This Hidden Nashville Monument is a Place of Stunning Natural Beauty

Have you heard of Shy's Hill? Did you know that the iconic historic site is located in Nashville...? Probably not. In a world that's obsessed with avocado toast and Taylor Swift it seems to get more and more difficult to remember the crux of our country's historic heart. Here in Tennessee, we hold tight to our historic roots and find quite a bit of pride in where we've come, and the hope in where we're going. Let's learn a bit about this hidden monument, shall we?

The Battle of Franklin was fought on December 15-16 in 1864, a two day battle that was a part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign. Interestingly enough, it was one of the largest Union victories during the war.

The Union troops approached the western side of Shy's Hill, launching a three brigade attack that effectively set back Confederate troops. If you study the battle lines, you will be able to see that they overlap highly trafficked areas such as Granny White Pike and Franklin Pike. This is history in our backyards, folks.

The defeat was so brutal, that a number of Confederate lives lost is not completely known. Some believe it to be around 2,500 men wounded or killed during the Battle of Nashville. The Army of Tennessee began the Middle Tennessee campaign 38,000 men strong, although one month after the battle, in January, it was reported the number had been starkly reduced to 15,000.

Shy's Memorial was erected in 2014, consisting of three flags: a Confederate flag, an American flag, and the flag of Minnesota.

There were actually four regiments of Minnesotans who fought on and around the hill, so the memorial was dedicated by not only the Battle of Nashville Preservation Society but also the Minnesota Civil War Commemoration Task Force.

You can visit for yourself on Benton Smith Road in Nashville, Tennessee. A beautiful place, an homage to the dark history of the war between the state.

What an interesting monument to the past!