Update: Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Package from Fort Donelson NB

Hello Junior Rangers! Here’s another package from the big mailing I received the other day.

If you recall, about a week and a half ago, I posted that I mailed out a ton of completed Junior Ranger books that I either got from online or from my road trip in April (You can read about that here). Fort Donelson National Battlefield was one of those. 

Here’s a list of the goodies that were inside:

Fort Donelson Junior Ranger Badge and Junior Ranger Patch

Fort Donelson NB Junior Ranger Badge – awarded for completing the Fort Donelson NB Junior Ranger Book (also returned in the package). Fort Donelson NB Junior Ranger Patch – This was nice of Ranger Austin to send because as far as I know you’re only supposed to get a badge. I don’t have any information that says that you are supposed to get a patch too, so yay. :)

Rack Card for Junior Civil War Historian Patch

Rack Card for the Junior Civil War Historian Patch – kind of like Traveling Clara Barton, you’re supposed to get this Rack Card signed by three participating parks. I will just be mailing all three to the final park to get the patch (like I did with my Traveling Clara Barton package.)

Trading Cards from Fort Donelson NB

NPS Trading Cards for Fort Donelson NB – I kindly asked for them in my letter and Ranger Austin was nice enough to send them to me. I know some parks don’t do that so I am very appreciative that she did that. :)

Letter from Ranger Austin

Letter from Ranger Austin: This was nice; just kind of a general letter acknowledging that I completed the program, the enclosures, etc.

And that’s it! It was a nice reward for completing the book. Please read about the park, which I have posted below, and check it out the next time you’re in Tennessee. But in the meantime…

Explore On, Junior Ranger! :)

Want your own Fort Donelson NB Junior Ranger badge? Download the activity book online, complete the requisite activities and mail it back to the park (Fort Donelson NB, Attn: Junior Ranger Program, Post Office Box 434, Dover, Tennessee, 37058). You’ll get a badge and maybe they’ll send you some cool swag too. :)

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About Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Self-Guided Tour Map of Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Image Courtesy nps.gov

Things to Do

Fort Donelson National Battlefield is located in Dover, Tennessee, which is about 83 miles northwest of Nashville, Tennessee.

Once you arrive at the battlefield, be sure to start your visit at the Visitor Center. There is a museum with exhibits of Civil War artifacts, the Underground Railroad, and the legacy of the Civil War. There is also an orientation film entitled “Fort Donelson: Gateway to the Confederate Heartland,” which describes the lifelong friendship between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Simon B Buckner. In addition, you will learn how the Confederates built three earthen forts near the park, which includes Fort Heiman and Fort Henry. Ironically, all three sites were eventually used by freedom-seeking slaves as refuge sites.

Entrance to Fort Donelson
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

Once you finish getting to know the battlefield’s history through the exhibits and film, you are ready to embark on the Park Tour. Before you leave the center, be sure to grab the Park Tour brochure (and your Junior Ranger book!). The Park Tour is a self-guided driving tour that is six miles long; there are also interpretive walking trails. Guided tours may be available; be sure to call ahead to check availability.

On your self-guided tour you will have stops at the Confederate Monument, the entrance to Fort Donelson, the Log Huts, the Lower River Batteries, the site of Smith’s Attack, the Union Camp, Graves’ and French’s Batteries, and Forge Road.

Dover Hotel (Surrender House)
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

Exhibits inside Dover Hotel
(Surrender House)
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

At Stop 10 of the Tour, you will see Dover Hotel, also known as Surrender House (where Grant and Buckner met for surrender). Here you will see exhibits about the Dover Hotel, first person accounts of the battle and surrender, and life in Dover, TN after the battle.

Fort Donelson National Cemetery
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

At the final stop of the tour (Stop 11), you will arrive at Fort Donelson National Cemetery. This National Cemetery is where many Union soldiers were re-interred from the battlefield itself and local and hospital cemeteries from Dover and nearby towns. Because it is a National Cemetery, the site contains both Civil War veterans and veterans who have served the US since that time along with their spouses and dependent children.

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History of Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Artist Conception of Fort Donelson
Image Courtesy nps.gov

Flag Officer
Andrew H. Foote
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

On the cold morning of February 14, 1862, Andrew H Foote’s Union gunboat fleet arrived from Fort Henry via the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers. The fleet included ironclads St Louis, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Carondolet and the timberclads Conestoga and Tyler. These vessels exchanged attacks with the eleven big guns located in the Southern water batteries for over an hour and a half. During this time, the Confederates wounded Foote, and the Union gunboats were so badly damaged that they were forced to retreat.

Gen. Simon B. Buckner
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

The Confederates rejoiced at this retreat; however their celebration was tainted with the realization that Grant was still receiving reinforcements on a daily basis. This enabled him to extend his right flank to Lick Creek, and as a result, Grant had, in effect, encircled the Southern troops. If Confederate generals John Floyd, Gideon Pillow, Simon Buckner and Bushrod Johnson did not act quickly, they would be forced to surrender due to starvation.

Gen. Gideon J. Pillow
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

Gen. John B. Floyd
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

In response to Grant’s move, the generals amassed their troops against the Union’s right in an attempt to clear a route to Nashville—a path that would lead them to safety. On February 15, the armies fought furiously and the Union Army reluctantly retreated in the afternoon. It appeared that the Confederates' way to safety would be cleared; however, as a result of confusion and indecision on the part of the Confederate commanders, their troops were foolishly ordered to return to their entrenchments. Grant seized the opportunity and launched a vicious counterattack, which allowed them to retake most of the ground they had lost and, in addition, gain new positions. This effectively closed off the escape route once again. With the Cumberland River behind them, the Confederates were surrounded.

"Unconditional Surrender" Letter
from Gen. Grant to Gen. Buckner
Image Courtesy nps.gov

Confederate commanders Floyd and Pillow turned over command of Fort Donelson to Buckner. Afterward, Floyd and Pillow snuck away to Nashville with an army of about 2,000 men, while others followed Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest to escape across Lick Creek. On the morning of February 16, Buckner sent word to Grant asking for terms. Grant famously replied: “No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted.” Defeated, Buckner surrendered. (Click here for a transcript of the correspondence between Grant and Buckner.)

The Aftermath of the Fort Donelson Campaign

Of the approximately 16,000 Confederates who fought at the battle of Fort Donelson, more than 12,000 were captured or missing, while about 1,400 others were wounded or killed. Of the estimated 24,500 Union troops who engaged in battle, the total casualties were around 2,700.

Soon after the Confederate surrender, civilians and relief agencies amassed to assist the Union Army. Among these were the US Sanitary Commission, which brought food, medical supplies and hospital ships; civilians searching for loved ones; and women acting as nurses such as Mary Bickerdyke, who cared for and comforted the sick and wounded.

After Fort Donelson fell, the South was forced to give up southern Kentucky (ensuring that it would remain in the Union) and much of Middle and West Tennessee, which opened the state to future Union advances. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers would become vital Union supply lines, along with the local railroads in the area. Nashville would be developed into a major supply depot for the Union army in the west. This action tore open the heartland of the Confederacy, and would allow the Union to press on in its goal to unify the states once and for all.

“Unconditional Surrender” Grant

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
Photo Courtesy nps.gov

When the North captured Fort Donelson, and previously Fort Henry (on February 6), it not only signified its first great victory, it also served to propel Grant to the spotlight as a hero (he was later known as “Unconditional Surrender” Grant as a result of his famous surrender quote) and promotion by President Lincoln to Major General. His subsequent victories at Shiloh, Vicksburg and Chattanooga would lead to further promotion to Lieutenant General and Union Army Commander. And the great and final victory of Lee’s surrender at Appomattox would later usher him into the White House.

Sources: nps.gov, history.com

Update: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Hello Junior Rangers! Today I was very surprised with a large FedEx envelope from the people over at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. I am excited about it because it is a reply to the package I sent them a few weeks prior, and come on, getting packages in the mail is fun. :)

So first, the backstory:

Junior Ranger Package from Kennesaw
Mountain National Battlefield Park

About a week and a half ago, I posted that I mailed out a ton of completed Junior Ranger books that I either got online or from my road trip in April (You can read about that here.) Kennesaw Mountain was one of those and now they sent a return package. There was a lot more in the package than just the badge and my returned book; there’s a whole bunch of goodies inside. :D. Unfortunately there was no letter from Ranger(?) Gilliard II (the person whose name is on the return address, and who I assume is a Ranger?). But I’ll take the goodies. :D

Rack Card for the Junior Civil War Historian Patch at KennesawMountain Battlefield Park

Rack Card for the Junior Civil War Historian Patch – kind of like Traveling Clara Barton, you’re supposed to get this Rack Card signed by three participating parks. I will just be mailing all three to the final park to get the patch (like I did with my Traveling Clara Barton package.)

NPS Trading Cards from Kennesaw Mountain NBP

NPS Trading Cards for Kennesaw Mountain NBP – I kindly asked for them in my letter and Ranger Gilliard II was nice enough to send them to me. I know some parks don’t do that so I am very appreciative that he did that. :)

Bumper Sticker from Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Kennesaw Mountain Junior Ranger Bumper Sticker – This is random but hilarious. It is a bumper sticker that says “My Kid is a Kennesaw Mountain National Junior Ranger. Is Yours?” I see it and think of all those competing kid bumper stickers out there. Bwahaha.

Kennesaw Mountain NBP Bison Toy So squeezable! XD

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park Bison Toy – So....yeah. This is VERY RANDOM, but so cute! It’s a little bison stress toy.  He’s so adorable you just want to squeeze him—har, har...lol. It was very nice of him to send this too. Very unexpected and appreciated. :D

And that’s it! It was a very, very nice reward for completing the book. Please read about the park, which I have posted below, and check it out the next time you’re in Georgia. But in the meantime…

Explore On, Junior Ranger! :)

Want your own Kennesaw Mountain NBP Junior Ranger badge? Download the activity book online, complete the requisite activities and mail it back to the park (Kennesaw Mountain NBP, Attn: Junior Ranger Program, 900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, Kennesaw, Georgia 30152). You’ll get a badge and maybe they’ll send you some cool swag too. :)

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About Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Things to Do

Kennesaw Mountain NBP Visitor Center
Photo Courtesy kennesaw.com

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, which is about 25 miles northwest of Atlanta. Once you arrive at the battlefield, be sure to start your visit at the Visitor Center. There is a museum with exhibits of Civil War artifacts and displays that tell the story of the military, civilian, medical and communication aspects of the Atlanta Campaign. There is also an orientation film about the Atlanta Campaign and the Battle of Kennesaw.

Map of Kennesaw Mountain NBP
Image Courtesy nps.gov

Once you finish getting to know the battlefield’s history through the exhibits and film, you are ready to embark on the Park Tour. Before you leave the center, be sure to grab the Park Tour brochure (and your Junior Ranger book!). The Park Tour is a self-guided driving tour, which includes parking and wayside exhibits at each stop. There are also short interpretive walking trails at the mountaintop, Pigeon Hill, and Cheatham Hill.

During the week, you can drive to the top of the mountain yourself; but on weekends, a shuttle bus is available to take you to the mountaintop. In addition, the Park offers a self-guided cell phone audio tour. You can obtain the instructional brochure for the audio tour at the Visitor Center.

Stops on the tour include Kennesaw Mountain, 24-Gun Battery, Wallis House, Pigeon Hill, Cheatham Hill, Sherman/Thomas Headquarters and Kolb’s Farm.

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History of Kennesaw Mountain NBP

The 1864 Atlanta Campaign Begins

While General Grant led his army in Northern Virginia against Confederate General Robert E Lee, Major General William T Sherman moved in a slow advance from Chattanooga, TN to Atlanta, GA. Grant had ordered Sherman to “move against Johnston’s army, to break it up, and to get into the interior of the enemy’s country as far as you can, inflicting all the damage you can against their war resources.”

During this time, Atlanta was a major manufacturing city and a vital Confederate rail junction; four railroads met here, which linked the southern Atlantic seaboard states with the western Confederacy and served as a major supply route.

General William T Sherman
Image Courtesy nps.gov

Union General Sherman began his march against Atlanta on May 7. As commander of the Georgia offensive, General Sherman divided his 100,000 troops into three armies. These armies concentrated near the area of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Opposing them were the 53,000 soldiers of the Tennessee Army commanded by General Joseph Johnston along Rocky Face Ridge at Dalton, GA. It took two days for the Union army to reach General Johnston’s position at Rocky Face. At that time, he sent a column of troops through the area known as Snake Creek Gap to threaten Johnston’s supply connection with Atlanta at the Western and Atlantic Railroad. After this engagement, Johnston made his way south and established a post at Resaca, where he countered Sherman’s troops for three days (May 13-15).

General Joseph Johnston
Image Courtesy nps.gov

Sherman sent another Union column to cross the Oostanaula River to again threaten the railroad. Johnston then retreated to Adairsville, where the two forces fought on the 17th; they fell back only when darkness fell over the battlefield.

This same situation occurred again and again, with Sherman’s goal to cut off the Confederates from the Western and Atlantic Railroad and Johnston retreating to intercept these threats. In late May, he pulled back to a position in the Allatoona Mountains. Despite Sherman’s attempts to send troops wide to the southwest, Johnston was able to slow down Sherman by continuous smaller engagements over the period of four days at New Hope Church, Pickett’s Mill and Dallas (May 25-28).

The Atlanta Campaign and Kennesaw Mountain

Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield
Photo Courtesy kennesaw.com

Sherman resumed his advance on June 10, forcing Johnston to go back east; he followed the railroad so he would not get too far away from the supply line. By June 19, despite the weeks of continuous rain, Sherman’s troops forced Johnston to retreat again. He went to a prepared defensive position which was anchored by Kennesaw Mountain. This ridge had rocky slopes rising above the surrounding plains. Using slave labor, Confederate engineers had laid out a line of entrenchments which covered every approaching ravine or hollow with cannon and rifle fire.

Sherman again attempted to extend the lines south to go around the Confederate troops. Johnston again countered by moving 11,000 of his troops to meet the threat. These troops were led by General John B. Hood.  On June 22, at Kolb’s Farm, Hood savagely struck the Union troops but was unsuccessful in repelling them; he lost 1,500 men. 

Sherman suspected that, despite the strength of Johnston’s defenses, they might actually be thinly manned, and that a sharp attack might break through the line. His plan was to create a diversion attack against the Confederate left at Kennesaw, while amassing a two-pronged assault against Johnston’s then-vulnerable center.

Little Kennesaw
(view from Kennesaw Mountaintop)
Photo Courtesy kennesaw.com

On June 27, the attacking armies moved into position to enact Sherman’s plan. Both attacks were brief and bloody failures. On the one side on their way to Pigeon Hill, “sheets of fire” drove Union troops under cover; and from the other side at Little Kennesaw and Pigeon Hill, the Confederate soldiers rolled rocks down upon them. It soon became obvious the uphill attack would not succeed, and Sherman recalled his troops.

Meanwhile, 8,000 Union troops attacked two divisions of Johnston’s army at the area south of Dallas Road. Many of those troops were gunned down. Some advanced fairly close enough to engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat atop the Confederate earthworks. This place would later be nicknamed the “Dead Angle.”

Sherman resumed his flanking strategy, which forced Johnston to abandon the Kennesaw lines on July 2. Johnston retreated into Atlanta with Sherman close behind; the dance of this slow campaign continuing well into the Atlanta summer. Two months later, the Union would take Atlanta.

Sources: nps.gov, history.com

Update: George Washington Memorial Parkway Junior Ranger Activities

Package from the Parkway

Hello Junior Rangers! Today I was very surprised with a large envelope from the people over at George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP, or simply, “the Parkway” as the locals call it). I am excited about it because it is a reply to the package I sent them a few weeks prior, and come on, getting packages in the mail is fun. :)

So first, the backstory:

A couple of weeks ago, around the same time I sent out Traveling Clara Barton, I had also sent out a slew of my completed Junior Ranger books that I had picked up from the GWMP HQ at Turkey Run Park when I visited there last month. There are many NPS sites along the Parkway and you can find all the current Junior Ranger books there at the Parkway HQ. The notable exception here is Arlington House, which I didn't know had a program till after I left DC. I completely forgot to ask if it had its own separate one. Argh. :(

And although technically Clara Barton NHS is administered by the Parkway, the book for that site was not at the HQ. And apparently Glen Echo Park (also administered by the Parkway) has its own, which like Arlington House, I didn't know until after I left (book was also not at the HQ either). It also didn't help that the Ranger station was closed at the time I went over there.

So anyway, you take the books you get at HQ with you and complete them as you visit each site; once you’re done, you mail them all back to the same place, Turkey Run Park (as not every site has a manned ranger station). The books I did are listed here:

• George Washington Memorial Parkway
• US Marines Corps War Memorial and Netherlands Carillon
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Road to Freedom: The Underground Railroad Junior Ranger Activity Book

(I also did Fort Hunt Park, but I forgot to mail it in—oops.)

So fast-forward to today, and I got an envelope back from the Turkey Run Park HQ with a whole bunch of goodies inside. :D

Letter from Ranger Wheeler

Letter from Bryan Wheeler, Park Ranger: First I was surprised that there even was a letter in the first place, but this was really cool! He actually took the time to read through all of the books I sent and actually referenced my answers in his letter—I was very surprised by this.

  

Junior Ranger Patch

Junior Ranger Patch: Ranger Wheeler was very nice in sending me a Junior Ranger program logo patch because I completed so many books. I did chuckle though when he said “you can get your parents to sew [it] on your clothes or your book bag.” It was still very nice of him to send that. Very unexpected and appreciated.

Theodore Roosevelt Island Junior Ranger Badge: Awarded for completing the Theodore Roosevelt Island Junior Ranger book

George Washington Memorial Parkway Junior Ranger Badge: Awarded for completing the activities in the GWMP Let’s Move Outside! Junior Ranger book. I thought there was something different that you get for the Let’s Move books, but maybe that’s only select parks. Sadly the badge broke in half in the mail, so when I send out the Fort Hunt book, I am going to write to Ranger Wheeler to see if he can send me another one.

GWMP Civil War Junior Ranger Badge: Awarded for completing the Road to Freedom Underground Railroad Book (not to be confused with the Junior Civil War Historian patch, that’s a different program).

Note: Apparently you don’t get anything for completing the US Marine Corps War Memorial/Netherlands Carillon book because it is considered to be part of the GWMP book (and come to think of it, the activities were the same…).

And that’s it! It was a very nice reward for all the work it took to complete all those books. The sites along the parkway were very nice to visit and I will talk about them in more detail in another post. A big thanks to Ranger Wheeler at the Parkway for taking the time to put all this together and his generosity in giving me the Program patch as a gift! :)

Explore On, Junior Ranger! :)