Chattanooga Area
- Chattanooga Park headquarters are at Point Park. See directions to
Point Park.
A variety of parks, monuments,
scenic views, museums and
historic structures are featured in the Tennessee
portion of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Battlefield Park. These
sites focus on the Battles For Chattanooga, which occurred two months after
Chickamauga. Besieged Union forces under Gen. U.S. Grant in Chattanooga defeated
Confederate forces under Gen. Braxton Bragg on Lookout Mountain and then Missionary
Ridge.
Point Park
Lookout Mt., Chattanooga, TN 423-821-7786
Point Park, at 2,100 feet above sea level, features
beautiful views of the Tennessee River
Valley. Three gun batteries mark a small segment of
the siege lines that encircled Chattanooga. The 95-foot Peace
Monument, constructed from pink Massachusetts granite and Tennessee marble,
features on top of its shaft a Union and Confederate soldier shaking hands under
one flag. The visitors center has the historic James
Walker painting of "The Battle Above The Clouds," measuring 13 feet
by 33 feet, along with an audio program discussing the work, and a book store.
A set of stairs leads 500 feet down to The Ochs Museum
and Overlook, with great views of the valley. A ledge
nearby is Umbrella Rock, where many Union soldiers
had their photo taken, including Gen. U.S. Grant. To the left of the museum
is the Bluff Trail, the main hiking trail of the park
which will take you to the Cravens House.
- From downtown Chattanooga, take Broad St. to Lookout Mt. Park is at
intersection of W. Brow and E. Brow Roads on Lookout Mt.
The Cravens House
Lookout Mountain, TN 423-821-6161
Built around 1854 by Robert Cravens, this house was
the site of the fiercest fighting on the mountain and is the only remaining
structure of the Civil War period on the battlefield. Confederate officers used
the house as a headquarters for their fortifications on Lookout Mountain, only
to be pushed out by Union Gen. "Fighting" Joe Hooker on Nov. 24, 1863
during the "Battle Above the Clouds." Only open for tours on Sat.
& Sun. Grounds are always open.
- Follow Scenic Hwy. past Ruby Falls. Before crossing the Incline, turn
on Cravens Terrace Rd.
Signal Point Reservation
Signal Mountain, TN
Signal Point Reservation, to the north and directly
opposite Lookout Mountain marks the spot where Native Americans, Confederates,
and Union forces communicated through the use of signals. When the Federal army
was trapped in Chattanooga in the fall of 1863, the U.S. Signal Corps was able
to communicate up to 25 miles through the use of flags. Exhibits are displayed
along the terrace, which affords a beautiful view of the Tennessee River
Valley.
- Hwy. 27 to Signal Mt. Blvd. exit. Follow to top of mountain and take
first street to the left. Follow signs.
Orchard Knob Reservation
Orchard Knob Ave., Chattanooga, TN
Orchard Knob Reservation marks the site of Gen.
U.S. Grant's headquarters during the Union assaults of Confederate forces holding
Missionary Ridge on Nov. 25, 1863. It was here that Grant and Gen. George "Rock
of Chickamauga" Thomas watched in amazement as Union troops — without
orders — charged up Missionary Ridge, knocking Gen. Braxton Bragg's Confederates
back into Georgia. Orchard Knob was the forward position of the Confederate
siege line, until Grant attacked on Nov. 23, when he suspected the Rebel forces
might be lifting their siege. A half-hour battle secured the hill for the Union.
Located in the park are monuments, memorials,
descriptive metal plaques, and cannon.
- At Orchard Knob Ave. and East Third St.
Missionary Ridge Reservations
Crest Road, Chattanooga, TN
Missionary Ridge is a 400-foot high, 20-mile long mountain barrier running
east of the city of Chattanooga. Along this ridge were the seemingly impregnable,
entrenched Confederate forces and gun batteries, laying siege to U.S. forces
in Chattanooga. A series of military reservations, with monuments, cannon and
explanatory tablets, mark significant spots on the ridge. The Sherman
Reservation marks the area where Gen. William T. Sherman tried in vain to
break through the Confederate eastern flank commanded by Gen. Patrick Cleburne.
The De Long Reservation contains a large monument
to the 2nd Minnesota Regiment, which fought gallantly at Chickamauga and was
among the first to reach the crest of Missionary Ridge. The Ohio
Reservation honors troops who fought in the Chattanooga Campaign.
The Ohio Monument was dedicated by then Ohio Gov.
William McKinley, who later became president of the U.S. The Bragg
Reservation marks the site of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg's headquarters,
who resigned his commission after his defeat at Chattanooga. The
monument here honors Illinois troops.
- Follow Crest Rd. from Glass St.
National Cemetery
1200 Bailey Ave., Chattanooga, TN 615-855-6590
This national cemetery, located on 124 acres of gently
rolling hills, contains the reinterred Union dead from Chickamauga, Chattanooga
and other actions in the area. Established in 1865 by Gen. George H. Thomas,
a total of 12,956 Union soldiers are known to be buried here, approximately
5,000 with identities unknown. Confederate dead from the Battle of Chattanooga
were buried in the Confederate Cemetery in Chattanooga, and the Confederate
dead from Chickamauga were buried in Marietta. Today more than 31,000 veterans
from many American wars are buried in the National Cemetery, which was officially
established by the 1867 Act to Establish and Protect National Cemeteries. This
is also the last resting place of eight of the 24 Andrews Raiders of the famous
"Great Locomotive Chase," (see page 37) including James Andrews, who
were executed in Atlanta, buried in Oakland Cemetery, but later reinterred here.
(Except for Andrews, who was buried in an unmarked grave in Atlanta and later
reinterred here.) Just inside the main gate is a large monument with a bronze
likeness of the General, the locomotive stolen
near Marietta, Georgia and recaptured just north of Ringgold, Georgia. Tried
as spies, Andrews and seven of his men were hanged. Four of those buried here
were among the first recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. The monument
was dedicated on Memorial Day, 1891.
- I-24 West to Fourth Ave. exit, make a right at the light. Go left
at the next light. When you get to Holtzclaw, go right. Main cemetery entrance
will be on the left.
Confederate Cemetery
East Third St., Chattanooga, TN 
After the war, in 1865, returning Confederate veterans decided to establish
a Confederate cemetery for those who were killed in
various actions around Chattanooga or died in hospitals and then buried in plots
and graveyards around the city. Organizers decided on the east side of the Citizens
Cemetery and gathered the dead and had them reinterred. Commemorative tablets
line the walks identifying the units but not individuals, unless they were veterans.
Notice the Confederate flag on the main gate and the metal
plaque erected in 1901. A large stone obelisk stands
on the hill.
- Located from East Third to East Fifth near downtown Chattanooga.
The Battles For Chattanooga Museum
3742 Tennessee Ave., Chattanooga, TN 615-821-2812
Their motto, "Visit Here First," is good advice. At this tourist
attraction, one can get a feel for what happened in Chattanooga before going
to Point Park. A large, three-dimensional battle map,
with 5,000 miniature soldiers, 650 lights, sound effects, and smoking cannons,
is an excellent primer for adults and children. The museum also has Civil War
artifacts and a bookstore.
- I-24 to exit 178, left on South Broad to Tennessee Ave.
National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History
400 Georgia Ave. Chattanooga, TN 423-267-1737
The National Medal of Honor Museum highlights
the heroic deeds of American Servicemen and one woman who won the nation's greatest
honor. The Medal of Honor, established during the Civil War, was awarded first
to the Andrews Raiders, some of whom are buried in the Chattanooga
National Cemetery not far from this museum.
Here you find history and some unusual artifacts of the Civil War (first cannon
ball fired into Chattanooga), Spanish American War, WWI, WWII (a brick from
Hitler's house), Korean War, Vietnam War and Persian Gulf War; plus the individual
stories of Medal of Honor recipients. The museum is raising funds to build a
permanent site for its artifacts and exhibits.
- I-24 to Hwy. 27. exit 1C (Fourth St. exit) to fifth light.
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