CG suggestions for June trip - Civil War sites in the west

[2_Retired]

DH and I are planning a trip to cover the "western theater" of the Civil War in June. We'll start in Myrtle Beach (home base) and plan to first stop in Asheville, NC (because we love the area!) up to 3 days there, then travel west through Tennessee (might do Nashville) and then to get to see Shiloh National Military Park. Need suggestions where to camp in those areas. From there, probably to Memphis, then down along the Mississippi River to Vicksburg. Also would appreciate ideas on camping on that leg of the trip. Also, "must sees" and "don't bothers" would be helpful. From Vicksburg, across to Chattanooga (again, suggestions!!), down to the Atlanta area, (yes, please help again!), then go with Sherman and "march to the sea" and Savannah - then home to Charleston and MB. Have never been to most of these areas so any ideas or experiences you can share would be a huge help. Thanks. We'll be traveling in a 34' MH with a toad - just the 2 of us. We have almost a month to enjoy ourselves!! Don't have to be back to MB until June 27th!!!

[Roy_Lynne]

What an interesting trip.Hope you blog about it at some point (and send me the link.))

[lfloom]

Not going to find much west of this place:Drum Barracks

[Atlee]

Historians generally consider Virginia, NC, MD, PA as eastern Theater. TN, MS, GA as Western Theater.

Any battles west of the Mississippi River were considered Trans-Mississippi.

[padredw]

And outside Tyler is the remains of the largest POW camp west of the Mississippi (after the battle at Mansfield, La.).

One of my great grandfathers was in the battle of Mansfield; another served at Camp Ford (the POW camp mentioned above.) He was in a Texas Cavalry Unit

While I'm at it: Another Texas great grandfather was captured at the Battle of Chickamauga. The other of my great grandfathers came to Texas right after the war. He was a Captain in a Georgia Infantry Company which was among the troops who surrendered at Vicksburg--and, incidentally, who re-formed and kept on fighting.

Keeping score: three great grandfathers in Texas units, the other in a Georgia unit. I have visited the sites where each served--and many other Civil War Battlefields.

[klm]

OP, you might want to add Andersonville - in GA - although not a battlefield, but a POW for Union soldiers, to your list.

[kscaddo]

Well, here in Texas, at Sabine Pass, Dick Dowling and 48 drunken Irishmen defeated 5000 of the Yankee navy! Not much there now, just a statue and plaque. And outside Tyler is the remains of the largest POW camp west of the Mississippi (after the battle at Mansfield, La.).

[RWDIII]

In Ariz and New Mexico both armys spent time fighting the Apaches.One was at Apache pass and at Dragoon stage station in Ariz.To a Westerner,its hard to think of the Mississippi as the West

[2_Retired]

"Western Theater major battle sites (as various noted authors describe them) those would be Shiloh, Chickamauga, Vicksburg and Atlanta. There was a major battle at Franklin, Tenn. also. While there were other major actions in the Western Theater east of the Miss. these battles began the final death-knell for the Confederacy."

All these places are in our plans! Thanks for the help everyone. I know there were armed confrontations all over the country during the Civil War, but most Civil War historians do consider the fight for control over the Mississippi River as the "Western Theater) of the Civil War. That's why its the focus of our trip this time. When I am in Missouri, New Mexico, etc, even California, I will definitely make time for the Civil War sites there!

[noe-place]

If it's your intent to visit the real Western Theater major battle sites (as various noted authors describe them) those would be Shiloh, Chickamauga, Vicksburg and Atlanta. There was a major battle at Franklin, Tenn. also. While there were other major actions in the Western Theater east of the Miss. these battles began the final death-knell for the Confederacy.

[WE-C-USA]

I'm like others, IMO, the "Western Theater", starts at the Mississippi River.
Pea Ridge in NW Arkansas northward into Eastern Kansas & Western Missouri. All the way up to the I-70 and then some is loaded with battle sites.

[navybanker]

You might want to visit the sites around Franklin, Tennessee just south of Nashville. They are Carter house and the Battle of Franklin/Nashville. The COE campground on Percy Priest Lake close to Nashville is very good but no sewer (dump). The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson plantation)is close by. Also Ft. Donelson near Dover,Tennessee. Just north of Dover is Land Between the Lakes (most are in Kentucky) with several COE campgrounds (Piney CG is closest to Ft Donelson)with some FHUs. Piney is right on the Tennessee River. Check out Pickwick Dam state park near Shiloh.
You are correct as this part of the country was the "west" during the 'war' as they call it around these parts.

[agesilaus]

Well we accidentally stopped at the Valverde site (in NM). We pulled off the road at a turn-out and then I noticed a piller with a metal plate. The plate informed us that this was the site of the Valverde battle. Flat high desert is all that can be seen. I had read a book about the battle not too long before so I'd heard of it, but the actual site is completely uninformative unless they've done some work there since we were there.

[4runnerguy]

stetwood wrote:

dbbls wrote:
I have to chuckle because there are civil war sites much further west.
All the sites you have mentioned are in the east to me. There were civil war battles in New Mexico and Arizona. The battle of Picacho Peak in Arizona I think is the furthest west battle of the war. There was a battle at Glorieta Pass just east of Santa Fe, NM. There were many battles in Missouri because it was a border state and was wanted very badly by the Confederates and the Union was determined to old it. The skirmishes' alone the Missouri and Kansas border actually started in 1855. Missouri, supposedly a slave state, had individuals trying to influence the vote in Kansas to make it a slave state also. This started the Kansas/Missouri border war and made Quantrill famous.

Sorry for the diversion from your original question. Vicksburg Battlefield Kampground right near the Battlefield National Park. Exit 4 on I-20. While in Vicksburg be sure and visit the Corp of Engineers water experiment station. It is very interesting.

My first reaction was the same, o boy, I get hear about some of those Civil War sites in Missouri, Kansas and other states west of those states, but was disappointed when I read about those East of the Mississippi as being Western.

Same here. I was even thinking about Pea Ridge in NW Arkansas. Not as far west as NM or AZ, but an important battlefield that had a lot to do with the CSA from making a strong move into Missouri. A very well preserved battleground.

[stetwood]

dbbls wrote:
I have to chuckle because there are civil war sites much further west.
All the sites you have mentioned are in the east to me. There were civil war battles in New Mexico and Arizona. The battle of Picacho Peak in Arizona I think is the furthest west battle of the war. There was a battle at Glorieta Pass just east of Santa Fe, NM. There were many battles in Missouri because it was a border state and was wanted very badly by the Confederates and the Union was determined to old it. The skirmishes' alone the Missouri and Kansas border actually started in 1855. Missouri, supposedly a slave state, had individuals trying to influence the vote in Kansas to make it a slave state also. This started the Kansas/Missouri border war and made Quantrill famous.

Sorry for the diversion from your original question. Vicksburg Battlefield Kampground right near the Battlefield National Park. Exit 4 on I-20. While in Vicksburg be sure and visit the Corp of Engineers water experiment station. It is very interesting.

My first reaction was the same, o boy, I get hear about some of those Civil War sites in Missouri, Kansas and other states west of those states, but was disappointed when I read about those East of the Mississippi as being Western.