Auto Tour Stop 1 - Eve of Battle

On December 30, 1862, the Union Army of the Cumberland, commanded by General William S. Rosecrans, arrived at Murfreesboro. Troops occupied this area along McFadden’s Lane (called Van Cleve Lane today). As night fell, soldiers struggled to sleep in the freezing mud without campfires, knowing a major battle was imminent. For thousands, that night would be their last.

• A straight paved road is flanked by tall, snaking wood rail fences. A trail to the right leads to an interpretive exhibit near two black cannons placed about 15 yards apart. Another green colored cannon sits beyond the fence on the left side of the road.

Auto Tour Stop 2 - The Slaughter Pen

Union soldiers fiercely defended their position here. Confederates launched attack after failed attack, causing heavy losses to both sides. Bodies piled up in the rocks, and blood soaked the ground. The Union retreated, but the delay gave their army time to form a new line along the Nashville Pike.

• A dirt walking path cuts through the thick trees. Coming from the parking area to the visitor’s left there are massive limestone rocks. These rocks have deep and thick channels running through them. In many places the rocks are higher than waist height. Beyond the rocks there are more trees and a paved path for running and biking. Beyond the path is a historically accurate cedar split rail fence.

Auto Tour Stop 3 - The Struggle for the Nashville Pike

• From the parking lot, a paved trail to the left runs parallel to the road through a field of tall grasses. The trail forks next to the parking lot. Walking straight toward the west, the trail passes two green colored cannons and a rust colored silhouette of a soldier standing and aiming a musket before reaching an interpretive exhibit under two trees. Turning right brings the visitor to a display of two black colored cannons and another interpretive exhibit. Across the tour road from the parking lot, a dirt trail runs along the edge of the woods and a cedar rail fence leading to another interpretive exhibit and a view of the grass fields from the Confederate perspective.

Auto Tour Stop 4 - Holding Fast

Auto Tour Stop 5 - Hell's Half Acre

This site saw some of the deadliest and most pivotal fighting of the Battle of Stones River and is marked by the oldest, intact battlefield monument erected during the Civil War.

• Mowed grass sits to either side of a sidewalk that leads to a cube shaped limestone monument surrounded by a limestone wall. To the left is a wooded area. Green colored Civil War cannons sit on either side of the walkway. The one on the left points back to the road. The one on the right faces to the right overlooking a field of tall grasses. A road bridge is visible in the distance to the right.

Auto Tour Stop 6 - McFadden Farm

Union artillery firing from this site beat back the last Confederate attack on January 2, 1863 bringing the Battle of Stones River to a close.

• Upon exiting the vehicle, the viewer sees a sidewalk and beyond that an area of mown grass that slopes downhill to a cedar rail fence. Beyond the fence, taller grasses cover the slope. The river can be seen in spots at the bottom the slope. To the right, one sees a tall, white obelisk on a hill. Two cannons sit an a grass covered oval behind the parking area. Beyond that is a field of tall grasses. A mowed path leads to the McFadden family cemetery which is a square area of mowed grass with three partial headstones visible.

Fortress Rosecrans

Shortly after the Battle of Stones River, the men of the Army of the Cumberland began building a massive fortification known as Fortress Rosecrans. Named after General William S. Rosecrans, it was the largest earthen fortification of its kind built during the Civil War.

Hazen Brigade Monument

The Hazen Brigade Monument in the Stones River National Cemetery near Murfreesboro, Tennessee is the oldest Civil War monument still in its original location. The Hazen Brigade is credited preserving the Union victory at Stones River on December 31, 1862.

• The cube shaped limestone monument stands inside an area surrounded by a limestone wall. A black iron gate allows access inside the wall. The area inside the wall contains rows of limestone and marble headstones. Each side of the monument is inscribed with text commemorating Hazen's brigade's actions at Stones River.

Stones River National Battlefield Park Store

Extend your Stones River National Battlefield experience with items on sale in our park store.

• The roughly rectangular has shelves containing books and other items on the walls to the right left and in front. In the center of the room are tables with additional items and racks with a variety of shirts and jackets. To the right is a desk with a cash register.

Stones River National Cemetery

Created after the Battle of Stones River, Stones River National Cemetery serves as the final resting place for over 6,100 Union soldiers and nearly 1,000 veterans of following wars.

Visitor Center

• Visitor Center
• The park visitor center and restrooms are open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in Spring and Summer and 9am to 4:00 pm from November 1 through February 29 in fall and winter. The visitor center is closed on Thanksgiving and December 25th.

• Stones River NB Junior Ranger Program
• Become a Stones River National Battlefield Junior Ranger!

• Stones River National Battlefield Orientation Film
• Stones River NB Orientation Film

Stones River Battlefield Tour

Explore the battlefield by car, bike, or on foot. Each stop will tell the story of a critical phase of the Battle of Stones River allowing you understand how it became one of the most important victories in the American Civil War.