The View from the Upper River Battery
A commanding view of the Cumberland River from the Upper Artillery Battery NPS

Fort Donelson National Battlefield

National Historic Site · Tennessee · National Park Service

Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant was becoming quite famous as he wrote these words following the surrender of Confederate Fort Donelson on Sunday, February 16, 1862. The Union victory at Fort Donelson elated the North, and stunned the South. Within days of the surrender, Clarksville and Nashville would fall into Union hands. Grant and his troops had created a pathway to victory for the Union.

Plan your visit

Know before you go

Phone
931-232-5706
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

What's here

Highlights: Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite · National Cemetery · Forts · Military · Battlefields · Monuments and Memorials · Wars and Conflicts · Civil War

Activities & features: Auto and ATV · Scenic Driving · Guided Tours · Self-Guided Tours - Auto · Hiking · Junior Ranger Program · Park Film · Museum Exhibits

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71 parks mapped in Tennessee

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Sources: National Park Service · updated 2026-08-12