Polk's Headquarters Shell Monument - Chickamauga National Military Park
Posted by: Lat34North
N 34° 55.940 W 085° 14.966
16S E 659882 N 3866938
This shell monument for Polk's Headquarters marks the location of the headquarters for the Right Wing of the Army of Tennessee during the battle of Chickamauga.
Waymark Code: WMNCQ1
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 02/15/2015
Views: 2
This shell monument for Polk's Headquarters, marks the location of the headquarters of the Right Wing of the Army of Tennessee on September 20, 1863, during the during the
Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863. The Right Wing of the Army of Tennessee was commanded by Lieut. General
Leonidas Polk. The escort for Gen Polk was Greenleaf's Company Louisiana Cavalry, commanded by, Capt. Leeds Greenleaf.
To reach this monument:
Park on Alexander Bridge Road. A path runs east from near the plaques to Breckinridge’s Division (CSA) & 92nd Ohio (USA). Follow this path east. A path running north to Reed's Bridge Road will intersect this path at the Brig. Gen. Benjamin H. Heim headquarters monument. Continue pasted the monument along the same path, crossing a small creek to the monument.
Text:
Headquarters
Right Wing Army of Tennessee
Lieut. Gen. Leonidas Polk.
Sept. 20th, 1863.
From the NRHP nomination form:
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Structure Number: |
MT-481(see note) |
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LCS ID: |
003264 |
Historical Significance:
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National Register Status:
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Entered - Documented
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National Register Date:
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11/24/1988
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National Historic Landmark?: |
No
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Significance Level:
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Contributing
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Short Significance Description:
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Monument contributes to national significance of park under NR Criterion A because it represents the national movement among veterans & federal government to commemorate Civil War battlefields. This was the first U.S. national military park.
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Short Physical Description
6'2" square at base and 5' high, the monument consists of a pyramid of cannonballs set in cement & painted black, resting on a molded limestone base. Attached to base is a painted metal plaque identifying the headquarters site.
Long Physical Description
Shell pyramid monument has a square base consisting 7 cannonballs wide and 7 cannonballs deep. It is 7 layers high.
Monument is located in the woods along the horse trail east of Tour Stop #2, map site #26.
Material(s)
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Structural Component(s)
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Material(s)
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1.
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Superstructure
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Concrete
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2.
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Substructure
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Limestone
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3.
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Superstructure
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Limestone
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4.
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Superstructure
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Iron
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Construction Period:
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Historic
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Chronology:
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Physical Event
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Begin Year
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Begin Year AD/BC
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End Year
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End Year AD/BC
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Designer
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Designer Occupation
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1.
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Built
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1893
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AD
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1895
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AD
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Betts, E. E.
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Engineer
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2.
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Rehabilitated
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2008
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AD
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My Sources
1.
NRHP Narrative
2. Wikipedia -
Battle of Chickamauga
3. The Civil War Home -
The Chickamauga Campaign - Confederate Order of Battle
4. Wikipedia -
Leonidas Polk
5. Civil War Battlefield Monuments -
Polk's Headquarters Shell Monument
Note
Trailhead Graphics, Inc. has produced a map of the Chickamauga Battlefield showing the locations of all of the monuments and the markers on the battlefield. Each location on the map has a number associated with it that cross-references to an index on the back of the map that has the name of the marker (called the Chick-Chatt NMP monument numbering system). This number corresponds to the structure Number listed on the NPS List of Classified Structures that is normally prefixed with the letters MT for the Chickamauga Battlefield.