The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-17
CHICKAMAUGA PARK.

CHICKAMAUGA PARK.
Its Advantages Used as Maneuvering
Ground for Troops-.-An In
spring History.
The Government finds itself fortunate,
as it Suddenly faces war, in the owner
ship of such ground for the assembling,
instruction, and manGuvering Of troops
as the Chickamauga Park reservation
proves to be.
Under the act of Congress making the
park national nan9uyering ground,
and authorizing the Secretary Of War TO
assemble there such portion of the
regular army as he may choose, and also
to allow and arrange for the cOncentra-
ton and instruction OF the National
Guard, it was the intention to inaugurate
such use of the reservation during the
coming season. The Adjutant- General
of the army was considering what should
be done in this direction, and the troops
OF several States were looking forward 10
summer or autumn camping at the park.
Suddenly the practical uses OF actual
war have set these plans aside, and re-
placed them by others which involve the
concentration OF armies and their prepa-
ration for battle.
No other nation owns such field for
mannuvres. Eleven square miles OF the
tract are now fitted for regulation camps.
Eight of these are in open forest, care
fully cleared of underbrush, and three
square miles are in fields. There are
four square miles within the legal limits
of the tract not yet purchased. This
section is largely forest, and is available
for manpuvres by which it might be
desired to instruct troops in movements
through virgin forest.
The eutire area within the present
limits of the park is clear of fences, and
teams can drive over the fields and
through. the woods in every part of it.
When the forests were cleared out the
future use of the park for a camp of in
struction was kept in mind, and orders
were given that room should he made for
teams to be driven through it in any
direction. The forest portion OF the tract
was thus made practicable for artillery
movements as well as for cavalry and in
fantry.
There are no swamp grounds in the
park, and the soil in all sections is ex-
cellent for camps. The natural drainage
is good, the whole tract rising gradually
from the Chickamauga River, which
bounds it on the east for several miles,
to the spurs of Missionary Ridge on its
western boundary. Aside from the river
it is well-watered tract. Several small
streams fed by abundant springs traverse
it. There are neverfailing ponds, meet
ing all requirements for the animals OF
infantry, cavalry and artillery camps.
Looking forward to the occupation OF
the park as camp OF instruction, the
Commissioners have provided eight ar
,esian wells in order that it might not be
necessary for the troops to use surface
water for drinking purposes. Upon re-
cent notification that troops would prob
ably be assembled at the park, the COM
mission ordered work to begin on four
additional artesian wells, and these will
be ready before it will be necessary to
Use the grounds about them for camping
purposes Dams will be thrown across
two considerable streams to form pools
for bathing.
The mai ural features OF the park pre-
sent every element of topography likely
to be met with in actual campaigning.
There are fields and forests, each OF great
extent, low ridges and precipitous eleva-
tions, some clear of woods and some in
timber. The Chickamauga River, with
its steep banks, affords every needed
facility ior instruction in bridge build
ing. The roads OF the park system ex-
tended along the crest of Missionary
Ridge for eight miles and cross Lookout
Mountain through the field OF the
Battle Above the Clouds"
All the roads by which the Union and
the Confederate armies approached and
left the various fields within the limits
of the park have been highly improved,
and give easy access to every portion OF
the seven battlctields about Chattanooga
which are reached by the mileaged sys-
TEN of the park. These are Chicka-
mauga Wauhatchie and Browns Ferry,
Orchard Knob, Lookout Mountain, Mis-
sionary Ridge, Tunnel Hill, and Ring
gold. Practice marches over these roads
will make known to officers and men
alike the unsurpassed strategy by which
Chattanooga was finally secured, the i'll.
tricate and quick tactical movements OF
notable battles, and the splendid fight
ing of both sides. which has not been
elsewhere surpassed in war.
In addition to the marches over the
actual ground Of such contests, the OBJ
servation towers on the main fields, the
crest road on Missionary Ridge, the
roads over Lookout, and the summit of
that mountain itself, afford elevations
from which every movement, either
or the tactics Of the several
can be distinctly traced.
The lines of battle on all these Lave
been ascertaincd by the National Com
acting in cooperation with
twenty.six State commissions and
marked by monuments, historical tab
let's, and batteries remounted in their
rctual fighting positions on the lines.
Seventy such batteries have been re-
stored, in which the guns are all OF the
patterns used in the battle. The his
,orical tablets set forth the details OF the
of every command from the
init OF regiments and batteries up
through brigade, division, corps and
army.
All battle lines are SO marked as to be
raced at II glance. Distance, locality,
md guide tablets are found at every turn
Is well as tablets which show the move
!, ,Dtc Df tho pnumnS IN tho roads and