Event
160th Anniversary of the Knoxville Campaign (Army of Liberation)
Fee:
Free.Location:
Camp Nelson National Monument 6614 Danville Road Loop 2 Nicholasville, KY 40356Dates & Times
Date:
Time:
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Type of Event
Description
The National Park Service (NPS) commemorates the 160th Anniversary of the Knoxville Campaign on August 11-13, 2023!
The Army of the Ohio launched the long-awaited East Tennessee offensive from Camp Nelson. The campaign successfully liberated civilian Unionists who had suffered under Confederate occupation since 1861. The inhabitants referred to Major General Ambrose E. Burnside's force as the "Army of Liberation." The commemorative weekend features immersive living history demonstrations and programs, ranger guided tours, history presentations, and children's activities.
Schedule of Events:
Friday, August 11th
“Between Freedom and Bondage: Remembering and Honoring Laborers at Camp Nelson”
7:00pm – 8:30pm
From 1863-1864, nearly two thousand enslaved men and women were impressed into service by the US Army to build earthworks, fortifications, and military roads at Camp Nelson. To honor and remember the enslaved people who labored to build the site, 1900 flags will be placed along the earthworks at Camp Nelson. Park rangers and living history volunteers will lead a tour along the line, describing the lives and work of enslaved laborers. Each flag will be inscribed with the name of an impressed laborer.
This tour will include walking two miles over grassy trails. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and are encouraged to bring water and insect repellent.
Saturday, August 12th
“Stockpiles and Strategies: Prelude to Victory”
7:00am – 8:00am
From April to August 1863, supplies and soldiers were assembled at Camp Nelson, ready to embark on a campaign to East Tennessee. Join park rangers on a morning tour, and delve into the crucial moments that led to the fight to liberate Unionist cities and counties from Confederate occupation.
This tour will cover 1.5 miles over grassy trails. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and are encouraged to bring water, insect repellent and sunscreen.
“Searching for Sanctuary: Civilian Refugees Arrive at Camp Nelson”
8:30am – 9:30am
After years of relentless violence and guerilla fighting, refugees fled from East Tennessee to Kentucky, seeking safety and for some, the opportunity to enlist with the US military. The Amaranth Society Living History Group, portraying civilian refugees, will enter Camp Nelson through the front gates, and establish a camp on the grounds. Visitors are invited to watch this first-person, living history program, which offers a glimpse of the challenges East Tennessee refugees faced, and gain an appreciation for their struggle for survival.
To view this program, visitors should gather at the White House.
In the Footsteps of the 21st Massachusetts Infantry
10:30am – 12:00pm
In August 1863, soldiers from all over the country gathered at Camp Nelson, ready to march into East Tennessee, toward long and bloody conflict. For the 160th anniversary of the Knoxville Campaign, living history volunteers portraying the 21st Massachusetts Infantry will march through the gates of Camp Nelson and establish their camp on the grounds.
This program will begin at 10:30am on the lawn in front of the White House with a brief introduction by park rangers. The march will begin with a cannon salute, and the 21st Massachusetts Infantry will be accompanied by the Fort McHenry Guard fife and drum company, and will include US Army wagons pulled by horse and mule teams.
Loop 2 road will be briefly closed, and the public is invited to follow the group at a safe distance as they march into the grounds, and interact with the volunteers while they establish their camps.
Tent Talk: John Hunt Morgan’s 1863 Raid
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Historian David Mowery explores John Hunt Morgan’s daring raid into Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio in July 1863. Designed to distract US forces and obstruct preparation efforts for the Knoxville Campaign, Morgan’s Great Raid spanned over 1,000 miles and resulted in extensive damage to bridges, railroads, and private property.
Attendees will be seated outdoors under a shade tent, and are encouraged to bring water and insect repellent.
“March to Knoxville: A Journey through the 1863 Campaign”
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Join a park ranger for a deep dive into the military campaign to Knoxville. With crucial routes to Tennessee blocked by Confederate forces, the US Army of the Ohio endured a long, difficult march through the mountains to reach their objective. Although Camp Nelson was designed to keep these men well-fed and equipped, this military machine faltered and could not keep up a steady supply train into Tennessee. Hear stories of the ordeals soldiers endured, not only from the dangers of the battlefield, but from shortages of food and essentials they needed to survive.
This program will begin under a shade tent before visitors are invited to walk approximately one mile (round trip) over grassy trails. Participants should wear comfortable shoes, bring water, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
Dress Parade
5:00pm – 5:30pm
The 21st Massachusetts Infantry and Fort McHenry Guard will perform a dress parade. Dress parade is the formal time once a day, when the entire regiment assembles to make sure everyone is where they belong and pass any crucial information out to the men.
To view this program, visitors should gather in the area of the Prison behind the White House.
“Mustered In: The Daily Routines of Civil War Soldiers” – Campfire Program
7:00pm – 8:00pm
Spend the evening in a Civil War encampment, as park staff and living history volunteers describe the life and routine of a typical soldier. Learn how they cooked rations, built shelters, and passed many long days and nights away from home during the war. After a short presentation, visitors will be invited to walk through the camp to speak with living history volunteers, watch demonstrations, and immerse themselves into life at camp.
Sunday, August 13th
21st Massachusetts Infantry Guard Mount and Inspection
9:00am – 11:00am
The 21st Massachusetts Infantry and Fort McHenry Guard will perform an inspection and guard mount. Inspection happens weekly in the army camp. It typically happens on Sunday morning and is a formal affair. The men, camps, and equipment are all checked through this inspection. Guard mount happens once a day, primarily in the morning. It is when the 24 hour guard shifts from the old to the new.
To view this program, visitors should gather in the area of the Prison behind the White House.
Small Arms Demonstration with the 8th Tennessee Cavalry
10:30am – 11:00am
The 8th Tennessee Cavalry, organized at Camp Nelson in August 1863, will perform small arms cavalry blackpowder demonstrations.
This program will be held in the large field west of Fort Putnam.
Tent Talk: The Ninth Corps at Vicksburg
11:00am – 12:00pm
In June 1863, the Ninth Corps of the US Army was sent to support the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, which had been ongoing since December 1862. Their ordeal was long and costly, not only from battles around the small city of Jackson, but also from exposure to malaria and other deadly diseases. Join Ranger Andrew Miller, Chief of Interpretation at Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, for a presentation about the Ninth Corps and their fight in the Western Theater of the Civil War.
Attendees will be seated outdoors under a shade tent, and are encouraged to bring water and insect repellent.
Last Full Measure: Camp Nelson National Cemetery
1:00pm – 1:45pm
To conclude the 160th anniversary of the Knoxville Campaign, join park staff and living history volunteers at the Camp Nelson National Cemetery for a brief presentation and wreath-laying ceremony.
On Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am – 3:00pm, visitors can explore refugee and soldiers’ encampment, visit a Civil War sutler store, and more! Tables and tents will be set up throughout the park with activities and information about Camp Nelson history and the Junior Ranger program, in addition to the visitor center museum and barracks exhibit.
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