Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association

Participants brave the weather and the Hatchie

The weather cooperated (no rain or sleet despite dire forecasts) and the engorged Hatchie River was at the perfect height to accommodate ferrying a group of anxious folks to “the other side.”

      Morton’s Battery from Memphis opened the tour last Saturday, December 12^th, with deafening artillery fire from Metamora Ridge – the first cannonfire from that location since the battle.  Tour participants witnessed the spectacular demonstration first from atop the ridge and later, below, as the artillery firing continued from above; both spots would have been swept with shot and canister during the battle.

       National Park Service Park Ranger Tom Parsons led participants through the fields to the Old State Line Road and over the contested ground that was the hub of the fighting, sharing his in-depth understanding of the battle and the landscape.  Neither mud nor high water prevented participants from reaching the rarely-accessed east side of the battlefield.  State Park Ranger Justin King was at the helm of the boat to ferry participants across the river very near the historic crossing site. 

      TCWPA President Jim Danley summarized the participants’ comments:  “The opportunity to visit this nearly pristine battlefield, touched only by weather and time, to stand on the very spot where hundreds were killed or wounded, is a compelling and profound experience – one that gets to the heart of why it’s important to preserve our hallowed ground where so many sacrificed so selflessly.”