Forgotten Friday-McFadden Farm, Murfreesboro

   When I first moved to Rutherford County in 2002, one of the first places we explored was the Stones River Battlefield. One of the tour stops is known as the McFadden's Ford. It was in this area on January 2, 1863, near the McFadden's family farm, that the Confederates attempted to cross the Stones River from the southeast to attack the Union forces entrenched on the hills. Cannons pounded and the Confederates were killed by the hundreds.
   Currently at this tour stop you will see a monument, cannons, a small family cemetery, and you can walk down to the river where fighting occurred. But when I first visited(with my non-digital camera) in 2002, there was an old abandoned farmhouse. I took only this one photo of it, thinking I would take more in the future. And then one day it was just gone. I asked a park ranger who said it was removed because it wasn't original to the site. And that is rather sad, because it was still clearly a quite old home.

Dec 19, 1862 Battle of Jackson, Tennessee

   Southeast of Jackson, Tennessee, skirmishes between December 11, 1862 and January 1, 1863 between Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry and Union forces took place around this area.

Battle of Nashville Dec 15, 1864

   On December 15, 1864, Confederate General John Bell Hood's forces were lined up in an arc around the south end of Nashville. The battle began with an attempt to launch a diversion on the far right of the Confederate's line at Granberry's Lunette and then attack full on the left flank. The diversion did not work as the Confederates were ready. However the Union forces were able to overrun most of the positions on the left and capture the redoubts of the Confederates. The South pulled back and reinforced their line of battle along current Harding Place/Battery Lane at Peach Orchard and Shy's Hills, between the Hillsboro Pike and the railroad.

Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia

   Over the days of December 11th to the 15th in 1862, the Battle of Fredericksburg was fought in Virginia. The Confederate Army led by General Robert E Lee were entrenched along a sunken road upon Marye's Heights above the town. In the first days, the Union Army, led by General Ambrose Burnside, made their way across the Rappahanock River on pontoons and in boats. Once they arrived in the small town they were met with building by building skirmishing.