"Best way to spend a day at Chattanooga/Chickamauga?" Topic

Like the subject says: I have one day to see a thing or two. What would you recommend seeing? Recommend ignoring?

For reference, I have only a casual knowledge of much of the ACW, but want to learn more.

Thanks for any help,
Perry

Chickamauga for sure. It is one of the best National battlefields. Very well kept up.

Chickamauga all the way. You can do it in one day without feeling you missed out anything. If you want a single volume prep that's also an amazing read, Peter Cozzens' "This Terrible Sound" is the answer.

As Grattan said, it's a beautifully preserved battlefield. Both it and Shiloh deserve a lot more attention.

I really liked visiting Chickamauga. On the way there, try to go through one of the passes the locals call "gaps." It will give you a better idea of the pre-battle movements. If the Spanish-American War interests you, there is some information about this area (which the government had purchased just a year or two earlier) since it was used as a training camp for the 1898 recruits, like my wife's great-grandfather.
If you have any time left over after Chickamauga, Chattanooga isn't that far away. I visited Missionary Ridge, where the Army of the Cumberland broke the Confederate line. I think the city sprawled out before the government could buy up the land, so there isn't really one coherent battlefield, just several "Units," including Lookout Mountain.
Going into or out of the area, try to drive I-24 to the west of Chattanooga where it runs between Lookout Mountain and the Tennessee River. Not only do you gain an understanding of how the siege played out from the comfort of your car, but the scenery is spectacular!

Grelber

I would prioritise Chickamauga, but Lookout Mountain is well worth a look too. Very few places to park on Missionary Ridge., but that means it doesn't take long. Don't go to Orchard Knob: not a good neighbourhood from what I could see.

I'm going out there next week for 2 1/2 days as well. Thanks for everyone's recommendations.

Chickamauga

I endorse all of the above: prioritise Chickamauga; Lookout Mountain if you have time.

For what it's worth, here's my own brief report on visiting these and other battlefields between Nashville and Atlanta last year:
link

Cozzens' book is a very good read, I also bought the Maps of Chickamauga as I think that helps visualise the flow of units.

Missionary Ridge is now well within the city of Chattanooga. Lookout Mountain is well worth a visit, just for the view of the surrounding terrain, if nothing else.

I have been to Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain a lot more than the other. Especially if you have family WTH you, there are a number of attractions. I attended a war games convention one year at the Chattanooga Choo-choo.

One of the eye-opening things about visiting the battlefield is how easy it is lose one's sense of relative position. I went in with a solid knowledge of the battle and every significant location was exactly as I expected; not just unchanged from 1863 but precisely as I had imagined. However, the topography of the place and the fact that it was low overcast day left me struggling to piece it all together in my head, or even keep my bearings.

Make sure to read and understand the flow of the battle beforehand. It makes it more interesting.

The woods at the time of the battle, were more open underneath. Farmers allowed their pigs to root there, so a lot of lower vegetation was reduced.

I've done living history there multiple times. Slept on Kelly's Field and around the Snodgrass House. That and Missionary Ridge were the 35th OVI's big battles. Their commanders started the Park at Chickamauga. They made sure to place the brigade regimental markers in prominent positions on Snodgrass hill so tourists would see them. Was not their original positions there. 😉

Been through 2 horrible storms there when camping. One took out our camp and brought large trees and limbs down and closed the park for a day until trees could be cut up and cleared. Spent the day in the Snodgrass cabin with my group and some stranded tourists. Had an impromptu "barn" dance.

Also the only field I ever had anything like a ghost type experience and I've slept on many fields of multiple wars. Did not see any ghosts, but had sounds of massed volleys that would move from one side of the field and roll to the other side. Happened 3 times and was on the dates of the original battle. National Parks head ranger was with us around midnight. He had no idea what caused it and had never heard it before. I've heard massed volleys at 125th and 130th anniversary reenactments and know what Thousands of muskets sound like, for what it worth. You can take it or leave it, but thought it interesting.

Other than the battlefields, you may want to visit the Tennessee Aquarium if you have time. It's excellent. The Chattanooga Choo Choo is also worth visiting.

If you want to see thousands of Vintage 30mm SAE miniatures, see "Battles for Chattanooga," also known as "The Confederama."

battlesforchattanooga.com

It depends in part on whether you are making a solo trip or whether you will have family in tow. It also depends on what your other interests are. For example the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum operates out of Chattanooga. I believe a couple of their excursions operate into the Chattanooga and Chickamauga battlefield. Probably not enough for a serious battle enthusiast, but it might be a balance if you have family. Buried in Chattanooga's National Cemetery are several of Andrews Raiders from the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862 who were later executed as spies. (The Western & Atlantic running from Atlanta to Chattanooga was the line Andrews sought to put out of action.)

It's a lot easier to follow what happened than at Chancellorsville or the Wilderness, but, yeah, a bit of reading beforehand would be a big help. The most striking thing for me was the location of Bragg's HQ: no wonder he had no idea what was going on.

Thank you all very much for your advice!

I am traveling with my wife who, while not particularly interested in the battle, is a good sport. We went first to the visitors center. A good thing since a battlefield tour was about to begin. The ranger led us on an abbreviated tour by car caravan to three of the eight stops on the full tour. I don't feel at all cheated because the material presented was engaging without being overwhelming. A short film at the visitors center afterwards.

From there we went to Point Park on Lookout Mountain. The park service center and the Battles of Chattanooga display were both closed by then but we were still able to enter and tour Point Park.

Again, thanks much to all who responded!

Perry

Perry, glad you had a successful day at Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain. Now you just have to wargame them!

Here's how Chickamauga went for our group:
link
and Chattanooga:
link