Artifacts Nine


The Battle of Horseshoe Bend (27 March 1814) against the "Red Stick" Creeks helped launch the "Frontier Statesmen" era in American history.





David Crockett

William Carroll


In addition to General Andrew Jackson, Tennessee soldiers David Crockett, Sam Houston and William Carroll also fought in the battle.






Sam Houston never completed a full term as Governor. He resigned the Tennessee chair to protest the Cherokee removal and resigned the Texas chair when they voted to secede from the Union.



General Nathan Bedford Forrest's victory at the Battle of Johnsonville (3 Nov 1864) is the only time in military history a cavalry unit defeated a naval force.


U.S.S. Key West was one of the ships sunk at Johnsonville.
Forrest netted 4 gunboats, 14 steamboats, 17 barges, 32 guns, 150 prisoners, and over 75,000 tons of supplies. The estimated damage to the Union was 6.7 million dollars.

Photo courtesy of Raise the Gunboats, Inc.


Click here for reports on current efforts to
raise the gunboats at Johnsonville.



When asked by President Lincoln to raise troops to fire on South Carolina, Governor Isham Harris replied:






Rather than fire on fellow Americans, the Tennessee Legislature then voted to secede from the Union.


Archaeologists have found evidence that points to people living in the Tennessee region for over 12,000 years.
*See TN Museum



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