February 11, 2013

It is nearly impossible to stand at Devil’s Den and not be in awe. The thought that these prehistoric diabase boulders pushed up through the ground with seemingly no rhyme or reason is an intriguing one, and the added Civil War history only makes the area more fascinating.

There are many Devil’s Den rocks that have been named throughout time. Though most are located right at the “main” den, one of the most famous is across Sickles Avenue at the edge of the Triangular Field. It is quite aptly named the “Elephant Rock.” It is unlikely that many soldiers took note of the odd shape in the midst of combat but is probable that some did and perhaps remembered this particular boulder years later.

The Elephant Rock is difficult to reach and is best enjoyed from a distance. It can easily be seen from Sickles Avenue where the road curves up around Devil’s Den to the Triangular Field and Houck’s Ridge.

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. JACOB MITCHELL

Co. D, 1^st Tennessee Infantry

Born 1840 --- Died July 03, 1863 at age 23

When Pvt. Mitchell went off to war, he left behind the sweetheart he had married in 1860, Letha Ann. Family trees list different parents but there is a Jacob Mitchell aged 20 in the 1860 census, living in Lincoln, Tennessee (this is where “our” Jacob was married in 1860). He is listed as having been born in South Carolina. Records indicate that he received his wound on the first day of fighting but succumbed on the third. The 1^st Tennessee Infantry was part of Archer’s Brigade and fought at Willoughby Run, so this is likely where Pvt. Mitchell was wounded. He was later buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray