Chattanooga Monuments

More than 100 years ago, the towns of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and nearby Chickamauga, Georgia, witnessed one of the many battles of the Civil War. Today, Chattanooga and Chickamauga National Military Park over the border in Georgia commemorates the battlegrounds with over 705 monuments, markers and tablets erected across the grounds. Area residents and Civil War buffs alike can explore the monuments that honor fallen soldiers from long ago.

  1. Florida Monument

    • The National Military Park at Chattanooga and Chickamauga has a number of monuments dedicated to troops from states that fought in the battle, but the Florida Monument is the most prominent of them all because it is the first monument visible to tourists after leaving the park headquarters. Its appearance is that of a temple, with columns and a dome housing a representative statue of a Civil War soldier.

    Hans Christian Heg Monument

    • This monument honors Hans Christian Heg, who commanded a Union brigade at the Battle of Chickamauga after serving as leader of the 15th Wisconsin regiment. Heg received a fatal wound on the first day of battle, his first and last as the commander of a brigade. His monument is simple and unadorned, a black pyramid standing alone at the outskirts of a circle of trees around a grassy field.

    Wilder Monument

    • Wilder Monument, completed in 1902, honors Colonel John T. Wilder and his Union troops. Wilder and his soldiers tried to hold their ground against the Confederates during the battle, but were unsuccessful, eventually retreating to flee on their horses.

      The 86-foot-tall tower, built from Chickamauga limestone, has a spiral staircase leading to the top, offering a view of the entire battlefield. The tower stands on the ground where Union General William S. Rosencrans established his headquarters.

    New York Peace Monument

    • The artistry of the New York Peace Monument is notable. Erected in 1907, this 95-foot pillar is constructed of Massachusetts pink marble and rises from a rotunda encircled by a set of steps. At the top of the pillar, two soldiers, one Union and one Confederate, hoist an American flag upright in a reflection of the eventual peace achieved and the reunification of the states. The monument lies in the center of the Point Park area of the grounds.