Chattanooga’s importance in the Civil War remembered through MEMORIALS
The Civil War created a lot of history in Chattanooga as this city held an important standing in the war. Due to its strategic location, Chattanooga was known as “the Gateway to the Lower South” and was key in the war in order to access the large confederate standings south of this city.
Today, there are plenty of Civil War memorials in Chattanooga to keep you busy learning more about this rich history. Here are a few spots to visit if you want to look back on some of these days in 1863.
Point Park
The battle of Lookout Mountain, also known as “The Battle Above the Clouds” took place November 24, 1863. This took place near where Point Park stands today in memorial to the losses of the Civil War. Some argue that this couldn’t even be considered a battle as it really didn’t take much effort for the Union troops to overtake the Confederates on the mountaintop. The clouds had rolled in around the mountain making it easier for Union troops to subdue the Confederates without much voilence neccesary. In fact, the commander of the Union troops, Ulysseus S. Grant, is credited for saying “The Battle of Lookout Mountain is one of the romances of the war. There was no such battle and no action even worthy to be called a battle on Lookout Mountain. It is all poetry.”
Today the park houses a museum, monuments, and cannons as well as beautiful views of the valley below. To learn more details about Point Park, click HERE. To see a neat map about the battle, click HERE.
Craven’s House
(from Point Park) 
Robert Craven moved to the Chattanooga area in 1838 and later built what is known today as “the Craven’s House” on Lookout Mountain. He was a businessman who started the iron trade in Chattanooga which ended up booming the city’s economy. All was well until the Civil War knocked on his door step come 1863. Due to the house’s great vantage point, it was used by both the union and confederate troops at various times during the battles of Chattanooga. At this point, the wealthy businessman had skipped town, for obvious reasons, only to return to a destroyed house. He rebuilt it later on to live out the rest of his years here. In 1893 the house, land, and other Lookout Mountain properties, were given to the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.
Today, many Civil War memorials stand throughout the Chattanooga property and tours of the house are given freely on summer weekend afternoons. To learn more details about the Craven’s House, click HERE.
Missionary Ridge
Bragg Reservation: 1 of 8 on Missionary Ridge 
Missionary Ridge runs diagonal from the border of Georgia up north into Chattanooga. This of course made a great natural barrier for the Confederates to set up their defense line as they tried to keep the Union soldiers from pushing further into the South. Despite the landscape being in their favor, the Confederates ended up retreating. This was the final stake the Union needed in order to obtain full possession of Chattanooga. And as we like to say, the rest is history.
Today there are eight reservations along the lengthy ridge to commemorate this battle with numerous plaques, monuments, and old cannons. To read more about each, individual reservation and tips for visiting them, click HERE.
I hope my quick rundown of some historical Civil War battles and memorials in Chattanooga was interesting to read, even if you’re not a history buff. If you ARE a history buff, then I hope I did these events and places justice. Let me know in the comments below what you thought and where else you’d like to see me visit in regards to Chattanooga history. Until next time, I’ll see you out Exploring Chatt!