Harriet Overton, the second First Lady of Travellers Rest and the mother of five children, was thrust into total management of the 2300 acre plantation while her husband, John, was away during the Civil War. Not yet thirty years old, Harriet struggled to nurture her children, direct the work of her fifty slaves, and fend off the challenges of the Union Army troops on her property. When the Travellers Rest plantation became the battlefield during the Battle of Nashville in 1864, Harriet defended her family, home, and property. Her southern pride continued throughout her lifetime.