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Visiting Tennessee
- Thread starter Bloody7th
- Start date
East Tennessee Roots
Major
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2010
- Location
- Kingsport, Tennessee
Home - Longstreet Museum
The official website for the General Longstreet Museum in Russellville, Tennessee.
longstreetmuseum.com
FLPrivateer
Cadet
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2025
The mansion where General Van Dorn was shot by Dr. Peters is in Spring Hill. But that is nearly 4 hours away from Pigeon Forge. Nathan Bedford Forrest's boyhood home is near there as well in Chapel Hill.
gjpratt
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2019
- Location
- Central Florida and WNC
Where is your starting point?
J C J Barefoot
Corporal
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2019
If you are in downtown Knoxville I recommend a visit to the East Tenn. Historical Society building. It's well done and has good exhibits on the civil war amoung the history of the state. There are a few individual sites in Knoxville but nothing major.
Start here: https://www.visitknoxville.com/civil-war/
When I was a kid living in Knoxville there was Confederate Memorial Hall / Bleak House and Armstrong Lockett House in Knoxville. Ft. Dickerson on the south side of the river at Knoxville.
When I was a kid living in Knoxville there was Confederate Memorial Hall / Bleak House and Armstrong Lockett House in Knoxville. Ft. Dickerson on the south side of the river at Knoxville.
USS ALASKA
Major
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2016
History, history, history...is that all you folks think about?!? 
Tennessee Whiskey Trail
www.tnwhiskeytrail.com
Cheers...no, really - CHEERS!,
USS ALASKA
Tennessee Whiskey Trail
TN Whiskey Trail Home
The Tennessee Whiskey Trail knits together 25 Tennessee distilleries and gives visitors a taste of the history, tradition and novelty of Tennessee whiskey, as well as experience the rich landscapes.
www.tnwhiskeytrail.com
Cheers...no, really - CHEERS!,
USS ALASKA
Rhea Cole
Lt. Colonel
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2019
- Location
- Murfreesboro, Tennessee
The thing you need to know about Tennessee is the topography. Memphis is closer to Canada than to Bristol on the border with Virginia.
The Civil War in Tennessee was fought up & down the Louisville & Nashville / Nashville & Chattanooga Rail Roads & the Mississippi / Tennessee / Cumberland Rivers. Apart from fratricidal neighbor on neighbor murder sprees & the attack on Fort Sanders, there isn't much to see close to Pigeon Forge.
It would be helpful to know what you are interested in. You are going to be in the Smoky Mountains during fall colors. My advice is go to Cades Cove & soak it all in.
Come to the Fort Donelson to Chattanooga " black powder parks" trail. PM me & I can answer your questions or find out who does.
This link is a useful guide to Tennessee Civil War Sites. Feel free to contact me anytime.
Link:
The Civil War in Tennessee was fought up & down the Louisville & Nashville / Nashville & Chattanooga Rail Roads & the Mississippi / Tennessee / Cumberland Rivers. Apart from fratricidal neighbor on neighbor murder sprees & the attack on Fort Sanders, there isn't much to see close to Pigeon Forge.
It would be helpful to know what you are interested in. You are going to be in the Smoky Mountains during fall colors. My advice is go to Cades Cove & soak it all in.
Come to the Fort Donelson to Chattanooga " black powder parks" trail. PM me & I can answer your questions or find out who does.
This link is a useful guide to Tennessee Civil War Sites. Feel free to contact me anytime.
Link:
lelliott19
Brigadier General
★ Moderator
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Regtl. Staff Chickamauga 2018
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2013
You need to see all the Knoxville stuff where Kershaw's brigade fought on arriving in front of Fort Sanders. Unfortunately, you can't really "see" most of it any more -- unless you can talk @uaskme into meeting you there and pointing out the relevant features.
You absolutely MUST sneak over to the General Longstreet Museum in Russellville and get them to show you Kershaw's headquarters (above) outbuilding. It's located at 5915 E Andrew Johnson Hwy Russellville, TN, United States, Tennessee 37860 - only 47.5 miles from Pigeon Forge. Give your wife the credit cards and free rein for a day of shopping. You can go and be back before she eve realizes you're gone.
Here's some links to old threads that will help you plan your escape
Longstreet in East TN: Huff's Ferry, Campbell's Station, and Knoxville | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites
There's still plenty to see of Longstreet's East Tennessee campaign from Niota, TN to Knoxville --- you just have to know where to look. We met up this morning at the Niota Depot in Niota, TN. @uaskme met us at the depot as we awaited the arrival of our knowledgeable guide Norman Dasinger, Jr...
civilwartalk.com
CWT Explores the Knoxville Campaign 07/10/21 | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites
photo by @Gettmore What a great day! It's always fun to explore Civil War sites with others who share a similar interest but today was extraordinary. It was a great day weather-wise for traipsing around some of the sites of the Knoxville/East Tennessee campaign, but it was the collective...
civilwartalk.com
Longstreet Slept Here: Headquarters Museum at Russellville, TN (12/1863 - 2/1864) | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites
After the November 29 failed assault on Fort Sanders at Knoxville, Longstreet abandoned the siege and retired further into East Tennessee. Leaving the city on December 4, 1863, his forces reached Rogersville, TN on December 9th. Following a return trip down the valley toward Knoxville for some...
civilwartalk.com
Longstreet East Tennessee Bus Tour - Dec. 1863 - Feb 1864 | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites
On November 20, 2021, the Longstreet Museum at Russellville, TN hosted their first bus tour of the sites associated with the Dec 1863 to Feb 1864 time period - after Longstreet's failed assault on Fort Sanders at Knoxville. James Longstreet withdrew his forces from in front of Knoxville on...
civilwartalk.com
RESEARCH: Regimental Map of the Assault on Fort Sanders | South & Western Theaters
EDITED 12/3: TO ADD FINAL MAP SHOWING ACCURATE ALIGNMENT OF THE REGIMENTS IN MCLAWS' TWO ASSAULTING COLUMNS (Alignment of regiments in Anderson's Brigade to come) The Seventy-ninth Highlanders, New York Volunteers in the War of Rebellion, 1861-1865. Albany, Press of Brandow, Barton & Co...
civilwartalk.com
Also: Review the exhibit that used to be on display in the McClung Museum on the UT Knoxville campus. Unfortunately, it's not there any more. It was there from August 2007 until January 15, 2023. It was pretty informative and there were some good paintings and interesting artifacts. I do not know why it was removed.
Rhea Cole
Lt. Colonel
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2019
- Location
- Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Lookout Mountain from the north end of Missionary Ridge tunnel on I-75.
Pigeon Forge to Chickamauga National Battlefield on I-75 is 145 miles away. Point to point on cruise control that is 2 hours. You would have ample daylight to tour the battlefield.
On your way back through Missionary Ridge I recommend dinner at Sugars BBQ which is easy on & off I-75 adjacent to the northern tunnel entrance.
From the outside deck, this is the view that Bragg had of Orchard Knob. The Cumberlanders clambered up the ridge there. You will experience some of what they experienced when navigating the improbably steep angle of the parking lot.
I don't know where you are traveling from. Just saying for myself, I wouldn't go all that way just to look at a house.
Last edited:
uaskme
Captain
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2016
- Location
- SE Tennessee
Cades Cove didn't escape the Civil War. It has an interesting history, Russel Gregory was a part of it. He had a summer cabin on top of the mountain. Excellent hike to Gregory Bald. https://experiencecadescove.com/blog/life-among-cades-cove-tn-families-during-the-civil-war/
Little more to his story. https://www.thesmokies.com/tragedy-cades-cove/
All of that area has Civil War History. Area from Pigeon Forge to Newport was fought over for its corn. Dandridge has some CW History. https://visitjeffersoncountytn.com/the-battle-of-dandridge-tennessee/
Beautiful place. I try to dodge Pigeon Forge. People don't realize the Civil War history that is in and around the Park.
Little more to his story. https://www.thesmokies.com/tragedy-cades-cove/
All of that area has Civil War History. Area from Pigeon Forge to Newport was fought over for its corn. Dandridge has some CW History. https://visitjeffersoncountytn.com/the-battle-of-dandridge-tennessee/
Beautiful place. I try to dodge Pigeon Forge. People don't realize the Civil War history that is in and around the Park.
Last edited:
Bloody7th
Private
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2015
Fredericksburg, VA
Bloody7th
Private
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2015
Thank you!
Bloody7th
Private
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2015
Good stuff! Definitely want to check out Kershaw's HQ!You need to see all the Knoxville stuff where Kershaw's brigade fought on arriving in front of Fort Sanders. Unfortunately, you can't really "see" most of it any more -- unless you can talk @uaskme into meeting you there and pointing out the relevant features.
View attachment 565284
You absolutely MUST sneak over to the General Longstreet Museum in Russellville and get them to show you Kershaw's headquarters (above) outbuilding. It's located at 5915 E Andrew Johnson Hwy Russellville, TN, United States, Tennessee 37860 - only 47.5 miles from Pigeon Forge. Give your wife the credit cards and free rein for a day of shopping. You can go and be back before she eve realizes you're gone.
Here's some links to old threads that will help you plan your escape
Longstreet in East TN: Huff's Ferry, Campbell's Station, and Knoxville | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites
There's still plenty to see of Longstreet's East Tennessee campaign from Niota, TN to Knoxville --- you just have to know where to look. We met up this morning at the Niota Depot in Niota, TN. @uaskme met us at the depot as we awaited the arrival of our knowledgeable guide Norman Dasinger, Jr...CWT Explores the Knoxville Campaign 07/10/21 | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites
photo by @Gettmore What a great day! It's always fun to explore Civil War sites with others who share a similar interest but today was extraordinary. It was a great day weather-wise for traipsing around some of the sites of the Knoxville/East Tennessee campaign, but it was the collective...Longstreet Slept Here: Headquarters Museum at Russellville, TN (12/1863 - 2/1864) | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites
After the November 29 failed assault on Fort Sanders at Knoxville, Longstreet abandoned the siege and retired further into East Tennessee. Leaving the city on December 4, 1863, his forces reached Rogersville, TN on December 9th. Following a return trip down the valley toward Knoxville for some...Longstreet East Tennessee Bus Tour - Dec. 1863 - Feb 1864 | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites
On November 20, 2021, the Longstreet Museum at Russellville, TN hosted their first bus tour of the sites associated with the Dec 1863 to Feb 1864 time period - after Longstreet's failed assault on Fort Sanders at Knoxville. James Longstreet withdrew his forces from in front of Knoxville on...RESEARCH: Regimental Map of the Assault on Fort Sanders | South & Western Theaters
EDITED 12/3: TO ADD FINAL MAP SHOWING ACCURATE ALIGNMENT OF THE REGIMENTS IN MCLAWS' TWO ASSAULTING COLUMNS (Alignment of regiments in Anderson's Brigade to come) The Seventy-ninth Highlanders, New York Volunteers in the War of Rebellion, 1861-1865. Albany, Press of Brandow, Barton & Co...
Also: Review the exhibit that used to be on display in the McClung Museum on the UT Knoxville campus. Unfortunately, it's not there any more. It was there from August 2007 until January 15, 2023. It was pretty informative and there were some good paintings and interesting artifacts. I do not know why it was removed.
Bloody7th
Private
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2015
I may never get that close to Chickamauga again, so it's definitely on the list!
uaskme
Captain
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2016
- Location
- SE Tennessee
Never pulled off there. But the Confederate Salt Works at Marion are there. Cumberland Gap not real far from Russellville. https://www.nps.gov/cane/southwest-virginia-raid.htm
Lot of stuff down the road at Chattanooga and Chickamauga. 2 hours or a little better to Chickamauga.
Really enjoyed the Muster, Great comparison study of Bragg at Chickamauga/Chattanooga. And Lee at Fredericksburg/Chancellorsville. Or really Bragg vs Lee anywhere else.
Lot of stuff down the road at Chattanooga and Chickamauga. 2 hours or a little better to Chickamauga.
Really enjoyed the Muster, Great comparison study of Bragg at Chickamauga/Chattanooga. And Lee at Fredericksburg/Chancellorsville. Or really Bragg vs Lee anywhere else.
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