Boats on the Tennessee

The Tennessee River extends 652 miles from its source near Knoxville to its confluence with the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky. During the Civil War, the river was a natural highway through this region, but sections of rapids were impassable for large vessels. One of the most treacherous stretches was the Narrows, which extended several miles downstream. Supply boats bound for Chattanooga had to be pulled by ropes through man-made side channels. This vital supply line strengthened the Union army for Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's advance on Atlanta in the spring of 1864. Today the Tennessee Valley Authority operates a series of dams to allow navigation along the entire length of the river.

Signal Mountain, Tennessee · United States