Stone River Battlefield - Book Report/Review Example

History explores past events and experiences and can be extracted from different sources. Sites that preserve information about historical events are sources of history. They contain information that can be viewed for reference and can illustrate a picture of subject events in history. The Stones River Battlefield is an example of sites in Tennessee that offer information on historic occurrences. I, in this paper, report on my visit to the site, a comparison of my experience with the existing information that I read, and the effect of the visit on my understanding of Tennessee history.

A plot that is named the Confederate Circle and located within the Evergreen cemetery is the exact location where soldiers’ remains lie. Information from a guide however indicates that this was not their original burial site. The Confederates’ remains were initially buried on the battlefield before their remains were moved to individual graves in the Confederate cemetery. The soldiers’ bodies were then relocated to their current graves when one of the graves at the cemetery was worn out.

Another feature that I witnessed at the site is the Hazen Brigade Cemetery wall and the Brigade’s monument. There are also two stone graves outside the cemetery wall. The two graves are identified with two individuals, William Holland and William Harlan. Based on the guide’s information, Holland was a slave before he became a member of the American colored troops. He worked at the cemetery after his military service. Harlan also served in the military and was involved in the First World War. Another observation at the site is a monument that lies next to Thompson Lane but it is not related to any military experience. Also contributing to the historical content of the site’s features is a set of markers that are still preserved. One of the markers is an inscribed poem, ‘Bivouac of the Dead’ and its content is identifiable with the spirit of war. The United States regulars’ monument among others is also an element of the site. The site also has recreational facilities besides its historic features. There is a picnic area where people can assemble and enjoy themselves. It also has educational facilities and offers academic-based programs to young people.

Comparison between my observation and existing information in the literature

The information corresponds with available information about the site. Information from the National Park Services particularly corresponds to my observations of the site. According to the site and in response to the most frequently asked questions about the historical site, the agency offers similar information to my guide’s narration about the site. The available information identifies the site with a battle that killed more than 300 soldiers, wounded almost 16000 others while close to 5000 soldiers became captives in it. Though the number of casualties was almost equally distributed among the battling forces, the Confederates were slightly lower in the number of casualties for both reported deaths and injuries. The information further clarifies the number of soldiers that were buried in the site’s national cemetery. While the number of deaths was not limited to the Confederates and Union members, 7123 people were buried at Stones river national cemetery while about 1300 Confederates were buried at “The Confederate Circle at Evergreen Cemetery” (National Park Services 1). The information also reports on the two graves that I witnessed and was attributed to William Holland and William Harlan and recorded the persons’ dates of birth and when they died. It also offers information on Thompson Lane within the site and the monument that is adjacent to it. This correspondence, therefore, identifies the validity of the diversified information sources, data at the site, information that was offered by the guide, and information from the agency’s website.

The information, observed, read, and narrated, improves my understanding of Tennessee’s history as a fierce battleground. The existence of evidence of the events such as preserved graves and monuments also identifies the region’s value for heritage that led to such preservations. The tour of the sight has largely improved my understanding of the Battle of the stones river and prepared me to understand other historic wars in the region.