National Battlefields · Kentucky and Tennessee
Fort Donelson National Battlefield
National Park Service source material · single source. Source dates and reuse information are available beside each field.
Check the official park website for current access, conditions and visitor information.
Introduction
Background: 1
"Fort Donelson will hereafter be marked in Capitals on the maps of our United Country..." 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.
Geography
Designation: 3
National Battlefield
State or territory: 4
Kentucky and Tennessee
Park Map - Fort Donelson National Battlefield: 5
Map scope: Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Map of Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Kentucky. The park area, shown in green, sits at a point between a creek and a lake, with other park areas in the nearby town of Dover. Waters are blue, Civil War Preservation Trust land is shaded mint green, and other land is beige.
History and culture
History & Culture: 6
The Tennessee State Flag was designed by Captain LeRoy Reeves of the Third Regiment, Tennessee Infantry. Captain Reeves explained the design of his flag as follows:
The three stars are of pure white, representing the three grand divisions of the state. They are bound together by the endless circle of the blue field the symbol being three bound together in one-an indissoluble trinity The large field is crimson. The final blue bar relieves the sameness of the crimson field and prevents the flag from showing too much creation when hanging limp. The white edgings contrast more strongly the other colors.
This flag was adopted as the official flag of the State of Tennessee by an act of the Legislature passed and approved April 17, 1905.
Nature
Animals: 7
Is there anything more peaceful or relaxing than watching a butterfly? Stop by the park Visitor Center for updated list of butterflies, insects, or birds.
Love 'em or hate 'em, insects are an essential part of our environment. Many can be seen in and around Fort Donelson National Battlefield. Find out what's available in our park. Stop by the Visitor Center for updated lists.
Historic places and exhibits
Fort Donelson Visitor Center: 8
The temporary Visitor Center is currently open daily, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Gates are open 8:00 am - 8:00 pm daily.
Places to explore
Things To Do: 9
The self-guided park tour links historic sites by road and on foot; wayside exhibits interpret the battlefield.
Visitor information
Visitation
Sources & field notes
Source records (13)
Select a numbered reference to open a source card. Retrieval dates describe this edition’s source capture, rather than an independent verification or the date of the underlying information.
Background · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Seacoastal artillery, 32-lb smoothbore, reproduction carriage and chassis · NPS. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Catalog image date
- 09/07/2021
- Source scope
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Public domain:Full Granting Rights
- Rights
- Public domain:Full Granting Rights
Designation · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
State or territory · National Park System directory. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.
Park Map - Fort Donelson National Battlefield · National Park Service, Harpers Ferry Center. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Source scope
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield
- Download
- Official map PDF ↗
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Public domain; NPS map
- Rights
- Public domain; NPS map
History & Culture · National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-authored U.S. government material is generally public domain; third-party material may have separate rights. No images copied.
Animals · Animals — National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- April 11, 2021
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS webpage text; U.S. government work generally public domain. Third-party material may have separate rights.
Fort Donelson Visitor Center · National Park Service park structured data. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored U.S. government work is generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Things To Do · National Park Service. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored U.S. government work is generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Physical Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Mailing Address · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Telephone · Official park structured information. Open source ↗
- Information date
- Not supplied by the source
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- NPS-supplied text; NPS-authored government work generally public domain, subject to third-party rights.
Recreation visits · National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics. Open source ↗
- Information date
- 2025
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-30
- Methodology
- NPS reporting unit; annual total is the sum of 12 monthly recreation visit estimates.
- Reporting unit
- Fort Donelson NB
- Evidence
- Single source; not independently corroborated.
- Reuse
- Factual reference data; source attribution retained.