Exploring Stones River National Battlefield

A National Park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Stones River National Battlefield sign. Photo by author.

Stones River National Battlefield is a historic park and cemetery with a visitor center and walking trails along a Civil War Battlefield in Tennessee. There are several hiking trails and a driving trail.

Cannons on display. Photo by author.

The first place we stopped at of course was the visitor center. The Union victory at Stones River opened the way into the Confederate heartland. The battle was known as The Battle of Murfreesboro and lasted three days, from December 31, 1862, until January 2, 1863.

Visitor center sign. Photo by author.

According to the History Channel —

The North was in control of central Tennessee, and the Union victory provided a much-needed morale boost in the aftermath of the Yankees' loss at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. Stones River was a hard-fought, bloody engagement, with some of the highest casualty rates of the war.