and registration??? hint hint hint
Larry, if you only knew how long it took me to "join" a church.
Here's another Fort Negley reference.
This was written, dated Dec. 4, 1864, and published in the New York Times on Dec. 18.

The whole of South and West Nashville has been rudely handled during the last two days. Three strong lines of breastworks and rifle-pits have been thrown up from river to river, necessitating the tearing down of several superb residences, and the destruction of a vast amount of timber and land. In front of the middle line is a well-constructed abattis, the removal of which would invite wholesale slaughter. In front of that portion of A.J. SMITH's corps which lingers near the Franklin pike, the rebel sharp-shooters became exceedingly annoying, shooting at our working parties from behind two large white houses about a half of a mile off in a ravine. The Sixth Ohio Battery, about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, opened upon the house to the right of the pike, and carried away the chimney at the first shot. The Sergeant who aimed the gun in a minute afterward was shot through the eye, and killed dead. Capt. BURROUGHS, of the Engineer Corps, and myself, were standing within ten yards of him when he fell. Two Rodman guns were brought to bear upon the house, and in half an hour after it was in ruins. The house opposite, behind which a lot of rebel sharp-shooters were congregated, was next attended to, and also demolished. Both were a short three-quarters of a mile away. A twelve-pound battery, upon the crest of the hill opposite Mrs. ACKLIN's residence, also succeeded in knocking a house to pieces. Fort Negley took a hand in this knockdown game, and with a thirty-two pounder, smashed in a fine brick house on the Murfreesboro pike. This last one belonged to a Mr. RAINS, brother to Gen. JIM RAINS, killed at Stone River two years ago. The rebels keep up a strong skirmish-line, and annoy us considerably. No artillery has as yet been used by them, although they occasionally wheel out a section of a battery, as if they were going to fire. This is, no doubt, owing to their lack of artillery ammunition.
 
The "Mrs. Acklin" mentioned in both passages was Adelicia Acklen, buried at Mount Olivet. Her mansion had a nice tower that was used as an observation post by Union officers. Today the mansion is the site of Belmont University. I've walked past that tower many a time.
 
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