October 7 Chickamauga Battlefield, Pocket Campground

 Monday, October 7

62 degrees this morning - trending in the right direction!

Today's adventure takes us to the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park - the first official military park in the US.  Great visitor's center where we watch a film and check out weaponry and other displays.

 

The Confederates claimed victory on the first day of fighting in September 1863.  Both sides shift, retreat, and advance in a deadly game for control of Chattanooga "the gateway to the Confederacy", with the North eventually gaining control of the rivers, rails and roads in what some call "the death knell of the Confederacy".  Over 10,000 people lost their lives, with many more injured or missing.

There is a great driving tour with monuments, battery positions, exhibits and trails, similar to Gettysburg and Vicksburg.   Confederate General Bragg won at Chickamauga, but lost Chattanooga and had to resign.  Union General Rosecrans was removed from command after Chickamauga and replaced by General Ulysses Grant and General George Thomas.

Union-held Chattanooga became a beacon of freedom for people escaping slavery at their Camp Contraband.  In 1863 the US Army began recruiting former slaves and by the end of the war 20,000 free men and former slaves had joined the United States Colored Troops.  It also became headquarters for General Sherman.

It is sad to walk these fields and think of all the lives that were lost and/or changed in just a day.  Indeed, war is hell.

From here we head to the  Conasauga Ranger District of the Chattahoochee National Forest to learn about camping options.  Some parts of the National Forest are closed, but ranger  Diane Mullen says that is in the far northeastern part of the state.  She suggests Pocket Campground or Lake Conasauga and we decide to head to Pocket.  We stop at a grocery store to restock a bit and find prices rather high.

The National Forest is split into several large areas and Pocket is southwest of us.  The cost is $7.50 with our Senior pass (compared to the $32 for busy state parks).   No signal out here in the boonies and no electric or showers,  but there are flush toilets and running water in the restrooms.  Greg comments that last night we could watch our neighbors cook dinner and watch TV, while here the nearest neighbor is just a faint light through the woods.  He scrounges some firewood and we enjoy our first campfire of the trip. Nice stream nearby and trail that leads to a deserted day-use picnic area.  

Salmon and zucchini for dinner. Yum.