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Contact: Kim Coons, 423-752-5213x139
Fort Oglethorpe, GA:The National Park Service invites the public to attend a series of special programs commemorating the 153rd anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga on Saturday September 17 and Sunday September 18. The Battle of Chickamauga was not a chess piece battle of generals moving men in an orderly fashion across a map. For the soldiers, this tested their resolve and dedication. Should they press on into the unknown, against an unknown foe, or should they hold fast and organize? Soldiers on both sides overwhelmingly chose to press on against all odds, with no guarantees of victory or survival. Throughout the weekend of September 17-18, 2016, staff and volunteers of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will commemorate the 153rd anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga by challenging visitors to ponder this decision. Special programs will highlight stories of men who fought here and the choices they made in the face of overwhelming odds. As a reminder, program participants are encouraged to dress comfortably for the weather and to bring a bottle of water. Car Caravan Tour of the Battlefield Saturday, September 17 at 10am and2 pm Sunday, September 18 at 10am and 2pm "A Most Unsatisfactory Place:" Dyer Field on September 20, 1863 (Artillery Demonstrations) As the Union Army's center and right disintegrated on September 20, Chief of Artillery John Mendenhall's artillery line along Dyer Field stood virtually alone to stem the Confederate advance. See and hear an artillery battery along the ridge line from the perspective of the attacking Confederates and retreating Union soldiers. The program will last 45 minutes and meets along Glenn-Kelly Road. Follow the special event signs. Saturday, September 17 at 10:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30 pm Sunday, September 18 at 10:30am and 1:30pm "Tell my Pa I died right." The Second South Carolina Infantry at Horseshoe Ridge As the Confederate Army assaulted Horseshoe Ridge on the afternoon of September 20, scores of Confederates fell dead on the slopes of Snodgrass Hill, including Richard Kirkland, the famed "Angel of Marye's Heights." Follow in the footsteps of Kirkland and the 2nd South Carolina Infantry as they advance on Snodgrass Hill and meet living historians portraying the men who made the charge. The program begins at the South Carolina Monument, and you can meet the group there, or park at Tour Stop 8 on Snodgrass Hill and walk over with a ranger. The program lasts 45-60 minutes and requires moderate walking. Saturday, September 17 at 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 4:30pm Echoes of an Unending Battle Throughout the weekend, the sound of cannon will echo across Chickamauga Battlefield. But for the men who fought here, the sounds and feelings of battle echoed long after the shooting stopped. Meet a Civil War soldier at the visitor center to learn about how the war affected men in the generations after the conflict ended. Program lasts 30-40 minutes. Saturday, September 17 at 9am, 11am, 3pm, and 4pm Sunday, September 18 at 9am, 11am, 3pm, and 4pm Bike the Battlefield Take a bicycle tour of the battlefield with a park ranger. The tour begins in the lower parking lot of the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center. Bring your own bike and helmet, or call the park visitor center at 706-866-9241 to reserve a loaner bicycle from Outdoor Chattanooga. Supported by Friends of the Park. Saturday, September 17 at 9:30am 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. |
Last updated: August 28, 2016