By Stacy Guidice
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The Chickamauga Battlefield was the nation’s first national military park.

The Dawson County Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting its formal Veteran’s Day ceremony at the Dawson County Middle School Gym at 2:45 p.m. on November 11.

The keynote speaker will be Nathan Deal. The Veterans Day parade will follow the event, beginning at 4:00 p.m. in downtown Dawsonville.

Everyone is invited to attend and honor our veterans.

It’s been 147 years since one of the bloodiest battles in our country unfolded at the Chickamauga Battlefield an hour-plus north of here. But walking the open, grassy fields, with cannons guarding the silence like immortal sentinels, it’s easy to imagine the chaos that was once this place. The sadness remains here, a palpable energy. It lingers with you after leaving—a sense of the thousands of young soldiers whose lives were forever changed, or ended at this place.

A fitting reminder for Veterans Day—that we never forget all our brave protectors, who have given their time, energy and lives for us, and our way of life. And that we acknowledge our gratitude for them. A trip to the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Battlefields is a great reminder of this, and a fascinating day for history and military buffs.

Veterans Day began as Armistice Day following World War I, on November 11, 1918. At 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month, the armistice between the Allies and Germany went into effect, ending the war. After World War II and the Korean War in 1954, President Eisenhower proclaimed it Veterans Day to incorporate all our veterans. It is a day to honor our veterans for their love of country, patriotism and willingness to sacrifice on behalf of us all.

Southerners owe a great but conflicting debt to our Civil War veterans: to our Southern men fighting for what they believed in and their way of life; and undoubtedly to Union soldiers who persevered and saved the U.S.A. That both sides fought valiantly cannot be doubted, especially after visiting battlefields like Chickamauga and Chattanooga.

Cannons guard the now quiet battlefields where so many gave their lives. (Photo by Stacy Guidice)
The Battle of Chickamauga took place beginning Sept. 19, 1863, over control of Chattanooga, the “gateway to the deep South.” It was a gruesome, two-day battle, with over 34,000 casualties (in perspective, Vietnam had 58,000 casualties over nine years). Gun and cannon fire were constant and in all directions; acrid smoke filled the air, and the noise and blood and bodies filled the fields. In the end, it was the last major Confederate victory of the war.

The Confederate Army re-took possession of Chattanooga, which had been in Union control. They held it until late November, when Union troops under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant stormed Missionary Ridge (without orders) and took control of the major railroad hub of Chattanooga, and nearly all of Tennessee. Sherman used Chattanooga as his base for the march to Atlanta and the sea.

The Chickamauga Battlefield was the nation’s first national military park. It is 5,300 acres, and a seven-mile self-guided auto tour through the park is the best way to see it (although there are many trails, and horseback riding is allowed).  Stop at the Visitor Center to get started on the tour. The center also includes several exhibits, a film about the field, bookstore, and a cool collection of American military arms.

A neat feature of the tour is the “Dial and Discover” cell phone tour—dial up the number listed as the Visitor Center and hear the park’s story as you drive through. There are lots of great places to stop and walk around - over 1,400 monuments and markers are located throughout the park, as well as preserved cabins. There are reenactments of the battle each year around September 19.

The Chickamauga and Chattanooga Battlefield Parks were dedicated in 1895. The military affairs committees instrumental in the creation of the parks noted that the fields provided a great resource for the historical and professional military study of two great armies’ operations over all types of terrain.

An old photo of Ft. Oglethorpe when it was an active military facility.
Shortly after the park was created, the Army opened The Post at Fort Oglethorpe near the park in 1902. Cavalry was stationed at the post, and the battlefield was used for maneuvers. During World War I, over 60,000 troops were mobilized through the post, and troops marched en masse formations in the streets.

A great side trip to a visit to the Chickamauga Battlefield is a stop in at the 6th Cavalry Museum, located just outside the park. The museum is a showcase of the rich military history of the 6th Cavalry, which was stationed at Ft. Oglethorpe from 1919–1942. The story of the 6th Calvary is illustrious, beginning in 1861. When the 6th was assigned to The Post, it became a “spit and polish” outfit, with competitive polo, military horse tournaments and parades.

The museum is located on the Post’s original parade grounds and polo fields, surrounded by the officer’s homes and other Post buildings. The brief self-guided tour includes artifacts, uniforms, weapons, photos —and a Patton Tank, Cobra Gunship Helicopter and jeep. Every Labor Day Weekend, the post hosts a “Remembering our Heroes” event, with World War II re-enactments on the fields.

The 6th Cavalry Museum has a tank which sees field duty on special occasions. (Photo by Stacy Guidice)
Not far to the north in Chattanooga is the Lookout Mountain Battlefield National Military Park, which is also well worth a visit, especially for its scenic vista of Chattanooga and the Tennessee River. Atop the mountain, you can see what a prize this vantage point was to both sides. After winning Chickamauga in September, the Confederates defended the mountaintop until November 24 and 25, when Union forces overtook the mountain, and so Chattanooga.

There is a Visitor Center across the street from Point Park, where you can see James Walker’s impressive and famous “Battle of Lookout Mountain” painting. The Point Park walking tour takes you by many monuments and sights. The Museum also has a great 3D electronic presentation about the battles, the area and the action.

More than 226,000 soldiers fought in the battles for Chickamauga and Chattanooga – and of these, 46,000 veterans gave their lives. A visit to these historic sites makes a thought-provoking day, and a fitting memorial to their sacrifices.

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