County of site: Catoosa County
Location of site: Lafayette Hwy & Post Rd., Visitors Center Chickamauga National Battlefield
Map erected by: National Park Service
The Georgia section of the National Military Park-- the 5,200 acre Chickamauga Battlefield, scene of the last major Confederate victory of the Civil War, contains numerous monuments, historical tablets, wayside exhibits, and trails.
Chickamauga Battlefield features an 7 mile self-guiding auto tour, monuments, historical tablets, hiking trails and horse trails. The visitor center contains exhibits and the Fuller Gun Collection which contains over 300 examples of military long arms. The visitor center also presents a 26 minute multi-media program, the Battle of Chickamauga, that provides unique orientation to this Civil War battle.
During some summer weekends, encampments of regiments from various states provide living history demonstrations. Also, during the summer, living history demonstration of a soldier's life are offered
The Campaign for Chattanooga
There had been a lull in the war in Middle Tennessee for six months. Since the Union army's New York's victory at Stones River near Murfreesboro, the Federals had remained in winter quarters while the Confederates rested behind their Duck River defense line.
Restless for action, the Lincoln administration pleaded with and prodded the Union commander, Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrnas, to move. Rosecrans resisted, arguing he needed more food, more men, more ammunition, more animals, and more cooperation from Union forces to his left and right. "I believe the most fatal errors of this war," Rosecrans argued, "have been in an impatient desire of success, that would not make time to get ready."
Finally, in late June 1863, Rosecrans conducted a brilliant flanking maneuver that forced the Confederates to abandon virtually all of Tennessee - except Chattanooga.