CLICK HERE to watch a youtube video of the 2008 Decoration Day services.


The annual Decoration Day on top of Cold Spring Mountain, above Horse Creek Park in Greene County, Tennessee. The event is held each year at the site of the graves of William and David Shelton and Millard Haire. The three men were killed there during the Civil War.

David Shelton and his nephew William had enlisted in the Union army and were returning home during the war to a cabin on Cold Spring Mountain. However, the Sheltons and Haire, who was 13 years old at the time and was acting as a scout, were ambushed by Confederate soldiers. The families buried the three atop the mountain.

According to the National Forest Service webpage the ambush occurred on July 19, 1864. Around 1915, federal grave markers for the two soldiers were hauled to the site by ox sled. In 1998, descendents of the civilian, Haire, erected a tombstone in his honor.

Information handed out to the participants as they entered the park read, in part, as follows:

"The Forest Service, USDA does not manage Decoration Day; however it does manage the access road to the event site and surrounding national forest land. The Code of Federal Regulations 36 CFR parts 251 and 261 requires a non-commercial Group Use Special Use Permit for all events held on national forest land having more than 74 people in attendance. A group use permit identifies a responsible party for events and documents certain requirements and measures to be taken for events that have potential to impact public land. This type of permit is issued to ensure the natural resources are protected and public safety is addressed."

"The Cold Springs Mountain Decoration Day has exceed the 74 person limit requiring issuance of a permit. Therefore in 2009 a non-commercial Group Use Special Use permit will (Emphasis in the original) be required for the annual Decoration Day event in Greene County. Decoration Day will not be allowed to continue in its present form (over 74 people) if a special use permit is not obtained. (Emphasis in the original) In order to obtain a permit an individual or working group representing Cold Springs Mountain Decoration Day must complete and submit a Special-Use Application and Permit for Noncommercial Group Use to the Nolichucky/Unaka District Ranger."