Sunday, November 16, 2014

LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES, KY/ FORT DONALDSON, TN

Nov, 10th

Went  down to the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area south of Paducah, KY.  It is a narrow strip of land  in the largest body of water between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico.  Beautiful 50 mile drive down a National Scenic Byway into TN.  At the end is Fort Donaldson, a very important fort in the Civil War.  I have always been interested in anything Civil War.  In 1996, when we took a 25,000 trip around the U.S., Denny's goal was to visit all the big roller coasters and air & space museums. My goal was to see all the Civil War battlefields.  There was a fight that broke out between the North and the South here.  Eventho it wasn't considered one of the big battles, it was a turning point in the war. Until then, there had been more victories in the South.  The Northern win here was the first time the North had broken the line into the South. The Confederates won the first battle but lost the 2nd.  Most confederate troops couldn't understand why they were surrendering because they had won the first battle so easily. 

Confederate River Batteries defending the Fort against Northern troops coming down the Cumberland River



Cannon



 Berms dug by the Confederates  to hid behind  when shooting.
  


Replica of the soldiers huts. 



Hotel where the South surrendered to the Northern General Grant. It was at first the headquarters of the Confederate troops, then a Union hospital


No comments:

Post a Comment