Approximately 6,600 men died on the Nashville Battlefield with more than double the amount of casualties borne by the Confederate army. Confederate General John Bell Hood led his Army of Tennessee toward Nashville, was soundly defeated by Union Major General George H. Thomas, in December of 1864. There is not much left to see of the historic battlefield, most of which is now built up as suburban subdivisions.
Fort Negley was one of a series of forts built during the Civil War to defend Nashville. It was, in fact the largest fort built by the Union forces who had occupied the city of Nashville. The visitors center is a local hub for Civil War heritage.
Other historic points on the area of the Nashville Battlefield are marked by plaques, including Shy's Hill where the Union forces broke the Confederate lines. Redoubt No. 1 is the only surviving earthen fort built by the Confederate Army.