Stones River National Battlefield preserves the site of an important Civil War battle, fought at the end of 1862 and the beginning of 1863. Located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee visitors are able to drive and walk around the battlefield, learning about the battle that took place here and its significance.

We decided to drive through part of the park in order to start at the visitors center, where we watched a short film on the battle. We highly recommend doing this, as it allowed us to understand better the sites we saw and what roles they played in the battle. Stones River was a key victory for the Union, but it did not look like a victory after the beginning of the battle.  The Confederate army overwhelmed the Union, pushing them back to the Nashville Pike. Here, however, the Union rallied with significant help from their artillery. They were able to repel and overwhelm the Confederates, forcing them to retreat. After looking at the small museum, which expanded on the information in the film, we embarked on the drive to see some of the sites of the battle.

First, we took a short walk around the “slaughter pen,” so named for its similarity to the Chicago slaughter pens after the battle. This area is covered with trees and limestone rock outcroppings, making it look like a maze. Here, the Union was in swift retreat as the Confederate army overwhelmed them.

After returning to our car we drove to “Hell’s Half Acre,” where the Confederates advanced across a field covered by Union artillery, suffering terrible losses.

Shortly after, we saw the Union position along the Nashville Pike, along with the oldest surviving Civil War monument in the country, erected after the battle to celebrate some of the men who held this position.

Finally, we saw the cemetery at Stones River, a haunting experience looking at the rows upon rows of white headstones.

Stones River National Battlefield offers anyone interested in history a first-hand look at a battle that would help the Union effort. This battle set the stage for the eventual advancement to Chattanooga and Atlanta. While it is a somber experience thinking about what happened at this battlefield, it is also informative and interesting. We recommend visiting Stones River National Battlefield.