News Release

Fire Eaters and Radicals

Date: March 29, 2019
Contact: Kim Coons, 706-866-9241x139

Fort Oglethorpe, GA: On Saturday, April 13, at 2 pm, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will host a special 90-minute tour focusing on some of the more extreme soldiers associated with the Battle of Chickamauga. This program begins inside the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center, before making its way onto the battlefield.

The years leading up to the outbreak of the American Civil War witnessed huge divisions within the United States on politics, religion, and many other parts of everyday life, all pointing to what some have called a “moment of possibility.”  It was a time when an opportunity for change was possible, ranging from slavery’s death to stemming the tide of democracy.  People across the nation fell into bitterly opposed camps and became unwilling to talk or compromise any longer.  In the South, Fire Eaters arose to tear the country apart, while in the North, Radical Abolitionists spoke out in opposition.  Though small in number, their voices resonated and its vibrations ripped the country apart and plunged it into war.  In September 1863, at Chickamauga, some of those men found themselves upon the battlefield. This program will share some of their stories.

For more information about upcoming programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, please contact the Lookout Mountain Visitor Center at 423-821-7786, the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/chch.