The Tennessee River in the Civil War - New Johnsonville TN - U.S. Civil War Sites on Waymarking.com

The Tennessee River in the Civil War-The Tennessee River flows from the mountains of east Tennessee to the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky. In the 19th century it was navigable from the Ohio to Great Bend at Muscle Shoals in northern Alabama. Steamboats and gunboats could move freely from Paducah to Alabama, bringing supplies and soldiers to whichever side controlled the river.

The Confederates Occupy Columbus

In a monumental blunder, the Confederates occupied neutral Columbus, Kentucky, in September 1861. Federal forces quickly responded by seizing Paducah and Smithland, Kentucky, at the mouths of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers.

Forts Henry and Heiman Fall

The Confederates constructed two forts on the Tennessee River, Fort Henry on the east bank in Tennessee and Fort Heiman on the west bank in Kentucky. The Union navy made short work of both. Gunboats again steamed as far south as Alabama, demonstrating Union might.

The Union Takes the River

Combined Union army-navy operations proved successful at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Shiloh, blows from which the Confederacy never recovered. Once Union forces took the Tennessee River it became part of a supply network for Federal armies in the west. The river and railroad connection at Johnsonville made it a key component in the Union supply line.

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(lower left) Union engineers built strong fortifications in Paducah, strengthening the army’s hold on the mouth of the Tennessee River. (upper right) Fort Henry was no match for the Union’s “brown water navy.” Ironclad gunboats shelled the fort into submission. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

LOCATION: Marker is in New Johnsonville, Tennessee, in Humphreys County. Marker is on Old Johnsonville Road 0.1 miles west of Museum Road, on the left when traveling west. The marker is on the grounds of the Johnsonville State Historic Park. Marker is at or near this postal address: 900 Nell Beard Road, New Johnsonville TN 37134, United States of America.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/30/2021 Don.Morfe visited it