Confederate Camp Cheatham

I'd never heard of this camp before, but had driven through Springfield, Tennessee, on US-41 on my way to visit my nephew and his family in White House.

The site was located at 4452 Carter Road and it was a Confederate induction camp erected in April 1861. Named in honor of Confederate General Benjamin F. Cheatham and wasn't even used for a year as it was abandoned after the fall of Fort Donelson in February 1862.

Federal troops later dismantled it and used it to build their own garrison in Springfield. The camp was six miles outside of the city.

Waymarking.com had a post on it,saying that Camp Cheatham was located at the junction of Main Street and US-41 in Cedar Hill, Tennessee. Cheatham was the first camp commander. Units that trained there were the 3rd Tennessee, 11th Tennessee, 42nd Tennessee, 2nd Kentucky Cavalry which was organized elsewhere.

I also saw that there might have been another Camp Cheatham elsewhere as the 1st Tennessee trained at one in Adams, Tennessee Robertson County).

On July 31, 1861, the 3rd Tennessee was at Camp Cheatham with 885 men present armed with percussion muskets. It was also reported that the unit was suffering from much sickness, especially measles. Several deaths were recorded there.

The 3rd later moved to Camp Trousdale where it was accepted into Confederate service.

I'll Have to Check the Place Out the Next Time I'm There. --Old B-R'er