By Marshall Wingerter
Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Thousands of Civil War history buffs visit the Stones River National Battlefield each year to explore landmarks and learn about the crucial battle whose outcome essentially became a turning point for the Union Army.
Operated by the National Park Service, Stones River Battlefield features a museum and archives collection that contains nearly 100,000 artifacts and pages, as well as a short video, that tell the park’s history and the story of the Battle at Stones River. There is also a library at the visitor center that holds more than 3,500 items varying from books to copies of Civil War letters and diaries.
The Battlefield offers nearly seven miles of trails to hike throughout the park. Some of those trails take visitors right through the areas where the bloodiest part of the battle actually took place.
The Battle at Stones River was technically one battle, but it was comprised of two separate attacks on two separate days. The first attack took place on Dec. 31, 1862, and the second attack occurred on Jan. 2, 1863. The battle was fought between the Confederate Army led by General Braxton Bragg and the Union Army led by Commander William Rosecrans.
Although the Battle of Stones River did not have the largest overall number of casualties (including wounded and killed soldiers), the numbers for the two-day conflict remain haunting. Out of the combined 81,117 soldiers fighting for either side, 23,537 were casualties.
“That means that every third per became a casualty,” National Park Ranger Ava Joiner said. “The importance of obtaining control of Murfreesboro for the Union Army was of utmost importance, because of the fertile farm land in the area and the access to old Nashville Highway.”
While visiting the museum, visitors learn that General Bragg served in the army for the entirety of the War (1861-1865) and played a big role in planning and winning the first attack at Stones River, as well as losing the second attack. Morale was high with the Confederates after victories in the Seven Days Battles and the Battle of Fredericksburg, but they had suffered some tough defeats that left their troop count low. The Confederates were beginning to doubt Bragg’s ability to lead them to victory.
However, Rosecrans had just recently been promoted to general and was working hard to receive his army’s support. Following Bragg’s first attack, Rosecrans rallied his troops and held a defensive position long enough and strong enough to counter Bragg’s premature second offensive push. This resulted in the Confederate Army retreating to Tullahoma, and surrendering Murfreesboro.
“Not only did troops seek possession of Old Nashville Highway, their goal was to capture the Nashville and Chattanooga Railway that ran directly through the center of Murfreesboro and the Stones River,” Joiner added. “Whoever controlled the railway would control what was transported and what news would get out.”
President Abraham Lincoln was coming up for re-election in 1864 and really needed to secure the Middle Tennessee area, as well as a Civil War victory if he was going to stand any chance against Democratic candidate George B. McClellan. On the day of the second attack at Stones River, Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation, changing the status of African-Americans in designated areas of the South from slave to free. This tremendously helped out the Union Army in the final years of the war because it allowed African-American males the opportunity to join the military and fight as free men.
The War officially ended on April 9, 1865 after Robert E. Lee’s surrender. Six days later, John Wilkes Booth killed President Lincoln, leaving Vice-President Andrew Johnson to succeed him.
The War didn’t officially end until 16 months after Lee’s surrender in August of 1866. Since there were no telephones or radios at the time, it took a while to get the news of the surrender, so there were still battalions of soldiers fighting all across the Southeast. The president of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis, ordered his commanders to continue fighting, but one by one they began to surrender until the Confederate Army had no more troops to fight for them.
The museum brings the battle to life with exhibits including a large number of historic artifacts, interactive displays, and a brief video that explains what happened here. You can also find a few statues of soldiers and cannons placed in the battlefield where you would see them during the battle. The staff is incredibly welcoming, knowledgeable and ready to assist with any questions one might have.
The Stones River National Battlefield is open year round from sunrise to sunset. There is no admission fee to enter the park or use any of the amenities that it offers.
To learn more about the Stones River National Battlefield, visit https://www.nps.gov/stri/planyourvisit/hours.htm .
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