Dates: Saturday February 1, 2025

Time: 2:00pm

Location: Parking lot of First Baptist Church Dover Family Life Center located at 208 Church St, Dover, TN 37058

On February 3, 1863, the lesser-known Battle of Dover or Second Battle of Fort Donelson took place. This battle saw a Union garrison of about 800 men under the command of Col. Abner C. Harding fend off attacks from about 2,000 Confederates under the command of Joseph “Joe” Wheeler and Nathan Bedford Forrest. The Confederates gained some ground but stiff Union resistance and Confederates inability to dislodge Union defenders led to high Confederate casualties. The aftermath of the battle was important for the town and the war. The battle destroyed most of the town of Dover and only 4 buildings remained at the end of the war. The battle cemented Union control of the town and region. It also led to a permanent rift between the two Confederate commanders as Forrest swore to never serve under Joe Wheeler again.

The tour will cover the lead up to the battle, the battle itself, and where units were positioned and the importance it had in the war. The program will also touch on the important but overlooked role that garrison units performed during the war.

No reservations are needed. For anyone interested in attending, we ask that you arrive 10 minutes early to allow the program to start on time. The program will take place in the parking lot of First Baptist Church of Dover Family Life Center.

Program is dependent on staffing and weather and subject to cancellation. Attendees will be notified of any cancellation, and information will be posted to our park Facebook page and to the park website. For questions, please call 931-232-5706 x0 or email FODO_Information@nps.gov