Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, Georgia

I used to walk the mountain during lunch break at work. It was a work out. They used to have buses but it may be better to just drive up.

On weekends you HAVE to take the bus, mainly because of the dangerous condition created by all the idiot hikers, joggers, and runners. They have NO interest in the park as a historic site, simply a place to exercise; I doubt very many have ANY idea that so many soldiers suffered and died so nearby in order that they can defile the place in such a brainless manner!
 
On weekends you HAVE to take the bus, mainly because of the dangerous condition created by all the idiot hikers, joggers, and runners. They have NO interest in the park as a historic site, simply a place to exercise; I doubt very many have ANY idea that so many soldiers suffered and died so nearby in order that they can defile the place in such a brainless manner!

I knew about the soldiers and talked to visitors there. It was a great workout and although it seems to be a jogger/hiker paradise it gets people to the mountain without having budget issues like Pickets Mill or other sites. I do understand your point and a lot of them could care less. The Kolb Mountain and Little Kennesaw on the others side is very steep. I am not able to travel down that side. Cheatham Hill is too far for me to go but a good trail. When I make it too the top I point out to people Plant Bowen in the Distance. The town of Elizabeth below at the foot of the mountain and Atlanta in the distance.
 
... Sherman had adopted unwieldy brigade-sized formations that were intended to punch through what were believed and hoped to be a thin Confederate defense line; this tactic had already failed miserably at New Hope Church and Pickett's Mill - why Sherman thought it would have any better chance of success here against an entrenched and well-prepared foe is anybody's guess.
...

There is a new book on the battle by Earl Hess in which Hess writes "While Sherman made the decision to assault, he left the choice of the target and the manner of attack up to his subordinates."
 
If not for those 'idiot' hikers there would be little interest in the park. This area was preserved in the early 20th century as opposed to the Peachtree Creek area which is 100% lost to 'progress'.
Currently Kennesaw is the #1 most visited battlefield in the nation.. Yes you read that right .. Even more visitors than Six Flags over Gettysburg! .. With only a tiny fraction of the staff and volunteers. Because of the number of visitors per year (including those hikers and joggers you loathe) the park has continued to obtain funding for not only a new, FANTASTIC park film, but also the funds to acquire and preserve surrounding land that would have otherwise been turned into car dealerships or hookah lounges.
And, surprisingly enough, MANY of those hikers and joggers are very interested, aware of and even somewhat "attached" to the events that occurred there in June and July 1864.
I know, I are one :smile:
Hopefully our govt stops acting like petulant little children and will re-open this and all other parks ASAP. It's truly an amazing, hallowed place.

As a side note, contrary to your post there WAS a frontal assault on Pigeon Hill (post-war name btw) that was supposed to coincide with McCook's/Harker's Charge at CH, and the Federals lost very dearly there as well.
-Cheers
CH
 
If not for those 'idiot' hikers there would be little interest in the park. This area was preserved in the early 20th century as opposed to the Peachtree Creek area which is 100% lost to 'progress'.
Currently Kennesaw is the #1 most visited battlefield in the nation.. Yes you read that right .. Even more visitors than Six Flags over Gettysburg! .. With only a tiny fraction of the staff and volunteers. Because of the number of visitors per year (including those hikers and joggers you loathe) the park has continued to obtain funding for not only a new, FANTASTIC park film, but also the funds to acquire and preserve surrounding land that would have otherwise been turned into car dealerships or hookah lounges.
And, surprisingly enough, MANY of those hikers and joggers are very interested, aware of and even somewhat "attached" to the events that occurred there in June and July 1864.
I know, I are one :smile:
Hopefully our govt stops acting like petulant little children and will re-open this and all other parks ASAP. It's truly an amazing, hallowed place.

As a side note, contrary to your post there WAS a frontal assault on Pigeon Hill (post-war name btw) that was supposed to coincide with McCook's/Harker's Charge at CH, and the Federals lost very dearly there as well.
-Cheers
CH


Any idea when the new park film is coming out? I hope to go up there soon and look forward to checking that out.
 
Great post, love the pictures. I could rant that it is the Republicans fault because they don't want to spend the money on useless park service when the land could be more profitably go to Wal-Mart or McDonalds, but won't.
 
I have had the privilege of participating in several Living Histories/Educational programs at Kennesaw Mtn. I have camped on the top of the mountain a few times because it is so much cooler up there during the summer. There are some gun placements up there (Confederate/Alabama units). We were sleeping in one of the gun placements (pit) a few years ago when at about 2:00 o'clock in the morning we heard a noise. In fact I believe that it was in the gun pit that James N posted in his first picture. A young man and two young women had walked up the mountain trail to the summit! They had no idea that we were there. We were dressed in the full uniform of an AOT soldier and had our muskets with attached bayonets. All of a sudden we stepped out onto the trail to the astonishment of the three young people. I honestly believe that they thought we were ghosts! I have never witnessed a greater look of terror on a human's face that would have topped that. The screaming was unbelievable and I still believe that those young people are probably still running! :D
 
On weekends you HAVE to take the bus, mainly because of the dangerous condition created by all the idiot hikers, joggers, and runners. They have NO interest in the park as a historic site, simply a place to exercise; I doubt very many have ANY idea that so many soldiers suffered and died so nearby in order that they can defile the place in such a brainless manner!
I bet that ANY major threat to the Park, and the hikers/runners/joggers will fight to put a stop to any threat to their "Park"!

Kevin Dally
 
It debuted last weekend... Just in time for the government hissy fit :-(
You can also purchase it on DVD. It's very, very good.
I have a VHS of the film on the Park I bought back in 01..it wasn't a bad one, better than what Shiloh, and Chickamauga was at the time!

Kevin Dally
 
Thank you James N. just put Kennesew Mt. on my bucket list. Nice very nice photo's of cannon.
johnj
 
Currently Kennesaw is the #1 most visited battlefield in the nation.. Yes you read that right .. Even more visitors than Six Flags over Gettysburg! .. With only a tiny fraction of the staff and volunteers. Because of the number of visitors per year (including those hikers and joggers you loathe) the park has continued to obtain funding ...

You know, I never thought of it that way. KM is hallowed ground for me. I spent part of my honeymoon there (yup, he's a good man, even though he's only mildly interested in the CW, lol!) My ancestor was killed at the Dead Angle, after only a few months of service. His Lieutenant left a full account of his death and we were able to stand pretty much where he fell all those years ago. We were also finally able to locate his grave, as I had found a GAR record listing the name he was buried under (probably due to illegible identification on his body according to one of the park service guys.)

I now live less than hour from there and haven't been back since my honeymoon (2000) because of the ridiculous congestion. I have noticed something living here that I've not noticed elsewhere - people love their parks. Parks in the rural, poor area where I grew up was mostly used for crack deals it seems.

Thank you OP for this thread, and thank you CheathamHill for you comments. My attachment to the park is emotional, very emotional. But now I kinda have a different viewpoint about those who love their park, but aren't emotionally attached to the history.

Best,
Debbie
 
KM is hallowed ground for me. I spent part of my honeymoon there (yup, he's a good man, even though he's only mildly interested in the CW, lol!) My ancestor was killed at the Dead Angle, after only a few months of service... Thank you OP for this thread, and thank you CheathamHill for you comments. My attachment to the park is emotional, very emotional. But now I kinda have a different viewpoint about those who love their park, but aren't emotionally attached to the history.

Best,
Debbie

You're most welcome, Debbie!

Allow me to share my own "personal" Kennesaw tale. Back in 1968 ( ! ), my girlfriend and I were looking to elope during my summer break from college. She did all the research and found out Georgia had NO residency requirement and accepted out-of-state blood tests! She then got a list from the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce ( NO "Googling" back then! ) of local Justices of the Peace and wrote to several. Most either responded negatively or not at all, but Judge Seward said yes!

We took a leisurly trip from Dallas to Atlanta, and thence to Marietta where we got a licence. Next day, we picked up retired 70-something Judge Seward ( he pronounced his name See-ward ) at his home in an Atlanta neighborhood near Ezra Church, then drove to the top of Kennesaw, where he married us on what was then called Sherman Terrace, overlooking the parking lot! Afterwards, we drove him back to his home, where he presented me with a Minie ball from his yard which used to have a Union trench running through it. ( I still have the Minie ball, but not the wife! )

Little did I suspect then that I had a G-G-Grandfather that was wounded near the Dead Angle repelling one of Sherman's assaults; I wanted to be wed on a Civil War battlefield, and she wanted to be wed outdoors!
 
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