Tennessee's Civil War railroad experience involved a complex interplay of overall military strategy, major combat engagements that involved railroads in a direct or indirect way, individual attacks specifically aimed against railroad equipment and facilities, and non-combat military events.  Any attempt to condense such a complex story risks the distortions inherent in oversimplification, but here we attempt to portray the various aspects of the railroad involvement in the military events of the Civil War in Tennessee.

Interpretive Summary

Due to the complexity of Tennessee's Civil War railroad story, visitors are strongly advised to read our interpretive summary before examining detailed information about railroad-related military events:
 

Designed primarily to provide contextual understanding , the "nutshell" version  does not provide the detailed event-specific information that constitutes the real substance of the railroad story.  For more detailed information, explore the following sections devoted to railroad-related battlefields and to events specifically involving railroad equipment and facilities.

Tennessee Battlefields and Railroads

According to the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields, "Civil War battles tended to be fought in proximity to major transportation routes and intersections whether rail, road or water." Among the 38 Tennessee battlefields identified as significant in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission (CWSAC) inventory, all but two occurred within 20 miles of a railroad line.  In fact, 23 occurred within less than five miles of a railroad--and more than half of those occurred in the immediate vicinity of the railroad track.  While most battles involved railroads in a supportive or indirect role, some focused primarily on the railroads themselves.  Select a link from the following table to view information about the relationships between battlefields and railroads:
 

For further information about CWSAC battle summaries, visit the American Battlefield Protection Program of the National Park Service.

Military Events Specifically Targeted Against Railroad Equipment and Facilities

A large number of military events were specifically targeted against railroad equipment and facilities.  Some were associated with major battles, while others were modest affairs (often just skirmishes) intended to harass and disrupt enemy transportation.  The Center is developing a database focusing on military events that were specifically intended to attack (or defend) actual railroad rolling stock and/or infrastructure.  This database is primarily based on the Official Records, supplemented by additional primary and secondary sources.
 
 

PRINTING NOTE:  The above listings have been optimized for printing in a table format that allows all the data for each record within a given listing to remain on the same printed page--just be sure to set your printer to landscape mode.

The Andrews Raid

Probably the most famous railroad-related military event of the Civil War, the  Andrews Raid on the Western & Atlantic Railroad, ended in north Georgia (before reaching the intended destination of Chattanooga) when the Federal raiding party was forced to abandon the stolen Confederate locomotive General.  Less well known are the many connections and associations of that important event to Tennessee, during the war itself and also during the later 19th century as well as throughout the 20th century.  To find out more about this unusual story--with its many twists and turns--visit Tennessee and the Andrews Raid.

Non-Combat Railroad-Related Military Operations

Not all military events related to railroads involved direct armed conflict.  For example, the Confederate military evacuation of Nashville following the fall of Fort Donelson in early 1862 began several days in advance of the actual arrival of Federal troops in the city (see the civilian impact page for details).  Less dramatic instances included the ongoing railroad maintenance operations carried out by military railroad crews (see the railroad equipment and practices page).

   Tennessee Civil War Railroads   |  Civil War Technology & Industry in Tennessee

Last update:  May 15, 2000