Description
Book Synopsis The Nashville and Decatur Railroad was in operation five months before the start of the Civil War and 17 months before the Federals took control of Nashville and the railroad. Running through Central Tennessee to Alabama, the highly contested line passed through Confederate-held territory, where rebels and their sympathizers continually sabotaged bridges, trestles and track.
This first full-length work on the N&D Railroad emphasizes its importance in the Western Theater and brings to light the four key men who kept it open for the duration of the war. Significant military activities in the region are described, along with the contraband camp, military complex and other features surrounding the railroad''s only tunnel.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1. Going Home to Michigan
- 2. Harnessing the Iron Horse
- 3. Innes and the 1st Michigan Build Their Reputation
- 4. Raids and Stockades
- 5. Dodge and Boomer Rebuild Trestles and Bridges
- 6. U.S. Colored Troops, Contraband Camps and Tunnel Hill
- 7. Relying on Merrill's and Innes' Blockhouses
- 8. Forrest Comes Calling
- 9. Hood Looks for a Fight
- 10. The Battles of Franklin and Nashville
- 11. Chasing Hood: The Battle of Bridge Builders
- 12. In the Wake
- 13. After the War
- Appendices
- A—Early History of the Three Railroads Composing the N&D
- B—Civil War–Era Railroads, Communications and Pontoon Bridges
- C—Locating the Crossings and Fortifications in Mid–1864
- D—Troops Protecting the Railroad
- E—The Southern Claims Commission
- F—The 1901 Franklin, Tennessee, L&N Passenger Depot
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
