American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Gentlemen,

I've never been to the Chickamauga/Chattanooga Battlefields, but the wife & are considering taking a little trip there this year.

First of all, what recommendations would you all have for us?

Second, who wants to join us [:D] ?

We have no definite plans (even as to when we might be going)...we're just starting to look into it. If anyone has been there before, we'd love to hear your suggestions about places to stay, the best time of year to go, etc. We've been to Vicksburg & Shiloh the past couple of years, and to Wilson's Creek & Pea Ridge several times (when we lived nearer to them). Just thinking about going a little further east this time ...

Any insights you can share would be appreciated!


Your humble servant,
Gen 'Dee Dubya' Mallory


David W. Mallory
ACW - General, 3/2/I/AotM (Club President & Cabinet Member)
CCC - Lieutenant, Georgia Volunteers, Southern Regional Department, Colonial American Army

Hmmmmm,
Have nice new brakes on your vehicle for the trip....It is the only area in which I have ever constantly smelled my brakes. Missionary ridge was unbeilievable, in that I can't believe they climbed it, much less assaulted it....Another tribute the Braggs incompetence....They could have defended it with rocks with properly laid out defensive lines....Chickamaugua was one of the nicer parks around.....Lookout Mountain was shrouded in fog (or the clouds), so the view was limited, but it was very hard n the brakes....There is a nice cave on the mountain...worth seeing (my wife is into caves)....Finally, I would advise you to go when you have a few days, because there is a LOT to do in Chatanooga and since we did not do enough, my wife want to go back.....nice town for tourists....kind of like San Antonio here in Texas.....Regards,

BG Hank Smith
Army of Georgia
Smith's Texas Division
Smith's Corp

Chick is a great battlefield to visit, with a very nice visitors center and virtually zero "modern" growth in the area to spoil the look - kind of like Shiloh but a little more populated/less out of the way? Chatanooga also has a very nice aquarium and other great places to visit besides just the Civil War stuff. Alas not much of the Missionary Ridge portion of the battlefield available, but Lookout Mtn is certainly a must. I agree with Hank - be prepared for some hairy driving.

Regards,

Major Gen. Alan Lynn
CSA Chief of Staff
3rd Bgde, 3rd Cav Div, II Corps, AoA

God Bless <><

I was there for a short visit while driving up to Virginia. Highly recommend getting a copy of "This Terrible Sound" and carrying it with you. The battle was more a series of mini-battles for farmer's fields. So it is difficult to get oriented to what was going on and when. A good map is a must if you want to find where things actually happened. Lookout mountain is impressive on a clear day. You would have thought it could have been defended by five guys just kick a rock loose every once in a while. Hope to make a longer trip to it this spring break but that depends on my brother and other things.

LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
III Corps, AoM (CSA)

If you going to be there on a Saturday, I might be able to meet you. I live about 90 minutes away. Chick is a most of the day project. No likely you could do both Lookout and Chick the same day. Ruby Falls is near Lookout You could stay at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. I think it's a Holiday INN now. Lots of places to eat.

Lt. Col. Richard Walker
I Corps
Army of the Mississippi
2nd Brigade, 3rd Division
"Defenders of Tennessee"

Hi, Dave,

I think the comments by everyone about Chickamauga/Chattanooga are very valid. What I would suggest is, if you have the time, plan your route to go through Ft Donelson and Murfreesboro as well. Both are preserved battlefields, unlike Chattanooga. Neither will take much of your time. If you have to choose between the two, Murfreesboro. Franklin isn't far away, but there wasn't much there except the Carter house.

MG Mike Mihalik
1/III/AoMiss/CSA

This winds up being a repeat of what Mike said, but here goes anyway. Chattanooga isn't far from me either. Some comments about the trip from Missouri to Chattanooga (assuming that you’re coming through Nashville and not Memphis):

Fort Donelson
http://www.nps.gov/fodo
I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never been to this one, a condition that I must rectify some day
.
Carter House (Battle of Franklin)
http://www.carter-house.org/
Carter House itself isn’t worth stopping to see except for some war scars left in the walls, but the museum behind it has a tremendous ACW medical exhibit and is well worth the trip.

Stones River
http://www.nps.gov/stri
Not a lot of money put into this park, but it is worth the visit since you’ll be driving by it on interstate. Its not the caliber of a Gettysburg, Antietam, Shiloh, or Vicksburg but you can get the feel of it in either a quick drive through (rent the tour tape) or walking the field.

Chattanooga/Chickamauga
http://www.nps.gov/chch
The Chickamauga service center is fantastic, but the Chickamauga park confuses the heck out of me. I don’t get my bearings until I reach the site of Thomas’ stand. I would be better off never leaving the service center. I’ve never ‘really’ visited the Chattanooga sites. When I go to Lookout Mountain, I generally always take the Incline Railway to Rock City and bus down the road to Ruby Falls. Oh yeah, there are some ACW sites up there somewhere, isn’t there!

Other non ACW recommendations for the trip include visiting or staying at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville (could catch a Grand Ol’ Opry show while you’re there if you go through on the right day) and routing back through Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge which is Tennessee’s version of Branson, Mo except that Branson doesn’t have the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.


Lt Gen Ned Simms
1/1/VIII/AoS/USA
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.

Let me add to what Genl. Simms has stated.

Stones River: Small battlefield to begin with and even such landmarks as the Round Forest are nothing to write home about. But it is historical ground, no matter how mundane.

Chickamauga Battlefield: This setting has the "feel" of what it may have been like. Quite expansive. It is confusing, I agree, and you need to use your imagination.

Lookout Mountain National Park: A panoramic view which can't be described. Leaves the "commander" in me wondering "How in the hell could the Rebs ever lose this position?" My wife and I stayed in a nice Bed & Breakfast if you are interested. I went on a run that crossed the state line from Tennessee to Alabama and back. I commented to my wife that I felt unusually fatigued after traversing 2 states.

BG Robert Frost
Army of Cumberland

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by nsimms</i>
<SNIP>
Fort Donelson
http://www.nps.gov/fodo
I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never been to this one, a condition that I must rectify some day
<SNIP<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Fort Donelson is a worthy stop on a journey. If the area is to be an overnite stop then this B&B in Dover is a wonderful place to pause and refresh. Or at the least, for one to pause and refresh while another scampers about the battlefield [8D]
http://www.riverfrontplantation.com/

Lt.R.A.Sickbert,
1st Brigade, 2nd Division
V Corps
Army of the Potomac