Monday, December 16, 2014

Shy’s Hill Annual Memorial Wreath Ceremony and Tolling of Bells

Hosted by The Battle of Nashville Preservation Society, the annual Memorial Wreath began at 3:30 p.m. with a recounting of the battle by Jim Kay, and the placing of the wreath by descendants of the Union and Confederate soldiers at the Shy’s Hill Flag Memorial. As always, BONPS invited descendants and their families to come to the top of Shy’s Hill and to participate in the wreath ceremony.

At 4:30 to 4:34 p.m. — the approximate time at which Shy’s Hill was overrun by Federal Troops to end the battle — Nashville churches and schools around all parts of the city tolled their bells to commemorate this historic event.

Click HERE to see and listen to a moving video created by Mary Newton and her talented team at Nashville.gov’s Channel 3.

Click below to see a short video of the crowd atop Shy’s Hill honoring the fallen combatants of the Battle of Nashville as the city’s church bells rang out (turn volume up to hear the bells) (Video by Tom Lawrence)

Summit of Shy’s Hill falls silent as visitors listen to Nashville’s church bells

Above: Representatives of the Northern and Southern forces together placed the Memorial Wreath on Shy’s Hill on December 16, 2014 — exactly 150 years from the afternoon of the decisive battle which ended the conflict. Placing the wreath are Ken Flies of Minnesota, a member of the task force responsible for placement of the Minnesota Monument on Shy’s Hill, and Tom Lawrence, a member of the BONPS Board whose great grandfather fought in the battle of Nashville. (Photo by Fred Crown)