Our seminar this afternoon focused on Union General George Thomas's defensive line east of Kelly Field. Today, we know the area as "Battleline Road" because this road was placed here after the Park was established for better access, and to view this vital Union position.

We are close to the northern end of the battleline. Here, the line makes a slight concave dip toward the east. On the morning of September 20th, Union troops were able to put enfalade fire into the left of Helm's Brigade as it moved toward the north end of the line. This part of the line was the last to retire on the late evening of the 20th.

Jim stopped at the 33rd Ohio Infantry monument to make note of this scene (see above) depicted in bronze. It shows how the Union line was able to utilize the open ground in this area to maximize their fire effectiveness. A large cedar grove at the time of the battle helped the Union's line-of-site as it directed its deadly firepower on the advancing Confederates. It was in this spot, on the late morning of the 20th, that Confederate General Benjamin Helm's Kentucky Orphan Brigade attacked the north-end of the Union line. The brigade broke in two when its left hit the blue line, the right continued toward LaFayette Road. General Helm was mortally wounded near here trying to rally this part of his brigade. The rebuff would be repeated later in the afternoon when Colquitt's Brigade would hit the Union line - and the result was nearly the same as brigade commander Colquitt would fall mortally wounded near here as well.

Jim points out that the guns of the Eufaula Alabama Battery might seem a bit out-of-place here in that they are pointing north toward the south-end of Kelly Field. However, this battery positioned itself here just as the Union units were withdrawing from the Battleline Road defenses that had served the North well up to this point. Kelly field can just be seen through the trees - the Confederates had a much better view from here at the time of the battle.

Our group makes one last stop, oddly enough at "Tour Stop 1" on the National Park Service's battlefield tour guide. We end here examining the ground the retreating Union units traveled after leaving the Kelly Field - Battleline Road defenses. In the darkening hours of September 20th, Confederate forces were closing in from north, east and south upon those beleagured commands of Palmer and Johnson. The view is south-southeast with the Kentucky monument in the distance.

Once again, we came to the end of another "Seminar in the Woods." The blowing rain cut our ending ceremony short, but we all knew next year would soon be upon us. And, Study Group 2011 would be anxiously awaited until then.