How did Tennessee fit in the Civil war?

Answer 1

Tennessee is Upper South with complicated topography. On the extreme eastern side are Appalachian Mountains. Those counties provided Union Solders. Going westward one arrives at the intermountain valley and Tennessee River. This area includes Chattanooga and Knoxville. It was mixed in taking sides. To the west is rugged plateau, again Union territory. In the center of the state near Nashville and westward most sympathy was for the Confederacy. The westernmost part of the state has a rugged section which had many Union sympathizers.

The area west of Nashville provided the solders for General Nathaniel (Get there the Firstest with the Mostest) Forest's Confederate Army.

Tennessee had battles and skirmishes throughout the war. Memphis and Nashville fell to Union forces fairly early in the Civil War. Constant battles were fought near Cumberland Gap as Union Forces tried to break through at that point and get south of Richmond to cut it off from the rest of the South.

The fall of Chattanooga would prove devastating for the south. The battles around Chattanooga opened the route to Atlanta and Sherman's march to the sea.

Also the south ran boats full of war materiel from Mobile, Alabama, to Rome, Georgia, and then trains from Rome, Georgia to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the again on boats up the Tennessee River into Virginia. Part of the Tennessee River provided an important transportation corridor for the South. When the Union Army conquered Chattanooga and the army tore up the rail road tracks between Rome, Georgia, and Chattanooga, it severely hurt the Confederacy.

When General Thomas destroyed General Hood's army south of Nashville, it destroyed the Confederate Army in the that part of the nation.