Rosecrans Leads the Union Army South Occupation of Murfreesboro

Camp ofthe I 15th Ohio, fortress walls in background courtesy Timothy R. Brookes Rosecrans Leads The citizens of Murfreesboro never The Union army was far from its the Union Army South dreamt "they would ever hear the supply base at Louisville. General roar of cannon, the rattle of Rosecrans' troops constructed a musketry, the groans of the dying." depot, along with a fort to defend it, So wrote John Spence, founder of at Murfreesboro to distribute arms, the Red Cedar Bucket Factory in food, and equipment. From January Murfreesboro, Tennessee and an to June, 1863, the soldiers labored to opponent of secession. The bloody complete the 200-acre earthen fort. Union victory at Stones River in It•was named Fortress Rosecrans. 1863 brought destruction and death to Murfreesboro. But the North gained a much-needed boost to morale. General William Rosecrans planned to press the Confederates south to Chattanooga, gain control of the vital rail link, and drive a Union wedge through Tennessee. General William S. Rosecrans Occupation Military occupation drastically One gun at the fort was trained on the of Murfreesboro altered life in Murfreesboro. Houses courthouse. This elegant landmark was were torn down and the lumber constructed shortly before the Civil War. hauled off to construct buildings for During the war it served as barracks and the army. John Spence wrote that a prison. By the end of the war, half the "the streets were crouded [sic] at all roof was blown off by the wind, times with wagons and soldiers, windows and doors were broken, and giving the place much the appear plaster crumbled from the ceiling. The ance of a wagon yard. Soldiers courthouse, now restored, still stands at camping thick in and round town." the center of the downtown square. The officers particularly loved milk, "making use of citizens cows." When the Federals set off on the Tullahoma campaign, Spence noted that Rosecrans was "scarcely leaving forces sufficient to man the forts." The new recruits and convalescents who stayed behind reportedly had orders to shell the town and burn it in the event of a Confederate raid. Rutherford County Courthouse Library of Congress Fortress Rosecrans in 1863 When fully garrisoned, the fortress presented a formidable defense ofthe transportation routes. National Archives Confederates Threaten Confederate cavalry threatened The next day, December 7, 1864, the Fort Murfreesboro and Fortress Rosecrans Union General Robert H. Milroy, in October 1863. Deterred by the with two brigades, faced the Confed fort's strength, the horsemen turned erates on the field about a mile from BLOCK·HOUSE SKETCHES '°"'" pra..Uor.a ~ 111 .,, neld.. south of town, burned a bridge, and the fort in the Battle of the Cedars. t"t:P,JH. IK.&._,,,.,,._Yl.Vs..Dt1N· ""'fl'e...r ..._,, ("_,_,.... ~. tore up railroad track before moving After spirited fighting, the Confeder toward Shelbyville. ates retreated and Milroy's troops retired to the fortress. The battle, In late 1864, the Confederates hoped fought along Wilkinson Pike, was to recapture Tennessee and move considered a Union victory. Fortress into Kentucky. After a desperate Rosecrans remained unscathed. fight at Franklin in November, in which six Confederate generals died, The-weakened-€onfederate army was the Southern army followed the crushed at Nashville. With their Federals' retreat north toward hopes for recapturing Tennessee Nashville. Meanwhile, Confederate dashed, the army fled to Mississippi. General Nathan Bedford Forrest rode southeast toward Murfreesboro to Blockhouses formed a final defense ifthe destroy the railroad and blockhouses earthworks were overrun. They also protected and to disrupt the supply depot. The railroad bridges. Tennessee State Library and Archives Union forces retreated to the fort. Preserving Five months later, the war was over the National Park Service. Of the Fortress Rosecrans and John Spence's sympathies had four interior forts within Fortress changed: "The prospect was gloomy Rosecrans, only Redoubt Brannan to those returning from war." For remains. tress Rosecrans was no longer needed. During its two years' exis As the garrison discovered, earth tence, the fort had deteriorated works require constant maintenance. despite the garrison's efforts to You can help by staying on the trail maintain the works. The rains of and by leaving nothing behind. winter and heat of summer conspired Fortress Rosecrans tells the story of to wear away the sod covering the the soldiers who fought and toiled earthworks. In April 1866, the Union here, and of townspeople like John army abandoned Fortress Rosecrans. Spence who survived the great conflict. Since then, most of the earthworks have been lost as Murfreesboro has grown past the fort. Only 3,000 feet of an original 14,000 feet of earth works remain. In 1993, the city transferred remnants of the fort to ~RECYCLED ENPMA April 2000 40,000 .

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