News Release

Sharpshooting along “The River of Death”

Date: July 23, 2021
Contact: Kim Coons, 706-866-9241, ext. 139

Fort Oglethorpe, GA: On Saturday, August 7, at 2 pm, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will present a special 90-minute, ranger-led car caravan tour exploring the role of sharpshooters during the Battle of Chickamauga. This program begins at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center.

What was the role of sharpshooters during the Civil War? Americans had long made their ability with rifles a matter of national pride and myth, therefore when the Civil War erupted, experts on both sides decided that specialized sharpshooter units would be required in the field. These units, many of which had special training and weapons, considered themselves elite units, though not all were. To learn more about these units and the men who composed them, join a park ranger for this special tour highlighting some of the stories about sharpshooters in the Battle of Chickamauga.

For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423-821-7786, or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/chch.