I did not know this...
- Thread starter coltle6920
- Start date
Rotorhead1026
Member
I grew within 5 miles of what is now Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. Even in the 60s/70s it was not unusual for farmers or backhoe operators to turn up Civil War weaponry, munitions, or military gear in that small area.
I heard all kinds of stuff about it after it became a national battlefield, but tripped over some eyewitness accounting in a book built from a Confederate officer's daily reports - it was fascinating to read about land that I knew as seen by a combatant commander.
Robert Patrick Bender has rescued a well-written account from archival oblivion and brought this well-educated, perceptive and opinionated historical character back to life. From Wilson's Creek to Bentonville, Reynolds provides a personal testimonial to the fighting spirit of his fellow Arkansans and a valuable historical record of the war in the West.
While I've nothing against monuments, it's nice that Wilson's Creek, and Elkhorn Tavern, have few of them. Battlefields in their natural state …
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2006
- Messages
- 7,796
- Reaction score
- 7,224
There's a little known battlefield-more like a skirmish site-off state rt 40 in Pennsylvania known as Frenchman's Rock (I think). Historical markers in place. If you're up on top of the rock face, you have a commanding view of what's below. OTOH, if you're walking the old trail below it, you have to wonder why anyone would stroll up to such an obvious ambush site.
Then it hits you...way back then there were trails, very few roads and fewer-if any- maps. The rock was a landmark that let you know roughly where you were. The native American war party and their French advisors were ambushed there during the French and Indian War. Some years later, Washington and his troops were defeated at Fort Necessity a few miles east of there.
Then it hits you...way back then there were trails, very few roads and fewer-if any- maps. The rock was a landmark that let you know roughly where you were. The native American war party and their French advisors were ambushed there during the French and Indian War. Some years later, Washington and his troops were defeated at Fort Necessity a few miles east of there.
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2021
- Messages
- 5,221
- Reaction score
- 9,049
Also most were in Virginia…
BLACKHAWKNJ
Member
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2006
- Messages
- 6,226
- Reaction score
- 6,706
Battlefields that were the sites of major Confederate defeats-Atlanta, Franklin, Nashville-all lost.
Fort Negley in Nashville has some interesting details of the Battle of Nashville. It also, if you read/listen to everything clearly, gives a new perspective on the causes of the Civil War.
But then I am not a modern woke liberal so I get to understand these things when I get the information.
