Sharpshooting along “The River of Death”: The Role of
Sharpshooters in the Battle of Chickamauga
Fort Oglethorpe, GA: On Saturday, August 7, at 2 pm, Chickamauga and Chattanooga
National Military Park will present a special 90-minute, ranger-led car caravan tour
exploring the role of sharpshooters during the Battle of Chickamauga. This program
begins at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center.
What was the role of sharpshooters during the Civil War? Americans had long made
their ability with rifles a matter of national pride and myth, therefore when the Civil
War erupted, experts on both sides decided that specialized sharpshooter units would
be required in the field. These units, many of which had special training and weapons,
considered themselves elite units, though not all were. To learn more about these units
and the men who composed them, join a park ranger for this special tour highlighting
some of the stories about sharpshooters in the Battle of Chickamauga.
For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National
Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, the
Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423-821-7786, or visit the park website
at www.nps.gov/chch.
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care
for America’s 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help
preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at
www.nps.gov.