Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park

In mid-December 2012, I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Chickamauga battlefield just south of Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.  The Civil War battle occurred on September 19-20, 1863.  The battle had the second highest number of casualties in the war, after Gettysburg.  The Federal Army of the Cumberland suffered 1,657 killed, 9,756 wounded and 4,757 captured or missing for a total of 16,170 out of a force of approximately 60,000 (27% casualty rate).  The Confederate Army of Tennessee endured 2,312 killed, 14,674 wounded and 1,468 captured or missing for a total of 18,454 casualties out of a force of approximately 65,000 (28% rate).


On August 19,1890, President Harrison signed into law "an act to establish a National Military Park at the battle-field of Chickamauga."  It was the first piece of legislation authorizing the preservation of an American battlefield.  The park was set aside "for the purpose of preserving and suitably marking for historical and professional military study the fields of some of the most remarkable maneuvers and most brilliant fighting in the war of the rebellion."  According to the Society of the Army of the Cumberland, this was to be "no place for pleasure-seekers or loungers.  The hosts that in the future come to the grand Park will come rather with feelings of awe or reverence."  


The park was dedicated on September 18-20, 1895, exactly 32 years after the battle.  Chattanooga mayor George Ochs described the park as "holy ground where amity and reconciliation have erected in granite and in bronze the record of a country's heroes, a country now eternally and indivisibly reunited, a country proud alike of her sons, remembering that whether they died for that cause that was lost or fell for the cause that was won, they were all Americans."  

The park was administered by the War Department until August, 1933, when it was transferred to the National Park Service.

The visitor center is at the northern end of the park.  It houses a small gift shop, an historic collection of weapons and a fairly large theater.  The new 26-minute movie about the battle is excellent.  This film  has only been available for a few weeks.  It follows a single soldier from each army through the battle and inspires the sense of "awe or reverence" that the Society of the Army of the Cumberland wished the park would convey.


The park features a self-guiding seven mile automobile tour along the battle lines.  This tour is narrated via cell phone at eight stops.  In addition, there are several hiking trails throughout the park that vary in length from five to fourteen miles.  The park provides a map for each trail along with a list of questions that can be answered only after reading the markers and memorials along the route.

Artillery on McDonald Field

Confederate battle line markers along east side of
Alexander's Bridge Road

15th US Infantry marker at the intersection of
Alexander's Bridge Road and Battleline Road

Union battle line markers along west side of
Alexander's Bridge Road

View from Battleline Road through the woods to Kelly Field

79th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry,
2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 14th Corps.
Col. Henry A. Hambright Commanding
Number Engaged in Battle of Chickamauga 390
Killed, Wounded and Missing 137

Battery F, 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Hazen's Brigade,
Palmer's Division, 21st Army Corps along Battleline Road

Kelly Field

Dense woods between Poe Field and Dyer Field

Artillery in Poe Field

The Poe cabin that stood near the middle of this
clearing was burned during the battle

Brotherton Cabin on the high ground at the intersection of
Dyer Road and Lafayette Road

Battle line markers in Brotherton Field southwest of the cabin

Federal battle line markers along Lafayette Road north of Viniard Field

Union battle line markers in Viniard Field

This ditch through the eastern edge of Glenn Field was dry
when used for cover at various times by both sides

Wilder Brigade Monument
Wilder's "Lightning" Brigade of infantry was equipped with
Spencer repeating rifles and rode horses or mules to
battle before dismounting to fight

Federal battle line markers near the Widow Glenn place
at Wilder's Brigade monument

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/chch/index.htm.