Advancing too Far

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park invites the public to attend a special 2-hour hike and tour of Chickamauga Battlefield covering some of the battle’s second day of fighting, Sept.19, 1863.

This tour begins in the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center lobby at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, and will car caravan to Brock Field for the hike.

Participants will learn about the fighting that erupted on the farm of John Brock, which ended a series of flanking movements by both sides that played out throughout the morning of Sept. 19.

Around noon, both sides again tried a flanking move only to have a nasty surprise in what could be seen as a deadly April Fools’ joke.

One Tennessean later remembered, “We were engaged in an awful fight the enemy disputing every inch of the ground” as both sides surged back and forth trampling the surrounding cornfields into dust and leaving hundreds of dead and wounded scattered throughout the field and the surrounding forest.

As a reminder, please wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the conditions. Brining drinking water is also recommended.

For information contact the Lookout Mountain Visitor Center at 423- 8217786, the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706- 866-9241, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/chch.