Two years ago I made my first trip to the Fort Donelson National Battlefield. I did a bit of backpacking within the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area, and then toured Fort Donelson after my backpacking excursion. I hate to admit that while Fort Donelson is a rather close drive compared to other Civil War sites I have visited (and visited more than once), I had never taken the time to make the trip. While I have an interest in just about any campaign or battle of the war, and own a couple of books on Donelson, it just never really made it to my "must see" places to go. Now that I have been there once, I am planning a return this coming February with a few Chickamauga study group friends of mine. On this trip I plan to use both Blue and Gray tours to cover the various stops not included on the park's official tour, do some hiking near Fort Henry, visit Fort Heiman, and do a lot of walking within the national park's boundaries as well. This trip will also add the Columbus-Belmont area as an intro to the campaign, and two full days in the Fort Donelson area. I found a nicely rated and affordable motel in Murray, Kentucky.
All of this is partially due to a need to add on to what I do with Walking With History. Expanding my tour offerings to keep the business fresh is a good business practice, and the Donelson area, while off the beaten path a bit, is a great area to tour. Having the details and the sites to visit worked out will allow any future tour I give there go that much smoother. And, to be honest, I like touring with my Chickamauga buddies as they are of the same mind as I when it comes to getting out of the car and walking the ground.
There is another plus, there are some units and personalities involved at Fort Donelson that are also involved in the Kentucky Campaign, so having an even deeper knowledge of these units and leaders will also potentially enhance any tour I do give at Perryville!
