March 21

Today (3-21) was one of my favorite kinds of days – beautiful weather, great scenery and some history to boot.

It was sunny and about 70 degrees, which allowed me to go without a jacket for the first time in about a week. Even better, the forecast is for more of the same for the next several days, which should allow us to reach Mammoth Cave National Park without again getting wet.

Click on thumbnail to see full photograph.

The great scenery was all around Chattanooga. It’s Spring in Tennessee, and the mountains surrounding the city are full of blossoms (including beautiful Redbuds) and new shiny green leaves. We followed the Tennessee River for a few miles, but its maker was a much better route planner than was the maker of our road. The river just stayed down there in the valley, while our road (and its bicyclists) went up and down, up and down, up and down. Finally, after one last big “down,” we crossed the river and rode another five miles to the town of Jasper. Somewhere along the way, we crossed into the Central Time Zone and gained an hour. I think I stated somewhere in Florida that I was going to spend the remainder of my journey in the Eastern Time Zone, so I guess this is an “oops."

The best part of the day was in the morning, as we visited the Chickamauga Battlefield, a part of the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. The battlefield, just south of Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, was the site of furious fighting September 19 & 20, 1863. Federal troops led by General William S. Rosecrans (Army of the Cumberland) had taken Chattanooga a couple of weeks earlier after moving south from Murfreesboro. The Confederates under General Braxton Bragg had regrouped at LaFayette, Georgia and were now attempting to retake Chattanooga by wedging themselves between the city and Rosecrans army. The two armies (each of 60,000+ troops) lined up opposite each other along Chickamauga Creek on September 18.

The armies fought all day September 19, and the Confederates gradually pushed the Federal forces back, but failed to break their lines. They renewed the attack the next morning, however, and broke through the lines when they attacked just as Federal troops were being repositioned. General Rosecrans and half his army were routed, and the fate of the entire force hung in the balance. It was then that General George H. Thomas took command of the remaining Federal forces and formed a new battleline on Snodgrass Hill. Here, against superior numbers of Confederate troops, Thomas and his men held their ground throughout the day. After dark, they were able to withdraw in an orderly manner to Chattanooga. The Confederates had won the battle, but failed in their attempt to retake Chattanooga. The city would remain in Federal hands throughout the remainder of the war.

Click on thumbnails.

The battleground is full of monuments and markers including an 85’ tall “castle” honoring Col. John Wilder and his brigade. An observation platform at the top (only 138 steps) provides an excellent view of the battlefield and the surrounding area.

In August 1890, the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park was created by an act of Congress. During the next five years, the War Department, with assistance from surviving veterans, planned and placed over 1400 monuments and markers on the Chickamauga Battlefield and other sites in Chattanooga. The Military Park was dedicated in September 1895, and served as a model for other National Military Parks at Shiloh, Gettysburg and Vicksburg.

We also did a quick ride-through of the National Military Cemetery in Chattanooga. One monument there is dedicated to Andrews’ Raiders who stole a Confederate locomotive April 12, 1862 near Marietta, Georgia and led Confederate pursuers on “The Great Locomotive Chase” toward Chattanooga. Their mission was to tear up track and burn bridges to disrupt Confederate troop movements and communications. They failed in that mission, largely due to dogged pursuit by the real train crew who followed them on foot, by handcar and in three different locomotives. Nearing Chattanooga and running out of fuel, the raiders began to jump from the train and run for the woods. All 22 of the raiders were soon captured, however. Their leader, James Andrews (a civilian) was tried and convicted as a spy in Atlanta and hanged on June 7. Seven more of the raiders were also hanged on June 18. These are the eight men who are buried in the National Military Cemetery in Chattanooga.

An interesting sidelight to the “The Great Locomotive Chase” is that six of the raiders were later released by the Confederates in a prisoner exchange and became the first recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor on March 25, 1863.

G.A.S.P.

(Great Adventures to Scenic Places)