Artillery piece is moved onto line with the battery Battle of Kennesaw Mountain re-enactment. |
Commemoration of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
In 1999, the 135th anniversary of the Civil War
Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was commemorated with three days of
activities and the opening of new addition to the visitor center at
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Although it was a
rainy weekend, an estimated 40,000 people viewed one or more
programs, which included infantry drills, a cavalry drill, civilian
society demonstrations, camp life programs, and a six-gun union
artillery battery at the anniversary celebration.
The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, 1864, was
an important battle of the Atlanta campaign by Union General
William Sherman to launch a full-scale frontal assault on the
entrenched position of General Joseph Johnston's Rebels. Eventually
Sherman abandoned his frontal assault and went back to his famous
flanking maneuvers. This battle cost the lives of 3,000 Union
soldiers, and 1,000 Confederates. On September 2, 1864, the first
Union troops occupied Atlanta, which was destroyed during the next
few weeks.
Following the war, a number of veteran reunions were
held at battlefields. Several battlefields, which did not include
Kennesaw, were saved from destruction for professional military and
historical study. Civil War veterans from Illinois, however,
purchased 60 acres at the center of the Kennesaw battlefield where
they had been heavily engaged on June 27. They also erected a
monument to commemorate the heroic deeds of the men and officers
that day. Kennesaw was authorized as a national battlefield on
February 8, 1917, and became a national park in 1935. Over time the
area around the park has become greatly developed. Since 1935,
surrounding communities have participated in the battle's annual
commemoration, which continues to draw larger crowds as interest
grows yearly about the war, its causes, implications, and
battles.
Documentation includes a text report and photographs
of the 1999 commemoration.
Originally submitted by: Bob Barr, Representative (7th District).
More Local Legacies... |
|
|
The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.
|