In the third volume of his Georgia Confederate 7000, Gary R. Goodson Senior reports that the 40th Georgia Infantry received orders to report to Camp Van Dorn in Knoxville, Tennessee on March 20, 1862.
They arrived at the Depot at Knoxville on March 28th and marched two miles west of the city to Camp Van Dorn.

Where was Camp Van Dorn? The exact location of this camp, it appeared, was unknown. It was not even known to the local Knoxville members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Sons of Confederate Veterans, or the local Historical Society. Gary Goodson, not one to let little things like this mystery slow him down, began researching the puzzle while carrying on his already busy schedule.

 
The Topographical Map at the right shows the general area of interest. Area, water supply, and general location with reference to the Knoxville Depot makes this a very likely spot for the camp.

See other maps of the area here in a printable format for further study and additional information.

Map 1
Map 2
Map 3
Map 4
Map 5
Map 6

Charlie Monday, of Knoxville, took these photos of some possible graves located on the site that we are calling Camp Van Dorn.

This first picture is taken looking down from the Meals On Wheels Building as you enter the park. The shot is looking at the right of the playground and the entrance to the grave and buildings site.

This picture is the general site of most of the graves. If you look closely you can see that it is surrounded by a chain link fence on two sides.

In this picture the graves are identified with small survey flags. Every fifth grave is marked with flags at the head and foot. There are thirty graves in the marked portion but the row of graves extends to the chain link fence in the back and perhaps further.

This picture is taken from the opposite end of the markers shown in the picture above.

This is a building site that is identified with flags that is approximately 25 feet by forty feet and divided into two sections, or rooms. One room twenty five feet by twenty feet and another twenty feet by fifteen feet. The opening in the big room leads to the outside while the opening in the small room leads to the large room. It is possible that the big room has another divider.

This picture is a view from the side of the building shown above.

A note from Charlie Monday:

“ I have found many unmarked graves and old building sites in the years past for various people. i cannot tell you that this is the Van Dorn Camp, but there about 200 graves all the same gender, and I don’t see how they could all be female. The building sites do not contain graves within the boundaries of the buildings which indicate the buildings and graves were there at the same time. i have discovered a lot of old building sites that graves are inside the sites. This means that the buildings were built after the burials. These are very orderly burials, six feet lontg and three feet apart which points to military burials. If anyone is in the Knoxville area, and would like to visit the site, please feel free to contact me.”

Charlie Monday