Posted: Monday, September 7, 2009 7:04 am

On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12-13, Stones River National Battlefield will present programs that highlight how the Battle of Stones River can be perceived in many different ways.

This battle was one of the most important battles of the Civil War. The Union victory bolstered Northern morale and set the stage for decisive military campaigns into the
heart of the Confederacy. Soldiers and civilians had different reactions to the battle and its outcome. During the weekend, their stories will come together to give visitors a fuller understanding of the how individual circumstances shape our perception of historical events.

The program schedule is as follows.

9 AM – It Could Not Be Well Avoided - Visitors will gather at the rostrum in Stones River National Cemetery and listen to the stories of several soldiers and civilians from Murfreesboro as they describe their experiences during 1862. All of them characters are drawn from the diaries and letters of people who lived through one of the most tumultuous years in Murfreesboro’s history.

10 AM - It Could Not Be Well Avoided – (Part 2)

11 AM – Rutherford Rifles - Watch an infantry unit drill as you listen to the story of the Rutherford Rifles and their desperate fight to save their homes and families from the northern invaders. (Includes a Musket Firing Demonstration)

1 PM – Carnes’s Battery – Watch a cannon fire as you listen to a soldier who fought with Carnes’s battery. (Includes an Artillery Firing Demonstration)

2 PM - The Mayor’s Men – Watch an infantry unit drill as you learn about the men who served in the 18th and 45th Tennessee units under Joseph Palmer, a Murfreesboro native. (Includes a Musket Firing Demonstration)

3 PM – Wright’s Battery – Watch a cannon fire as you listen to a soldier
talk about his battle experience serving with Wright’s Battery. (Includes
an Artillery Firing Demonstration)

These programs are part of a series of interpretive programs offered at the battlefield during the year. Stones River National Battlefield is located on the Old Nashville Highway, northwest of Murfreesboro. Additional information is available at the visitor center, by calling (615) 893-9501 or at the park website (http:/ /www.nps.gov/stri).