
River Batteries at Fort Donelson
Unprepared for invasion, Tennessee joined the Confederacy in June 1861. The state''s long border and three major rivers with northern access made defense difficult. Cutting through critical manufacturing centers, the Cumberland River led directly to the capital city of Nashville. To thwart Federal attack, engineers hastily constructed river batteries as part of the defenses that would come to b...
Unprepared for invasion, Tennessee joined the Confederacy in June 1861. The state''s long border and three major rivers with northern access made defense difficult. Cutting through critical manufacturing centers, the Cumberland River led directly to the capital city of Nashville. To thwart Federal attack, engineers hastily constructed river batteries as part of the defenses that would come to b...
