USA TOURIST ATTRACTIONS : TENNESSEE

TENNESSEE Tourist Attractions

The Tennessee Civil War Battlefields are important Tennessee tourist attractions. As seen from below some some of the major Civil War battles were fought in Tennessee.

Fort Donelson , Tennessee ( February 12 - 16, 1862)

The capture of the Fort Henry by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in February preceded this battle. Forth Henry had been overwhelmed by the combination of the Union's naval gunboats on the Tennessee River commanded by Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote & Grant's land army. The capture of Fort Donelson, again via the naval & land forces combination , elevated Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant into the top ranks of the Union's Army hierarchy. The Fort was unconditionally surrendered , on the insistence of General Grant, by the new Confederate Chief, Brig. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner. As a result of this Grant became know as "Unconditional Surrender" Grant.

Shiloh , Tennessee (April 6 - 7, 1862)

Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston was killed on the first day of this conflict and his No.2 General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard took command in the conflict with Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. General Beauregard made a brave attack that almost carried the day. They had planned to drive the Union army into the swamps of Owl Creek. Reinforcements thwarted this move & turned the tide of battle resulting in a decisive Union victory.

Stones River, Tennessee ( December 31 - January 2, 1863)

General William Starke Rosecrans was in opposition to Confederate General Braxton Bragg. Soldiers commanded by Bragg twice tried to assassinate him partly due to excessive disciplinary measures. The Stones River became notorious as it had the highest percentage of losses of the whole war. The battle was inconclusive & the withdrawal of the Confederate soldiers was a set back for the South.

National Historic Trails in Tennessee :

Appalachian National Scenic Trail, traverses North Tennessee on its 2,175 miles journey linking Maine to Georgia . It was America's First National Scenic Trail ( also known as The People's Path). Great scenery & historic culture.

The Natchez Trace Parkway is an other very popular Tennessee attraction for for biking, hiking, horseback riding, and camping. It is an ancient trail some 400 miles long to salt licks in central Tennessee.

The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, some 330 miles long, commemorates the battles of the American War of Independence which was fought between the British & the patriot militia.The Trail is a major Tennessee Heritage attraction. In 1775-1783 , these patriots were mainly American settlers of Scotch-Irish descent who had settled "over" the Appalachians, so were named the "Overmountain Men". The Overmountain Men were victorious at the battle of Kings Mountain in October 07, 1780. Theodore Roosevelt wrote that the Battle of Kings Mountain marked the turning point of the American Revolution.

The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail meanders through Tennessee. In 1830, the Indian Removal Act forced the migration of all American Indian tribes from the east of the Mississippi to Oklahoma. Many Cherokee died. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail commemorates the Cherokee nation.