History Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park

obelisk atop pilot knob commemorating battle of johnsonville


the battle of johnsonville

in fall of 1864, @ height of u.s. civil war, general william t. sherman captured city of atlanta , began making preparations march south savannah. hoping lure sherman northward, general john bell hood initiated maneuvers intended cut union supply lines in tennessee. hood moved west, general nathan b. forrest moved northeast corinth, mississippi, reaching tennessee-kentucky line on october 28, , proceeding south along river. in november, forrest managed secretly position artillery on west bank of river, opposite federal supply depot @ johnsonville. although of forrest s operations concentrated around now-submerged sloughs north of modern eva boat ramp, forrest did manage position 2 guns atop pilot knob, offered more direct line of fire federal fortifications.

during war, johnsonville established western terminus of nashville , northwestern railroad, connected lower tennessee valley nashville. massive amounts of food , munitions stored @ johnsonville, awaited transfer boat-to-train or vice versa. position heavily fortified , guarded 2,000 union soldiers , several gunboats. when forrest opened fire on morning of november 4, however, union commanders within fort panicked. fearing forrest overwhelm fort, union troops burned gunboats , transport vessels, , attempted evacuate fort train. @ waverly, train abandoned load of supplies, , continued eastward nashville.

forrest managed retreat corinth before arrival of union reinforcements. union losses included 8 dead or wounded , 150 captured. forrest reported 2 dead , 9 wounded. union forces lost millions of dollars worth of supplies, ammunition, , vessels, , rumor forrest marching northward caused general panic among union forces in ohio valley. site of johnsonville (typically called old johnsonville distinguish modern new johnsonville) protected johnsonville state historic park.

establishment of nathan bedford forrest state park

cannon atop pilot knob aimed @ site of johnsonville

much of land along park s southern section once owned pafford family, arrived in mid-19th century. paffords held independence day celebrations near modern park entrance drew visitors on county, , featured grand ole opry performers. paffords aided general forrest during battle of johnsonville, , served park s first caretakers.

in december 1929, state of tennessee established nathan bedford forrest memorial park atop pilot knob, had been donated paffords. road built connecting eva pilot knob, memorial consisting of granite obelisk had been erected. in mid-to-late 1930s, civilian conservation corps , works progress administration arrived build park s roads, trails, , facilities.

jon boat on display @ tennessee river folklife center