Tag: Confederate

RV Life Daily Blog – 12/14/23

December 15, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

Another day in paradise —

We spent the morning deep-cleaning the RV. We swept and dusted everything well, used Pledge and Windex, opened windows, and cleaned the screens. It was a warm sunny day. It was so refreshing to open the windows and get fresh air flowing in and out of the windows.

I have a shark vacuum but I would rather use the shop vac for the edges and furniture.

After lunch, we went for a drive over to Mobile Bay and explored a little bit along the bay coast.

The first place we stopped at was Mary Ann Nelson Park. There were several pelicans on the piers in the photos below.

This is a wonderful small park with a picnic table and a tiny public beach area.

Located clear down on the eastern point of Mobile Bay and Bon Secaur Bay, this is a nice place not to be missed.

From here we headed up Highway 1 north to Mullet Point Park closer to Fairhope, Alabama.

There isn’t much here except a boat ramp and dock. The views of the bay today were gorgeous.

Highway 1 turns into Scenic Highway 98 and continues up the bay to Point Clear and Battles Wharf. There are a couple of spots where you can stop and see the bay, but mostly this drive is filled with private residences.

From here, I took Rich on a side trip to the Point Clear Confederate Rest Cemetery.

The sign says that the Grand Hotel and the Gunnison House served as a hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Vicksburg during the Civil War.

More than 300 Confederate soldiers who died in the hospital are buried here.

The identities of these soldiers were kept in the hospital records until a fire in 1869 destroyed all the records and the names of the soldiers buried here were lost forever.

We finished our scenic drive for the day at the Fairhope Municipal Pier. This is a well-known fishing pier in the area that boasts great fishing, lots of pelicans, scenic views, and a seafood restaurant.

North Beach, which is right beside the pier, was closed and we weren’t able to drive to North Beach Park. We didn’t feel like going any further north so we headed back home from the pier.

The evening was spent watching Christmas movies on one of the free LG internet channels we get on our LG TV. We saw Scrooged, The Christmas Story, Jack Frost, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

What did you do today?

Thanks for reading and being interested in our travels.

Exploring Stones River National Battlefield

October 31, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

A National Park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Stones River National Battlefield is a historic park and cemetery with a visitor center and walking trails along a Civil War Battlefield in Tennessee. There are several hiking trails and a driving trail.

The first place we stopped at of course was the visitor center. The Union victory at Stones River opened the way into the Confederate heartland. The battle was known as The Battle of Murfreesboro and lasted three days, from December 31, 1862, until January 2, 1863.

According to the History Channel —

The North was in control of central Tennessee, and the Union victory provided a much-needed morale boost in the aftermath of the Yankees’ loss at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. Stones River was a hard-fought, bloody engagement, with some of the highest casualty rates of the war.

The driving tour is easy to follow and highly recommended. Stop #1 is a field where Rosecran’s Union Army arrived and occupied on December 30, 1862, the eve of the battle.

Stop #2 is called the Slaughter Pen where Confederate forces launched attack after failed attack but the Union forces held their ground. Both sides experienced heavy losses.

Stop #3 is a cotton field where Rosecran’s Union Army established a defensive line and continued to hold its ground.

Stop #4 is a field where canister charges forced Confederates back into the trees. Union troops defended the Nashville Pike and railroad here. The railroad and pike are still there.

This National Battlefield contains several displays of original cannons and wagons from the battle.

Stop #5 is an area called the Round Forest. The Union Army held its position throughout the entire day. This forest was covered with Confederate dead and wounded soldiers and was dubbed “Hell’s Half Acre.”

After the battle, most of the dead from both sides were quickly buried on the field. In 1865, they were moved and reburied in the new Stones River National Cemetery which is located across the street from the visitor center. Over 6,100 Union soldiers are buried here, with 2,500 of them having no name.

Stop #6 — The Artillery Monument in the photo below marks the battle’s final attack. Here is where 57 Union cannons fired upon the approaching Confederates, killing or wounding 1,800 men in a short time.

The Hazen Brigade Monument is shown below. Colonel Hazen’s men were the only Union soldiers who didn’t retreat. Over 400 of his troops fell in the battle and the survivors didn’t want the world to forget, so they built this monument in 1863.

It is one of the oldest Civil War memorials in the country.

They were buried according to what state they were from…Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.

The Battle of Stones River at Murfreesboro engaged approximately 76,400 men and had the greatest percentage of casualties of any major battle in the Civil War. It was declared a Union victory but at a great cost of life. Rosecrans’s men were so battered they would not campaign for another six months.