Despite a valiant effort from the rear-guard General Stephen Lee for the Confederates, they lost, and Hood took what was left of his men to Mississippi. It ended quickly due to the short hours but resumed the following day on December 16th. On December 15th in the early morning, the Battle of Nashville broke out. Historians to this day can understand why Hood made the decision to attack knowing the odds weren’t in his favor. Undeterred, Thomas thought of this as an opportunity to give Hood one more blow. The Battle of NashvilleĪfter the battle fought in Franklin, Schofield decided to make his way to Nashville to meet with Union General George Thomas. This plan didn’t work well, and much of the Confederacy suffered casualties that would play out later in the Battle of Nashville. On their way up, Hood decided to attack some of the Union army led by General Schofield in Franklin, Tennessee a small city just outside Nashville. The only problem was Sherman had enough soldiers to split keeping some in Georgia and using the others to chase Hood in Tennessee. Bell decided to take his men back to Tennessee in hopes of drawing Sherman out of Atlanta. In the summer of 1864, General John Bell Hood and his rebel Confederates lost Atlanta, Georgia and quickly abandoned the city when William T.

It took two years under Union occupation before Nashville became the site for a bloody battle. The position on the river was ideal for shipping and made it easier for them to transport goods to keep their soldiers healthy. The Union was happy with its acquisition, and not a shot was fired to make the transfer. Tennessee was a Confederate state and was successful in keeping Nashville under their occupation until February of 1862 when Fort Donelson fell to Union troops, Nashville was surrendered to Union forces. At the time it was one of the most populated cities. Much of the city and surrounding neighborhoods were the sites for some of the bloodiest battles. Due to its prestigious location on the Cumberland River and near the railroad, Nashville was occupied by the Federal troops in the Civil War. Not long after becoming the capital, the city experienced turmoil. In 1796, Tennessee became the 16th state, but it took almost fifty years before Nashville was recognized as the capital. Nashborough was changed to Nashville by the late 1700s. He had a profound impact on the political climate in North Carolina and was a well-respected member of the community. The name “Nash” was inspired by General Francis Nash who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. A group of settlers worked to clear the land and make an enclosure. It’s formation was on the Cumberland River near what is now Downtown Nashville. As often as they were here, the settlement by the French didn’t appear until 1779. It’s more than likely they used Nashville as a central point to increase trade. No one is one hundred percent sure why, but we do know that later other Native American tribes like the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Shawnee came to the area to use as hunting grounds.įrench fur traders came to Tennessee around 1717 and are the first white men on record to visit the area regularly.

They used the land to grow crops like corn, made beautiful pottery, constructed mounds then vanished. Native Americans first inhabited Nashville from about 1000 to 1400 A.D. If you’ve ever wondered a little more about the history of Nashville and its role in the Civil War, we’ve got you covered. During the Civil War, the city and surrounding areas were the sites for some of the bloodiest battles. Its location has always made it a popular destination for trade due to its proximity next to the river and near the railroad.

Travellers rest plantation and museum