Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Albert Sidney Johnston

Bushrod Johnson

Henry W. Halleck

James B. McPherson

John McCausland

Lew Wallace

The somber aftermath of Civil War battles introduced Americans--North and South--to death on an unprecedented scale and of an unnatural kind, often ending in an unmarked grave far from home. Neither individuals, nor institutions, nor governments were prepared to deal with death on such a massive scale, for never before or since have we killed so many of our own. The Civil War revolutionized the American military's approach to caring for the dead, leading to our modern cult

Colonel Almon Rockwell and James A. Garfield were lifelong friends who met at the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute. They were in the Civil War together and Almon was at President Garfield's bed side after he was shot by an assassin. Learn more about Colonel Rockwell and the friendship he had with President Garfield.

By 1862, Grant was a brigadier-general commanding over 27,000 troops. Grant decided to attack Fort Donelson to achieve his goal of capturing the Confederate stronghold of Nashville.

A solar eclipse is visually stunning, but what will it sound like? NPS scientists will find out by recording sounds in parks across the USA.

Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park.

Currently, the National Park Service manages 14 national cemeteries. These cemeteries represent a continuum of use dating to a period before the establishment of the historical parks of which they are an integral part and are administered to preserve the historic character, uniqueness, and solemn nature of both the cemeteries and the historical parks of which they are a part.

In the 1960s more women were hired for front-line positions and women in NPS uniforms became common sights for park visitors.

Southeastern national parks inspire millions of visitors each year as places to recreate and learn about the region’s culture and history, contributing to local economies. Yet alone, these parks cannot take care of themselves. Preserving parks for the public’s long-term enjoyment requires careful stewardship, active management, along with sound scientific understanding. This is achieved through NPS’s long-term vegetation monitoring programs.