Fall of Nashville/Nashville Defensive Lines

Fall of Nashville/Nashville Defense Lines

Date: February 17-25, 1862
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Commanders: Union-Maj Gen Ulysses Grant, Flag Officer Andrew Foote; Brig Don Carlos Buell Confederate-Gen Albert Johnson
Strength: Union-46,000+; Confederate-25,000+
Casualties: ---
Result: Nashville, West Tennessee, Southern Kentucky fall to Federal forces

The Surrender of Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River made all of Northwest Tennessee untenable.  Panic sets in as the Confederates evacuate South of Nashville. Buell and Grant "race" to the prized objective.

The surrender of 15,000 Confederate troops to Brig Gen Grant at Fort Donelson on February 16, 1862 would have immediate consequences. Nashville, the Capitol of the State of Tennessee and a major port, industrial center, and one of the largest cities in the Confederacy, was but 80 miles upstream with only minor defenses between them. Meanwhile, Brig Gen Don Carlos Buell was continuing his prodding advance Southward, as had been his original objective as part of the Department of the Ohio. Still, with the sacrifice of such a large body of Confederates, the bulk of Johnston's army managed to evade the twin Union pincers and retreat to Nashville and Southward, to fight another day.

Fort Donelson
Grant's Department of West Tennessee remained at Fort Donelson for several days to observe and process the surrender, and resupply and recover from the four-day battle. Perhaps most importantly, his superior, Maj Gen Henry Halleck, was reluctant to allow Grant to take Nashville, perhaps out of concern for lack of manpower, perhaps out of jealousy of Grant's success-his subordinate would quickly be promoted to Maj Gen for the victory at Fort Donelson. Consequently, only Grant, his officers, and Flag Officer Andrew Foote's fleet of timberclads and ironclads would participate in taking Nashville. The fleet moved out almost immediately after the river was opened.

Cumberland River

Clarksville, modern day, from Fort Defiance

Clarksville
On the Cumberland River, Clarksville had a population of about 20,000, was an important port, as well as the center of Tennessee's tobacco industry. It had been a very pro-slavery region of Tennessee.  Several camps in the area trained Confederated troops, a line of fortifications lined the city, and the three-gun Fort Defiance guarded the river. Now on February 17, 1862, one day after the surrender of Fort Donelson, Federal Ironclads, including the USS Cairo, steamed upstream to Clarksville.  They found Fort Defiance abandoned, a white flag displaying. Clarksville fell without a shot. 

The Great Panic

The site of the old Nashville Railroad is now Riverfront Park

In 1860, some 17,000 people resided in the state capitol. The people of Nashville had been thrilled to hear about Pillow's "great victory" on February 15. Consequently it was a shock for them to hear about the surrender the next day.  At the same time, Johnston's troops reach Nashville-and then file through without stopping to their new positions near Murfreesboro. The city's proud 1850 suspension bridge connecting to the North Cumberland was destroyed behind them. Upon hearing of the Confederate Army abandoning the city, Governor Isham Harris ordered the militia to resist the Federal advance and then fled with the state archives.  The Home Guard elected to guard city stores, which were getting looted by a mob as hundreds fled out of the city, whether by train, ferry, or road:

Nashville retains some of the largest concentrations of Antebellum buildings in the country.  Photo taken on the Woodland Street Bridge, site of the destroyed 1850 suspension bridge

"Every available vehicle was chartered, and even drays were called into requisition, to remove people and their plunder, either to the country or to the depots, and the trains went off crowded to their utmost capacity, even the tops of the cars being literally covered with human beings. It was a lamentable sight to see hundreds of families thus fleeing from their homes, leaving nearly everything behind, to seek protection and the comforts and luxuries they had abandoned among strangers." --John McKee

On the 17th, Brig Gen John Floyd arrived at Nashville by steamboat from Fort Donelson (after kicking out the Missouri reinforcements who arrived and replacing them with his own Virginians) to see the port completely filled with looters.  With the help of Col Nathan Forrest's cavalry and some of Col John Morgan's cavalry, they restored a semblance of order. After the sick and wounded are evacuated, the last Confederate units leave on the 20th.

The Surrender and Occupation of Nashville

The prominent Tennessee State Capitol, just finished in 1859, soon became the center for the Unionist administration of Andrew Johnson 

Meanwhile, Brig Gen Don Carlos Buell slowly marched down from Bowling Green in pursuit of Johnston. More than a week after the surrender, on February 24, Brig Gen William "Bull" Nelson, who had been detached with the 7000 men of his division to reinforce Grant, had arrived at Fort Donelson.  Concerned with Halleck's inactivity, Grant immediately sent Nelson by the fleet, led by the Conestoga, downriver to take Nashville. On February 25, after seizing the abandoned Fort Zollicoffer, Nelson's troops landed in Nashville and moved quickly to seize the town square and public buildings.  That afternoon, having spent ten days to march sixty miles from Bowling Green to Nashville, Buell arrived on the opposite bank.  Buell was furious at Grant usurping his proclaimed role as conqueror of Nashville, but quickly crossed over and accepted the formal surrender of the city. A few days later, Grant took a quick trip down to Nashville, conversed with Buell and met the widow of former President James Polk.

Grave of President James K. Polk.  Both sides of the Civil War respected the former president, and frequently paid their respects to his widow

When Halleck heard about it, he had Grant relieved of command of his army now termed the "Army of West Tennessee", claiming insubordination.  Brig Gen Charles Smith took command of the army for its next objective, the capture of the important railroad junction at Corinth, Mississippi, until Grant was reappointed, possibly due to intervention from President Lincoln.

Old Glory

Harlan Hoyt Horner. The American Flag. New York: State Education Department. 1910

One of the most interesting stories related to the Federal occupation was that of William Driver.  A former sea captain from Massachusetts, Driver had sailed all over the world, including once transporting the surviving mutineers of the HMS Bounty from Tahiti back to Pitcairn Island.  A constant companion of his trip was a large flag presented as a gift in 1831, which he proudly called "Old Glory". In 1837, Driver retired to Nashville, where he hung Old Glory from a rope tied between his house and a nearby tree.  When Tennessee seceded from the Union in 1861, Driver took down his flag and hid it inside a comforter.

On February 25, when Nelson's Federal forces landed and began seizing government installations, Driver ran over to the Tennessee State Capitol and proudly unfurled Old Glory on the spire.  The 6th Ohio Regiment nearby, quickly noted the incident, which passed along the news wires throughout the country. From then on, "Old Glory" then became the nickname of the National Flag of the United States.

William Driver died in 1886, after passing the flag on to his daughter:

"Mary Jane, this is my ship flag, Old Glory. It has been my constant companion. I love it as a mother loves her child. Cherish it as I have cherished it."

Driver was buried in the City Cemetery of Nashville, under a prominent gravestone of his own design.
Old Glory remained a family heirloom until 1922, when the tattered flag was donated to the Smithsonian Institution, where it remains today.

Federal Defenses at Nashville
Almost immediately after occupation, the Union forces began constructing strong defenses to hold the position against any future Confederate counterattack.

The Federal defenses consisted of an outer and inner works, more than 20 miles in length with interlocking redoubts and forts, and centered around the massive fortress of Fort Negley.

One of the largest inland forts in North America, Fort Negley was built by Union engineers under Col Morton St Clair  after the capture of Nashville in the spring of 1862 and named after the commander of the garrison. The fort is a massive bulwark with three defensive levels, and star-shaped redans holding 11 guns, including a 30-pounder Parrott rifle.

Outer level works

Middle Level works

Middle Works, facing the Southern outskirts of Nashville

Inner Works.  A wooden stockade served as the last line of defense

Fort Negley was built by around 2,700 African-Americans, local slaves, recently freed slaves, and laborers forcibly conscripted.  It was estimated that 800 died of disease and harsh conditions, and only a fraction were paid for their labor. Still, Fort Negley served its purpose; though Confederate raiders ranged freely throughout Tennessee, Nashville was never directly threatened while under Union control.

This interesting facade was erected by the WPA in the 1930s.  The new visitor center, opened in 2004, is behind the trees on the left.  The City Reservoir (site of the Civil War Blockhouse Casino) is in the background.

This is the site of the Civil War Era Blockhouse Casino, a one-sided fort that interlocked with the two lines of defenses, this spot now contains the city's largest reservoir.  This burst in 1912, inundating the surrounding area with millions of gallons of water. It is closed to the public.

Blockhouse Casino (Hill in background) from Fort Negley (Foreground)

 Markers scattered throughout Nashville delineate the Federal fortifications, none of which remain.

In Centennial Park

In Hillsboro