Salem Cemetery, home to the second oldest cemetery in Madison County, Tennessee – circa 1825 – was the site of the Civil War Battle of Jackson on December 19, 1862. Confederate Calvary forces under Gen. Nathan B. Forest clashed with Union infantry regiments under Col. Adolph Engelmann. The Friends of Salem Cemetery Historic Site was created to preserve this piece of Tennessee history for future generations. This 501(c)(3) works with the State Historic Preservation Office and other preservation partners to execute interpretative measures and to bring heritage tourism to Madison County. Additionally, this site provides visitors with walking trails and a pristine natural environment.

As the fledging nation expanded west in the early 1800s, settlement in west Tennessee was made possible by the1818 treaty with the Chickasaw Nation. Andrew Jackson forced the Chickasaw Nation to secede their lands and move west, making way for settlers. If the Chickasaw refused, their land would be seized, if they agreed they would receive compensation in the amount of $20,000.00 a year. Land for Salem Cemetery was granted to Dr. William E. Butler, M.D. (1790–1882), in 1821. Dr. Butler fought under Gen. Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans, War of 1812, and his last military campaign was with the Tennessee Volunteers in the Seminole War in 1818. Salem Cemetery remained an active burial ground until the early 20th Century. Among notable souls buried here is Adam Huntsman, a true Tennessee legend.

Following a Union victory at Shiloh in April 1862, Federal forces had victories at Corinth and Nashville with the goal to eventually take Vicksburg, splitting Confederate forces. Corinth was strategically important as it held a major railway junction, a vital supply route for the Union Army. In December 1862, desperate to thwart Union successes and supply lines, and to give Confederate-held Vicksburg more time to prepare for inevitable assault, Confederate Gen. Nathan B. Forrest was deployed to raid West Tennessee to sabotage the rail tracks into Corinth. After routing Federal troops in Lexington, Tennessee on December 18, 1862, an estimated 400 Confederate forces led by Forrest rode toward Jackson on the Lexington stagecoach road in an effort to trick the enemy to believe thousands of Forrest’s men were to attack the city. Union forces under the command of Adolph Engelmann rushed to meet the advance, setting up defensive positions and encamping at Salem Cemetery and its surrounding fields. Union troops repulsed the two-hour assault on December 19, 1862, suffering six casualties; whereas Confederate losses are unknown. Forrest, however, was not present at the battle, as he used this attack as a feint while he and his remaining men destroyed a section of railway tracks to the north. Having completed his mission, he and his men withdrew, continuing to attack other towns in West Tennessee, including Parker’s Crossroads on December 31, 1862. The Battle of Jackson, also known as the Battle of Salem Cemetery, may seem as a minor affair in the grand scope of the Civil War’s Western Theater, but it provides an excellent example of the tactical acumen of Forrest, a commander with no formal military training prior to the Civil War. While the Battle of Jackson and the subsequent Battle of Parker’s Crossroads did slow Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s advance toward Vicksburg, Mississippi, the West Tennessee battles of December 1862 did not prevent Federal troops from eventually capturing Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.

Following the 1862 Civil War battle, the Reconstruction era, the Great Depression, two World Wars, and increasing modern development, amazingly the Salem Cemetery and surrounding battlefield acreage has remained intact, as if frozen in time, mirroring the topography of the late 19th century. Efforts to preserve this important piece of American history has endured for years thanks to dedicated volunteers. With help of the American Battlefield Trust (ABT), a national non-profit organization focused on preserving America’s military history, 120-acres of hallowed ground has been preserved and is currently in the process of a title transfer to the State of Tennessee. The Friends of Salem Cemetery Historic Site (FoSCHS) – a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, a division of the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation, has been working with volunteers, preservation organizations, and city and state agencies to develop a preservation strategy and to create an interpretative vision, reminiscent of the model employed by Parkers Crossroads Battlefield in Henderson County, Tennessee. Upon securing grant funding and donations, Salem Cemetery Historic Site will erect signage to interpret the role of the Cemetery in the Civil War. The Tennessee Wars Commission, a division of the Tennessee Historical Commission, State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), will assist in this endeavor and will provide additional technical support. The Cotton Grove community, including the Brown’s Chapel Baptist Church, a historically black congregation, will be included in the interpretative purview. The Salem Cemetery Historic Site offers more than history to visitors, including paved walking paths, greenspaces, and the natural environment – allowing for a pristine West Tennessee scenic location, ideal for exercise, bike riding, dog walking, and birdwatching.