News Release

“Do you think this is a Regatta?” - Opening the Cracker Line at Brown’s Ferry

Date: October 13, 2017
Contact: Kim Coons, 423-752-5213 x139

Fort Oglethorpe, GA: On Saturday, October 28, at 10 am, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will present a free ranger-guided hike focusing on a crucial Civil War story associated with Moccasin Bend. The 1.2 mile, 90 minute program will begin at the Brown’s Ferry Federal Road Trailhead near 707 Moccasin Bend Road, Chattanooga, TN 37405. To find the trailhead, follow the “Special Event” signs beginning at the Manufactures Road exit, off Highway 27.

It was a gamble to say the least, sneaking up on Confederates in order to open a vital supply line to a starving Union army in Chattanooga. In the early morning hours of October 27, 1863, over a thousand blue-clad soldiers silently floated down the Tennessee River toward Brown’s Ferry, an important river crossing guarded by Southern soldiers. Suddenly, masked by the darkness and fog, Union soldiers splashed into the shallow water and made landfall! Please join us on this special program to find out what happened next.

Clothing appropriate for the weather, supportive footwear, and water are recommended for this program.