Chicamauga

Hello! It's me, your friendly neighborhood Trailblogger...again. Due to the rave reviews (thanks Mrs. Brooks!) Mom and Dad decided to bring me back. Once again, I am honored to be a guest writer on this blog.

Well, after Shiloh, we headed to a battlefield called Chicamauga. This was slightly before Shiloh, but about the same size. This is the story of the battle:

After his Tullahoma Campaign, Rosecrans renewed his offensive, aiming to force the Confederates out of Chattanooga. The three army corps comprising Rosecrans’ s army split and set out for Chattanooga by separate routes. In early September, Rosecrans consolidated his forces scattered in Tennessee and Georgia and forced Bragg’s army out of Chattanooga, heading south. The Union troops followed it and brushed with it at Davis’ Cross Roads. Bragg was determined to reoccupy Chattanooga and decided to meet a part of Rosecrans’s army, defeat them, and then move back into the city. On the 17th he headed north, intending to meet and beat the XXI Army Corps. As Bragg marched north on the 18th, his cavalry and infantry fought with Union cavalry and mounted infantry which were armed with Spencer repeating rifles. Fighting began in earnest on the morning of the 19th, and Bragg’s men hammered but did not break the Union line. The next day, Bragg continued his assault on the Union line on the left, and in late morning, Rosecrans was informed that he had a gap in his line. In moving units to shore up the supposed gap, Rosencrans created one, and James Longstreet’s men promptly exploited it, driving one-third of the Union army, including Rosecrans himself, from the field. George H. Thomas took over command and began consolidating forces on Horseshoe Ridge and Snodgrass Hill. Although the Rebels launched determined assaults on these forces, they held until after dark. Thomas then led these men from the field leaving it to the Confederates. The Union retired to Chattanooga while the Rebels occupied the surrounding heights.

The layout was much like Shiloh, however. They had memorials throughout the battlefield, but they told much more of the story of the battle. We bought a CD that told the story of each memorial and the battles that took place there(much to Dad's exasperation, it cost 20 dollars. For those of you who don't know, Dad is the value menu king. He hangs on to a dollar tighter than a cliffhanger to a branch.) I really enjoyed actually being able to imagine the battles happening, where they happened, and the soldier's perspective of the battle.

Mom said I had taken enough pictures of cannons at Shiloh, so I did not take as many pictures of guns this go round. Though I did talk about them quite a bit. I do love visiting these places, it just causes me to almost have a hernia. I have to admit, I am somewhat of a tactical geek. I can make a thirty minute speech out of the difference between a howitzer and a field gun. And the rest of my family doesn't seem to share my zeal for tactics. Right about when I stop to gasp for breath for the tenth time, their eyes start to get vacant. So if you're ever visiting a civil war battlefield, either don't bring me or bring earplugs.

Well, it looks like we have reached the end of another post. Well, thanks for reading another one of my posts, and seeing as you haven't sued me yet, you must have enjoyed it. Hope to write to you again soon!

Trailblogger, signing off