Battle of Bean Station

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Bean Station, which took place in nearby Grainger County, Tennessee, and began on December 14, 1863. Confederate General James Longstreet had been repelled from Knoxville after failing to capture Fort Sanders, and Union soldiers under Brigadier General J.M. Shackleford pursued him. The two forces fought near Bean Station, but news of Union reinforcements en route from Rutledge caused Longstreet to withdraw. The photograph is from the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, and it shows the graves of unknown Confederate soldiers who died in the fighting.

You can learn more about Bean Station here.

UPDATE (from my cousin, Jim): Steve, regarding your blog today (see, I DO read it), I am researching this, but either my great, great grandfather or my great, great uncle died in this battle. They were brothers and one died at Bean Station and the other died at Shiloh. You would also be kinfolks as they were Spencers. Interesting that you would post that as I never would have been aware otherwise.