Chickamauga: National Park marks anniversary

The National Park Service is hosting events to experience history and commemorate the 145th anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga on the grounds of America’s first national historical park.

A series of free events will be held at Chickamauga Battlefield through Sunday, said Jim Staub, supervisory park ranger for Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.

The events will provide historical accounts of battle action and allow visitors to stand where soldiers did as the events unfolded on Sept. 19-20, 1863, during the Civil War, Mr. Staub said. Visitor Center hours have been extended, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the anniversary.

“All programs that will be occurring will be on the grounds where primary action occurred during the Battle of Chickamauga,” Mr. Staub said.

The battlefield’s events are separate from, but complementary to, the battle re-enactments in McLemore Cove on Friday through Sunday.

“The National Park Service doesn’t support re-enactments on their grounds,” Mr. Staub said. “We do living history interpretations.”

He said the Park Service does work closely with, and depends on, re-enactors.

Living history demonstrations from artillery programs to infantry tactics are scheduled, park officials said. There will be a field hospital set up on Snodgrass Hill, as well as infantry interpretations.

There will be numerous walking, biking or driving tours, including a free motor coach tour Saturday and Sunday to give visitors an overview of the two-day Battle of Chickamauga, Mr. Staub said.

Walking and driving tours will help visitors feel closer to the history, Park Ranger Lee White said.

“It has got more meaning to actually be on the ground,” Mr. White said.

He will tell visitors about Gen. James Longstreet’s attack on the second day that led to the last major victory for the Confederate Army.

“The Confederates win, but their goal was to destroy the Union Army and retake Chattanooga,” Mr. Lee said. “The Union retreats back to Chattanooga, so the Confederates don’t get any of their objectives.”

This year’s enhanced events to commemorate the 145th anniversary will see an increased number of visitors, Mr. Lee said.

“This is one time of year where we do get more of the history buffs,” he said.