What's your favorite Civil War battlefield and why?

I've heard that once you go off the beaten path, you actually start running into quiet a bit of the original trenches.
I went a bit off the beaten path and the trenches in the woods were much better preserved than out in the open where everyone else walks along. My next visit will be an entire day to really go off the beaten path. Hopefully this autumn in the wake of the CWT muster at Antietam. :smile:
 
Mine is Camp Wildcat. I know it may seem relatively unimportant but the location is beautiful and border state men fought on both sides. Some of them my relatives.
 
Shiloh with its 4,000 plus acres of terrian unaffected by the march of time. It is a beautiful rual park with excellent tablets of information and monuments.
Regards
David
 
Antietam for me although Gettysburg was quite the experience. Regarding Antietam walking Bloody Lane, Burnside Bridge, and in the footsteps of the Texas Brigade and the Irish Brigade made for a great day of exploring the Battlefield

That's the greatest allure of visiting historical sites. Books can only provide so much insight while actually being there brings a far more vivid understanding of what went down.
 
That's the greatest allure of visiting historical sites. Books can only provide so much insight while actually being there brings a far more vivid understanding of what went down.
Exactly. Walking over the Burnside Bridge from the Union perspective you could almost see how tough it would have been going up against the Georgians on the other side of the hill.
 
Gettysburg for me as well. Here on Long Island your a ways from the front lines as it were, so Gettysburg being a 5 hour car ride helps. Aside from that I went there when I was 8 for the first time and it grabbed hold of me then. I've been making yearly trips there since I got my license. In recent years we have been branching out Antietam being close to there.
 
* Pea Ridge Military Park!

Why?

#1 - Because it is one of the best preserved battlefields in our nation.

#2 - Most individuals have not visited this venue and don't have a clue about the Trans-Mississippi Theater.

#3 - It is not Gettysburg!!!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, I adore the Gettysburg National Military Park. But in my opinion, this battlefield has run its course on this message board. It gets nauseating....

Enjoy your weekend,
Bill
 
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I would say Perryville, mostly because it's the only battlefield that I've visited that I am old enough to remember, but also of the little told story, and well kept field.


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I haven't been to all of them yet but if I could go today to one I have already been to it would be Cold Harbor. On a cold,winter weekday, you're liable to be the only one there for awhile if you get there early. It is off the beaten path. Not many monuments and small Visitor Center but earthworks everywhere and walking trails. I'd take a sack lunch and stay awhile.
I've been there many times. The first time was probably with my high school class, History Of The South. That's probably not offered anymore. And yes the trenches are numerous and everywhere. The last time I was there there was a group of re-enctoes demonstrating drills and cannon fire. One sad thing about this battlefield is that the RNBPS only owns a small section of the actual entire battlefield. You can go anywhere near the park and dig anything up, with permission of course.
 
I've been there many times. The first time was probably with my high school class, History Of The South. That's probably not offered anymore. And yes the trenches are numerous and everywhere. The last time I was there there was a group of re-enctoes demonstrating drills and cannon fire. One sad thing about this battlefield is that the RNBPS only owns a small section of the actual entire battlefield. You can go anywhere near the park and dig anything up, with permission of course.
Also, some of the best preserved trenches are not too far away in Varina, at Ft Harrison.
 
I've only recently became more aware on how much of the trenches still exist. I had always imagined that it would be similar to what happened in France post-WW1, where the vast majority was plowed over by framers. And that 160ish years would have eroded most of the rest until few remained.
 
Also, some of the best preserved trenches are not too far away in Varina, at Ft Harrison.
There was a push in that direction September 29, 1864, north of the James River when Grant was hoping to weaken the garrison of Petersburg and to keep Early from being reinforced in the valley. When he took the works at Fort Harrison he writes;

"General Ord's corps advanced this morning and carried the very strong fortifications and long line of intrenchments below Chaffin's farm....Birney advanced at the same time from Deep Bottom, and carried the New Market road and intrenchments and scattered the enemy in every direction, though he captured but few. I left General Birney where the Mill road intersects the New Market and Richmond roads. The whole country is filled with field fortifications thus far."

A very good book about this specific action is covered in 'Richmond Redeemed', by the late Richard J. Sommers.
The excerpt was from Grant to Halleck, Sept. 29, 1864, Official Records, Series 1, Volume 42, Part 1, pages 20 and 21.
Lubliner.
 
Second Battle of Boonville, Missouri. Most of you have never heard of Boonville, let alone the four times it factored into the war. The First Battle was more important, because it influenced the fact that Missouri stayed in the Union. However, Second Boonville is my favorite because I grew up in the former David Lilly farm house in the middle of the battle field. The battle featured three forces of State Guard attacking a fortified, fixed position occupied mostly by German immigrants. It featured civilian hostages. It featured brave men dying, but also a negotiated truce. It is all on private property today. There is simply nothing to compare with growing up on hallowed ground.
 
Gettysburg and Antietam, because they are closest to me and I've visited the most -- Gettysburg over 30 times and Antietam about 10 times. I've spent a lot of time trying to truly understand both while walking the fields.

I visited Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, and Spottsylvania. Really enjoyed Chancellorsville and the visit sparked an interest in the Wilderness that I may tackle sometime.

A true bucket list wish -- I really want to visit Shiloh and Chickamauga. Unfortunately work will prevent me from taking part of the Shiloh muster this year.
 
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