Natchez Trace

Scoop47501

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Sunday March 18th is the first day of a four day solo ride on the Natchez Trace. My goal is to ride as much of the Trace as possible and make two side trips to Shilo National Military Park and also Vicksburg National Military Park.
The main reason to see these historic areas is my great great grandfather fought in these battles under the command of General William T. Sherman and I felt the need to see where he was and get a sense of what he may have went through.
Let's begin the ride.
Day #1 Sunday I take off out of Washington , Indiana for Nashville , Tennessee and work my way to the entrace of the Natchez Trace .








The Trace is busy near Nashville with the weekend bicycle riders and several pirates as well.
It did not take long to find signs of the old Trace .







Temps were very pleasant and I was settling in and came across the burial site of Meriwether Lewis leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition.









On to Shilo National Military Park .

The one thing that impresses me the most is the shear number of monuments in these parks.
Here are a few pics of some either related to my ancestors location or just thought they were cool art wise.











Three days of carnage (October 3-5) produced 4,838 Confederate and 3100 Union casualties.
The next pic is of a field named by the Confederate Forces as "The Hornets Nest" because they charged the union from the right towards the fence three times here and were mowed down by mini balls with each charge before giving up.



As I moved on I came upon some Indian mounds in the park. I would later see alot of these.



I left the park to find a room for the night and would return in the morning to find where Gen. Shermans troups really were.

Later
Scooper
 

rem

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Nicely done, Scooper. I'm looking forward to your next instalment. Do you happen to know the significance of the figure that appears to be writing something on the monument ??? Pictures #12 and 13 down from the top.
I hope the weather holds for you and you have a good trip. R ::008::
 

Scoop47501

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Rem
It was one of many state memorials. I don't recall the exact words in stone that she is writing but think it had to do with honoring the men that died in the battle from the state the memorial represented. I shot the pic for it's artistic value.
Regards
Scooper
 

rem

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It's a lovely monument. Love that Google .... It is called the Iowa Memorial ...


"Brave of the brave the twice five thousand men
Who all that day stood in the battle's shock
Fame holds them dear, and with immortal pen
Inscribes their names on the enduring rock"


Isn't that great ???? It is the Lady Fame inscribing the names of the men who fought and died .......

I love it. R ::008::
 

Scoop47501

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Day #2 Monday the 19th up at dawn and back to Shilo in search of General Shermans location.
Once in the park I pass by Pittsburg Landing. This was a important port and the Union landed here to prepare to invade Corinth , Miss..



Near the landing in the National Cemetary . The total casualties of the battle were 23,746 and only Union casualties were buried here. Two thirds of them unidentified men. The confederate casualties were either buried in mass graves or private cemetaries near by.





While riding slowly throught the park in search of General Shermans location I came across another visitor but he did not want to talk even as I yelped to him :)



The following Church building is a replica of the Shilo Church the battle was named for.



I finally found general Shermans location hidden in the woods and walked in to it about 100 yards. A place to consider what my G.G.Grandfather must have went through here and many other battles that he was in. It was amazing that he survived and was mustered at the end of the war to come home.







With that trophy I moved on back to the Natchez Trace and headed south.

A few hours later just off the Trace I found this stone wall that was built as a memorial to Te Lah Nay an Indian woman forced off her home land in the 1850,s and relocated to Oklahoma (Trail of Tears). She did not care for the area so she walked back and it took 5 years to do so.
The wall was and is still being built by a 82 year old man and great great grandson of Te Lah Nay.
Mr. Hendrix was a pretty cool old guy and gave me a tour while telling his/her story. He has been building this wall/maze for 34 years and counted the rocks while doing so. He is at around 8 million. Unfricken believable !





He does not advertise or have any signs out but people from all over the world have come to see him and this wall as it has become a very spiritual location. Indians from all over America and even monks from Tibet. They bring rocks with them so there are now rocks from Mt. Everest and fossils from the sea of Galilee , a meteor and dinasour tooth fossils.
The rocks that stuck out the most were called face rocks. They are not man made but natural and Indians from South Dakota brought them to protect the wall from the west as they feel everything evil comes from the west.






Meteor



Fossilized honycomb



Sea of Galilee rock.



In many places the wall was 20 feet thick and it was always 5 five tall.



I moved on down the Trace and came across more Indian mounds.





Pulled in for the night with Vicksburg in my sights for tomorrow.
Until then,,,,,,,,,
Scooper
 

rem

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He has been building this wall/maze for 34 years and counted the rocks while doing so. He is at around 8 million. Unfricken believable !

No kidding. Good stuff. Thanks. R
 

jajpko

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Rem,,
This is the inscription:


Iowa Memorial
Historical Markers

(front):This monument is erected by the state of Iowa in commemoration of the loyalty patriotism and bravery of her sons who on this battlefield of Shiloh on the 6th and 7th days of April A.D. MDCCCLXII fought to perpetuate the sacred union of the states Iowa (back):Regiments Engaged 2d Infantry Lt. Col. James Baker 3d Infantry Maj. W.M. Stone 6th Infantry Lt. Col. J.W. Williams 7th Infantry Lt. Col. J.C. Parrott 8th Infantry Col. J.L. Geddes 11th Infantry Lt. Col. William Hall 12th Infantry Col. J.J. Woods 13th Infantry Col. M.M. Crocker 14th Infantry Col. W.T. Shaw 15th Infantry Col. H.T. Reid 16th Infaantry Col. Alex Chalmers Iowa Solders Commanding Brigade 1st Brig. - 1st Div., Col. A. M. Hare, 11th Iowa, (Wounded) Col. M. M. Crocker, 13th Iowa 1st Brig.- 2d Div., Col. J. M. Tuttle, 2d Iowa 1st Brig. - 4th Div., Col. N. G. Williams, 3d Iowa, (Wounded) 3d Brig. - 4th Div., Brig. Gen. J. G. Lauman. 1st BRIG. - 5th DIV., Col. J. A. McDowell, 6th Iowa. (Right):The world will little note for long remember what we say here but it can never forget what they did here. (left):Brave of the brave, the twice five thousand men Who all that day stood in the battle's shock Fame holds them dear, and with immortal pen Inscribes their names on the enduring rock. Marker is on Pittsburg Landing Road, on the right when traveling west. Courtesy hmdb.org

The name of the statue is Lady Fame and her finger is pointing to the above inscription in red.

Ya beat me to it.. :)
 

rem

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Thanks for that, Jim. I love stuff like that. Regardless of which side you or your ancestors were on, you have to respect and admire men who were willing to die for their beliefs. Such an elegant and appropriate memorial ...... to them all. Would that Lady Fame could remember us all that way ..... Thanks again for that info. R
 

Scoop47501

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Day #3 up at dawn again and heading south on the Natchez Trace. After a hour or so I pass from Alabama to Mississippi.



More Indian mounds.





Tornado damage from April 2011. It was about 1/2 mile wide and ran along the Trace for at least a couple miles probably more.







Dog Wood trees in full bloom .



After several more hours just having a grand ole time riding the Tenere and standing up on it for several stretches as the speed limit is 50mph I detour off to Vicksburg Military Park.





You can still see the original trenches.







This one is the Illinois Memorial.







CSA Memorial.



This one is General and later President Grant.



Cool carvings.



I then came across something I did not expect.
Somehow an Iron Clad Ship that sank early in the battle was pulled from the river and preserved. It sits under this tent and is called the U.S.S. Cairo.



Close up shot showing cannons on deck.



Front.



The thing was a Paddle Wheeler and I did not know that.



Last Monument I promise. This one was made of pink granite.



It was starting to rain so I split back to the Trace and rode it to the end. I was concerned about the rain comming as Texas was getting hit really hard at the time and I still wanted to go to Louisiana just to say I rode there.
Next stop was a section of the Old Trace that was sunken from traffic and erosion. I imagined Indians jumping down on unsuspecting travelers :)



Last stop was the visitors center at the south end of the Trace. It was an old home in the town of Natchez. Thought the Spanish Moss was cool.







I settled in for the night just a tad north of New Orleans and watched the Weather Channel. Decided that if I was to stay dry I better head home to Indiana in the morning. I awoke at 2:00 AM Central time and knew that if I tried to sleep any more I would just lay there awake so I packed up and hit the road at 2:45. It was dry out yet but the storm was almost there.
Made it home at 3:45 after thirteen hours and 738 miles. Total trip was 1833 and the Tenere never let me down.
Regards
Scooper
 

20valves

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Great report and pics. As a stupid kid I never cared much for history in school and now I can't get enough. ::008::
 

ThatsLife

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20valves said:
Great report and pics. As a stupid kid I never cared much for history in school and now I can't get enough. ::008::
I was the odd one out in school but I loved history as a kid and even now I can't get enough. Hell, I took extra history classes in college that weren't even required!

That's for the great pics and the ride report, Scooper! Looks like a fantastic trip!
 

snuffcityrider

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20valves said:
Great report and pics. As a stupid kid I never cared much for history in school and now I can't get enough. ::008::
::026:: I would love to get out that way and see those places first hand. Great pics and write up.
 

roy

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Vicksburg is only 30 miles from my house. A nice ride south into Port Gibson will take you to some more history. Grand Gulf military park, windsor ruins, Rodney all good civil war areas with plenty of gravel roads to get your fix. FYI the trace is closed for repairs between Hwy 49 to the Ridgeland, Ms. section.
 

Scoop47501

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"Vicksburg is only 30 miles from my house. A nice ride south into Port Gibson will take you to some more history. Grand Gulf military park, windsor ruins, Rodney all good civil war areas with plenty of gravel roads to get your fix. FYI the trace is closed for repairs between Hwy 49 to the Ridgeland, Ms. section."

I did have a detour around Jackson for a few miles and that was about all I ran into. Did not get much gravel in but did take one that ran byside the Trace for a few miles. Heavy loose gravel that I did not care for with my bike all loaded up so i got back on the pavement.
I did have a great time though.
Scooper
 

Dirt_Dad

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Awesome ride report and pics. I knew that road existed but didn't know what to expect. You did a great job of bringing it to life. Thanks!
 
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