Gettysburg Battlefield

November 8, 2021

I am not going to get into any of the history of the battle in this post as I want to reflect on my overall feeling of this place. I have always had a sense of guilt as I enjoy this battlefield so much when at the actual time of the battle there was so much carnage and suffering. It is hard to describe the sense of peace I get as I trace back through time, read the different stories, and stand at the exact spot where it happened. Peering through time and trying to get an understanding of what people were thinking and experiencing.

It also makes me happy to see all the cub / boy scout groups on walking tours. To think at least some of our youth enjoys are at least knows the importance of our past makes me feel past deeds will not be lost to time. To see the families there having an enjoyable time is important as well. That one can put a little bit of history into the family vacations can gratifying and rewarding. I am sure you get youngsters that do not really want to be there but at least they will have a memory to share alter in life.

I enjoy walking the streets of Gettysburg itself, while there are the “tourist attractions” history still can be found intertwined with it. Sitting at a beer garden planning our next steps to the table on our right is a group of people dressed in period military uniforms and dresses having a beverage as well. To see that adults can still play dress up makes me smile.

As with me and my friend Greg we return ever few years to visit the field but just to catch up with each other. As I walk the field, I can see other friends doing the same. Gettysburg is about the history, but it is also about friend ships and shared experiences too. If you have never been to this magnificent place, you really should go and take it all in. There is just so much to see and do here that I know I will be back to
experience it all again.

Related Links:

• Links to my trip on Instagram
• Instagram Post 1
• Instagram Post 2
• Instagram Post 3
• Instagram Post 4
• Instagram Post 5
• Instagram Post 6
• Gettysburg National Military Park
• National Parks Gettysburg Insiders Guide
• American Battle Field Trust Gettysburg Page

Chickamauga & Chattanooga: My First Impressions

June 16, 2015

Now that I am living in Maryville, TN it is only a two hour trip to get down the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. Even though most of my Civil War studies have concentrated on the eastern theater I have for years wanted to see this particular battlefield. On Tuesday June 16^th I was able to get away for a short trip down to Lookout Mountain and scouted out Point Park, with a hike out to Sunset Rock.

Moccasin Point at Point Park, Lookout Mountain

The only two Civil War Battlefields I have visited to this point have been Gettysburg (on several occasions) and Perryville (once). While there were many different aspects, or specific engagements, within the battle I would still classify them as a single battle. What I am learning about the Chickamauga & Chattanooga is that it was actually several different battles in a campaign that took place around the same area. A couple of other things that stood out to me in this area was the amount of private land and the trail system. Besides Point Park it almost felt more like a hike in the Smoky Mountains than a Civil War battlefield.

Cannons at the Cravens House on Lookout Mountain.

Point Park and Sunset Rock offer a really fantastic view of Chattanooga and surrounding areas. One can get truly amazing vistas from Lookout Mountain with the many different overhangs. Most of the places I have hiked so far in the Smoky Mountain area have too much vegetation to get a clear shot of the land, not so here. The trail system I was on is fairly rugged and not well marked, however they do have parking areas with short walks at the areas I visited if you don’t want to go hiking through the trails.

Checking out the view from Sunset Rock
Lookout Mountain

I have just finished reading Six Armies in Tennessee: The Chickamauga and Chattanooga Campaigns (Great Campaigns of the Civil War) by Steven E. Woodworth, who does a really good job of describing the campaign. Though I do have some qualms with his book, which I will save for later, it does give you an overall understanding of the battles. I would really like to take the camper and spend about three days in the area to really get a feel for the park as I did not even scratch the surface of the history it has to offer. There are still places I want to see on Lookout Mountain, then there is Missionary Ridge and of course Chickamauga among other places. So I guess it is a good thing that I now live closer to this park.

UPDATED: September 5, 2015

Liam and I at Point Park,
Lookout Mountain

Well if it keeps taking me this long to finish a blog entry the stories will be outdated. Thanks to Liam’s social studies teacher he had to write a report on the Civil War, so he chose to wright about a battle. Needless to say this lead to a field trip. Dad super excited, Liam and Mary Ellen not so much.

Went back to Point Park, but this time was able to get to Cravens House. I still need to hit up the rifle pits, but I have again saved that for another time. This portion of Lookout Mountain does look more like a typical Civil War battlefield I am use to. Wanted to get to Missionary Ridge but the GPS took us off course and we ended up driving through a portion of Chickamauga. I have to say I am looking forward to spending some time there soon.

Below I have the link to my Chattanooga & Chickamauga photo album in Flickr along with some other links to the NPS page and the Civil War Trust.

Flickr Pictures:

• https://flic.kr/s/aHskaQLjZn

Chickamauga & Chattanooga Military Park:

• http://www.nps.gov/chch/index.htm

Civil War Trust:

• http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/chattanooga.html
• http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/chickamauga.html