Defense of the Gap

Defense of the Gap (HMNVV)

Location: Middlesboro, KY 40965 Bell County
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Country: United States of America
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N 36° 36.518', W 83° 40.468'

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Inscription
During the Civil War this earthwork - called Fort Rains by the Confederates and Fort McCook by the Federals - was one of many fortifications ringing Cumberland Gap.

These defenses were considered too formidable to be taken by direct assault, which accounts for the small number of soldiers killed here. The poor roads and rough country of the Gap made it difficult to resupply the outposts. An attacker could simply cut off supply lines, leaving the forts with little tactical value.

Later in the war, General Ulysses S. Grant visited this area and declared the Gap unusable as an invasion route because of the condition of the roads. Defense of the Gap was no longer strategically important.
Please do not walk on these remaining earthworks.
Details
HM NumberHMNVV
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Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, October 8th, 2014 at 8:25pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17S E 260797 N 4054788
Decimal Degrees36.60863333, -83.67446667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 36° 36.518', W 83° 40.468'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds36° 36' 31.08" N, 83° 40' 28.08" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)423, 606
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 202 Pinacle Rd, Middlesboro KY 40965, US
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