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July 2009 CANISTER Newsletter Website Version of Our Monthly Newsletter |
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July 2009 CANISTER Newsletter Website Version of Our Monthly Newsletter |
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CANISTER From The Chattanooga Civil War Round Table www.chattanoogacwrt.org |
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| VOLUME XXV1 | JULY 21, 2009 | NO. 7 |
VISITORS AND GUESTS WELCOME |
| DATE: | TUESDAY, JULY 21, 2009 | TIME: 7 PM |
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TOPIC: |
"A RIVERWALK TO A BATTLEFIELD" |
| SPEAKER: | Jim Ogden |
| PLACE: |
TENNESSEE RIVERWALK RIVERPOINT TRAIL HEAD
AMNICOLA HIGHWAY, JUST NORTH OR EAST OF
WHERE AMNICOLA HIGHWAY CROSSES SOUTH
CHICKAMAUGA CREEK, CHATTANOOGA |
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JULY MEETING |
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The river was running high. The rains of the recent days had it bank full. Above, clouds obscured the stars; a chill was in the air as dawn approached; a fog began to rise. Then, a Confederate picket on the river's south bank saw something moving on the river and movement on the shore. "'Who goes there?'" The pre-dawn silence was broken. "'Grand rounds!'" came the quick reply. "'Advance, sergeant, with the countersign'" said the picket. But, the picket got no countersign; instead, he felt the muzzle of a pistol at his ear and heard a low voice advise that he make no noise. He was a prisoner. Union soldiers were on the south side of the Tennessee up-stream of Chattanooga adjacent to the mouth of South Chickamauga Creek. Over the next few minutes, the captured picket was joined by a dozen more of his now prisoner comrades. Not until the Federals approached the fourteenth picket was a weapon discharged. The alarm was too late though; one hundred and sixteen pontoon boats had landed more than a thousand Union soldiers on the Southern side of the river. It was the vanguard of what was intended to be U. S. Grant's main strike at the Army of Tennessee arrayed outside Chattanooga. This crossing of the Tennessee on the morning of November 24, 1863, is one of the key points in the Battles for Chattanooga. The force, under William T. Sherman, was envisioned by Grant to be his main effort and his hope was that Sherman's men would turn Braxton Bragg's right to begin the driving of Confederates away from Chattanooga and into Georgia to thereby secure the "Gateway to the Deep South" and open the way to relieve beleaguered Knoxville. This crossing by Sherman, however, is not as well known or appreciated, particularly in comparison to his soon to follow unsuccessful attacks at Tunnel Hill. In part, the lack of appreciation of the river crossing is due to difficulties in accessing the ground where it unfolded. In recent decades, only the hardy and daring could really do this. But, while this part of the battlefield really isn't preserved, the creation of the Tennessee Riverwalk and the developing South Chickamauga Creek Greenway is providing access to a couple of really key points in this story and they allow one to gain a much greater appreciation than in the past for most. Since we're in the field this month, we'll take advantage of these recent public areas and explore the story of Sherman's Crossing in more detail than is usually done, AND, from some of the ground itself; perhaps within yards of one of those thirteen surprised pickets on that foggy, rainy, misty, cold November morning. We'll meet at the Tennessee Riverwalk Riverpoint Trail Head. This Riverwalk trail head is located just on the north or east side of South Chickamauga Creek on Amnicola Highway where Amnicola crosses the creek. It is about a mile west/south of the DuPont Parkway bridge over the river and about a mile north/east of the Police Services Center along Amnicola. We'll gather by the parking lot and then take a short walk along the Riverwalk to the river itself. There are restrooms and if you want to come a little early, there are some picnic tables so you could bring a picnic dinner. See you there! |
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SPEAKER'S FUND SUPPORT OF THE MONTH Since we are in the field this month, we will not have the Speaker's Fund. It will be back next month. |
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SCOUTS REPORTS! There were several Civil War related programs here locally and in the region in the month between our June and July meetings. Did anyone attend the Franklin’s Charge’s “Franklin to Nashville: The Last Days of the Army of Tennessee” Symposium in Franklin or go to the open house at the Nathan Bedford Forrest Boyhood Home in Chapel Hill or to the marker dedication to Texas soldiers buried in the Tullahoma Confederate Cemetery? There were also two more open gate days at Lula Lake, including one on July 4. Did anyone perhaps go for a picnic on Independence Day? If you were able to attend any of these events or another one of note since our last meeting and you’re at our April meeting, give us a report. Good intelligence is one of the keys to military success! |
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| From The Story of the Fifty-fifth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, pp.282-283 |
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Every boat was manned by four oarsmen selected for their acquaintance with watercraft. The company commanders received special instructions, and in turn informed their men. All guns were loaded but not capped, and no one was to fire on any pretence whatever, unless by orders. To each boat were assigned twenty-five men and officers. At about eleven o'clock at night the boats received their quotas, and the expedition started. The Eighth Missouri led, followed by the Fifty-fifth. The long line of pontoons floated silently down the narrow creek until the Tennessee was reached, and then hugged the west shore as closely as possible. Not a loud word was spoken; we hushed our very whispers, and the oars were carefully muffled. The impetuous river, swollen by the heavy rains, bore us swiftly down, and the darkness was so dense under the clouded sky and in the shadows of the forest-lined shore, that we could hardly see the batteau next before or behind. The rebel picket fires on the opposite bank glimmered through the mist; we could see the guards throwing wood upon them, and once heard the challenge of a sentinel, but rarely was there any sound save the steady monotone of the river's rushing water.
The leading boat directed its course so as to run across the stream a little below the first picket-post, and the instant it struck the land the twenty-five men sprang ashore, quickly surrounded the sentinel and reserve guard, and quietly marching them to the boat, landed them on the opposite side of the river, and then followed the other pontoons. The second boat in like manner took in the second outpost, and so on until all were seized. But one gun was fired, and that by the last sentinel captured, who in his nervous surprise, fired in the air; but this caused no alarm to the enemy. |
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FUTURE ROUND TABLE MEETINGS August 19, 2009 -- September 15, 2009 -- December 15, 2009 - Jim Lewis, Park Ranger, Stones River National Battlefield, "Forrest, Milroy, & the Battle of the Cedars (December, 1864)" |
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UP-COMING LOCAL CIVIL WAR EVENTS OF NOTE NEW ENTRIES:
September 18, 19 & 20, 2009--146th Anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga, Chickamauga Battlefield;
more details later PREVIOUS ENTRIES:
July 18-19, 2009--National Park Service Fee Free Day, nationwide; here locally,
Point Park on the Lookout Mountain Battlefield will be free. |
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www.chattanoogacwrt.org |
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President -- Jim Ogden Vice President -- Ansley Moses |
Treasurer -- Harvey Scarborough Secretary -- Neil Greenwood |
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If you or a friend would like to join the Chattanooga Civil War Round Table, send
your check for dues, made out to Chattanooga Civil War Round Table, to Chattanooga
Civil War round Table, c/o Jim Ogden, 4 Gala Drive, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 30742.
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Regular Membership $20.00 Senior Citizen (62+) $15.00 |
Family Membership $30.00 Student $15.00 |
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The Round Table dues year is October 1 to September 30. Membership fee for new
members joining after October is pro-rated, being reduced by $1.50 per month for
regular membership, by $2.50 per month for family membership, and $1.00 per month
for Senior Citizens and Students. Members up-dating their dues or rejoining are
expected to pay the full rate. [Note from the webmaster: a chart with the appropriate dues can be found at: Membership Dues. An application can be found at: application] |
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