Invaders, North and South - Sparta, TN - Civil War Discovery Trail Sites on Waymarking.com

TN Civil War Discovery Trail Marker located in front of the TN Visitor Center on I65 South near Sparta, TN.

there is a great Civil War Discovery Trail display inside the Visitor Center "log cabin".

Marker text reads:

CIVIL WAR IN TENNESSEE

Invaders, North and South

In 1861, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which I-65 largely parallels today, connected the mid-South to the Ohio River and the industrial centers of the North. During the war, however, it brought invaders to both Tennessee and Kentucky as a vital Union supply line. It was a target for Confederates, who established Camp Trousdale, a major Confederate induction and training center, at Portland, Tennessee, because of the railroad's proximity.

In February 1862, Union General Don Carlos Buell took Bowling Green, in southern Kentucky, and then moved down the railroad and occupied Nashville, the Tennessee capitol. Retreating Confederates destroyed railroad bridges, trestles, and facilities, but by April trains again operated between Louisville and Nashville, supplying the Union Armies.

In May, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan invaded Kentucky and destroyed railroad cars at Cave City. In August he raided Gallatin, Tennessee and closed South Tunnel between Portland and Gallatin. Late in December, Morgan again destroyed railroad equipment and tracks in Kentucky. After the spring of 1863, the line experienced little disruption. At many places, Union soldiers manned small forts to protect the railroads.

Type of site: Transportation Route or Facility Address: Tennessee Welcome Center I-65 South Sparta, TN USA Admission Charged: No Charge Website: [Web Link] Driving Directions: I-65 southbound at KY/TN border. Phone Number: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/18/2022 mcmeunier visited it