158th anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga
From Saturday, Sept. 18, through Monday, Sept. 20, a number of activities will commemorate the 158th anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga.
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park staff and volunteers invite the public to participate in the anniversary observance, which includes a series of tours (including a bicycle tour), hikes and living history demonstrations.
A 158th anniversary Junior Ranger activity booklet can be picked up inside the visitor center. Participants will receive a special Junior Ranger patch by bringing the completed booklet back to the visitor center.
Beginning Sept. 18, 1863, Union and Confederate forces clashed along the banks of West Chickamauga Creek. At stake was the transportation hub of Chattanooga, Tenn., and with it, the fortunes of the fledgling Confederacy and the future of the United States and its citizens. For three days the armies struggled through the woods and fields, leaving behind the broken dreams and lives of thousands of young men cut down in the prime of life. Despite the Confederate victory at Chickamauga, the U.S. Army regrouped in Chattanooga, where a victory there marked the “Death Knell of the Confederacy.”
A complete program schedule, including times and descriptions, is available at https://www.nps. gov/chch/chickamauga158.htm
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.