Sept 15 Knoxville

For our third and last day in Knoxville we went to some Civil War sites.  Knoxville was the focus of several battles in November 1863 and the high ground south of the city was the key to defending it.  The Union built a string of forts covering the high ground.

Fort Dickerson was a hastily built one acre fort on the high ground south of Knoxville.

 The Union located it with a great view of Neyland Stadium.  The Vols had a home game today, and we could hear the public address announcer listing all of the things you could not bring into the stadium.

 In 1863 all of the forest had been cut down to provide logs and lumber for the construction of the forts.  The views were much better then, but the sharpshooters would have made life unbearable.

 

Next stop was Fort Higley in the brand new (2013)  High Ground Park.

 The walk from the parking lot to the fort location is well built and had several interesting narrative signs.  It would have been better for long range viewing if they had cut down all of the trees, like the guys who built it, but they've let the forest grow up.

 The forest grows lots of things.  Mostly kudzu.  But also fungus.

 thanks Knoxville for sheltering us....we had a good time and Go Volunteers!  (they still love David Cutcliffe, Duke's coach who helped lead Tennessee to Nat Champs -1993)