Curtain Wall No. 2 and Lunettes: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Stones River National Battlefield, National Park Service

National Park Service

One of only two surviving portions of the earthen Fortress Rosecrans, the Curtain Wall No. 2 and Lunettes component landscape includes the remains of three features: Curtain Wall No. 2, Lunette Palmer, and Lunette Thomas. Historically, these features combined to form the southernmost defensive wall of the original fortress, strategically positioned near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Fortress Rosecrans is a cultural landscape within the Stones River National Battlefield, the site of a critical Civil War battle (1862-1863) and an example of commemorative landscape design developed by the War Department (1927-1933). Today, the Curtain Wall and Lunettes represent nearly 17 percent of the entire original fort. Union General William Rosecrans directed the construction of the earthen fort, including the Curtain Wall and Lunettes, following the 1862-1863 Battle of Stones River. The period of significance spans the construction and use of the fort from 1863 to 1866, during which time Federal forces defended the railroad and supply depots and thus effectively controlled all transport through Middle Tennessee. The features continue to convey an understanding of the overall scale, construction technique, and military significance of the original fortress and retain integrity of location, association, materials, and workmanship. The landscape is significant for its association with Civil War history following the Battle of Stones River, its distinctive construction, and its potential to yield archeological evidence about site construction and activity. The westernmost surviving feature is Lunette Palmer, an earthen parapet approximately 325 feet in length. Inside the wall are two traverses and an earthen magazine. Curtain Wall No. 2 extends to the southeast of Lunette Palmer, measures approximately 300 linear feet, and has five traverses. Lunette Thomas is the southernmost feature and forms the south-facing parapet, stretching approximately 250 linear feet. The Lunettes and the Curtain Wall all measure approximately 15 feet high and 25 feet thick at their bases, and the general form and shape of both structures remain intact. A breach was cut through Lunette Thomas when a utility line was constructed in the 1930s. Remains of ditches, artillery platforms, and magazines are evident in the earthworks. Each of the features lies on the south bank of Lytle Creek. At the time of NPS acquisition in 1992, the surviving earthworks were covered by mature deciduous trees and occasional dense undergrowth. An informal system of dirt paths provided access to and through the earthworks. The NPS rehabilitated the site, removing trees and a majority of the underbrush and establishing a cover of native and exotic grasses on the earthworks, attempting to better imitate the historic appearance. This coincided with the construction of a new parking lot and a pedestrian circulation system through the earthworks, composed of paved paths and raised boardwalks. Currently, an asphalt trail leads from the parking lot and joins a boardwalk winding through the landscape. The boardwalk protects the earthworks from erosion and climbing visitors, while wayside exhibits display information about the history of Fortress Rosecrans. The features are primarily covered in native grasses, with a limited number of trees growing near the top and sides of the earthworks. The adjacent golf course helps maintain the open views once a part of the Fortress Rosecrans landscape. Taken together, the landscape’s historic features and recent enhancements enable the Curtain Wall and Lunettes to continue conveying the Fort's significance; serving to express the structure’s role during the war-era activity surrounding the Battle of Stones River, particular features of its construction, and its potential value as an archaeological resource.

Curtain Wall No. 2 and Lunettes: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Stones River National Battlefield, National Park Service

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